Flavoring and taste masking problem of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and its preparations has always been a serious challenge

which pharmaceutists usually faced.Through collating

classifying and summarizing literatures from journals at home and abroad in the last decade

this paper expounds the formation of taste and flavoring and taste masking mechanism

then gives a review detailedly of the current research progress about the common flavoring and taste masking techniques

such as adding taste masking agents

bitter blockers

taste buds paralyzing agents and coating

and several emerging innovative techniques

such as solid dispersion technology

ion exchange resin technology

the microencapsulated microsphere technique

inclusion technology and so on

that formed in the process of pharmaceutical development.Then

we made some analysis and discussions about the problems of flavoring and taste masking techniques in TCM.With the patients' demand in drug taste increases

flavoring and taste masking techniques in TCM are paid more attention and have the development trend to comprehensive use various techniques instead of the single technology.But currently

there are still some issues related to taste evaluation

limitations of method selection

industrial production difficult and so on

which need the pharmaceutical workers to study deeply.