Floating Multiparticulate Drug Delivery Systems: An Overview

Abstract

ABSTRACT ABSTRACT ABSTRACT In recent scientific and technological advancement have been made in the research and development of rate controlled oral drug delivery s ystems overcoming physiological adversities, such a s short gastric residence times (GRT) and unpredictab le gastric emptying times (GET). Furthermore, absorption windows in the proximal gut can limit th e bioavailability of orally administered compounds and can be a major obstacle to the development of contr olled release formulations for important drugs. Met hods to increase the residence of drug formulations at o r above the absorption window are discussed in this review 1 . Several approaches are currently utilized in the prolongation of the GRT, including floating drug delivery system (FDDS), also known as hydro dynamically balanced systems (HBS), swelling and expanding systems, modified shape systems and high density system. In this review, the current status of floating multiparticulate drug delivery systems inc luding hollow microspheres (micro balloons), low density floating micro pellets and floating micro b eads (acrylic resin based), microcapsules etc, thei r evaluation parameter, advantages, application, limi tation and future potential for oral control drug d elivery are discussed.