Abstract

REVIEW ON MOUTH DISSOLVING FILMS

Prasanth Y.*, Dhana Subrahmanyeswari CH., Sameeda Rubeen and Poojitha J.

Abstract

Fast-dissolving drug-delivery systems were first developed in the late 1970s as an alternative to tablets, capsules, and syrups for pediatric, geriatric and bedridden patients who experience difficulties swallowing traditional oral solid- dosage forms. Fast dissolving films have become a novel approach to oral drug delivery system as it provides convenience and ease of use over other dosage forms such as orally disintegrating tablets, buccal tablets and sublingual tablets, so mouth dissolving films are gaining the interest of large number of pharmaceutical industries. It was developed on the basis of technology of transdermal patch. Mouth dissolving films are thin solid dosage forms which when placed in the oral cavity; dissolve within few seconds without chewing and intake of water. The oral buccal mucosa being highly vascularized, drugs can absorb directly and can enter the systemic circulation without undergoing first-pass hepatic metabolism. This advantage can be exploited in preparing products with improved oral bioavailability of molecules that undergo first pass effect. The sublingual and buccal delivery of a drug via thin film has the potential to improve the onset of action, lower the dosing and enhance the efficacy and safety profile of medicament. Present review provides an account of various formulation methods and their evaluation used in film formulations.

Keywords: mouth dissolving films, materials, preparation methods, evaluation.