Abstract

INNOVATIVE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUGS: AN OVERVIEW

Abdulsalam Alhalmi*, Marwan Altowairi, Marwan Almoiliqy and Puneet Utreja

Abstract

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), one of the most serious viral diseases. It is a disease of which the body’s immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off infections caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The treatment of such chronic disease conditions for long period, conventional formulations are administered in multiple doses, therefore have several disadvantages such as missed administration, fluctuations in drug levels which cause precipitation of adverse effects, and poor patient compliance. The most desirable and preferable formulations for such therapy are the sustained release tablet, because they offer better patient compliance, reduce dose frequency, reduce side effects and high safety margin for high potency drugs. The present review highlights various novels and controlled drug delivery systems that have been investigated by different researchers for achieving sustained drug delivery of antiretroviral drugs and for overcoming the limitations related to the conventional dosage forms of antiretroviral drugs.

Keywords: AIDS; Novel Drug Delivery Systems, Anti-viral Drugs, HIV.