Abstract

ROLE OF NATURAL POLYMERS IN GASTRORETENTIVE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM: A REVIEW

Eisha Ganju*, Udesh Nagar and Neeraj Upmanyu

Abstract

Oral route is the most preferred route for administration of different drugs because it is regarded as safest, most convenient and economical route. Controlled and sustained released formulations are widely used in modern era for the delivery of various ingredients. Drugs with narrow absorption window in the gastrointestinal tract have poor absorption therefore gastro retentive drug delivery systems (GRDDs) have been developed which prolong the gastric emptying time. Polymers are macromolecules which are composed of structurally similar repeated units of monomers. Natural polymers are the ones that are obtained from natural origins like plants, animals or microorganisms. Natural polymers are widely used in pharmaceutical and biomedical industries and their applications are growing at a fast pace as the basic knowledge of polymers helps us to know the function of drug products and also to develop new formulations or better delivery systems. The objective of this review is to provide the overview of the role of natural polymers in gastroretentive drug delivery system (GRDDS), its characteristics, ongoing research, trend of future developments and applications in the field. Natural materials have advantages over synthetic ones since they are chemically inert, non-toxic, cost efficacious, biodegradable, widely available, eco-friendly, devoid of any side effect, renewable, and provide nutritional supplement. Using various natural polymers has been aiding the drug delivery systems for prolongation of time as the drug transporters with the objective of improving bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. The use of natural polymers in novel drug delivery like GRDDS to possess floating or mucoadhesive in the gastric system for the benefit of increasing gastric resident time and to improve therapeutic efficacy, particularly those drugs are having narrow therapeutic index. The physical characteristics of natural polymers facilitates sustained, swelling and mucoadhesive nature based on literature reviewed, therefore, natural polymers also suitable to GRDDS as like synthetic or semi-synthetic polymers.

Keywords: Gastro retentive drug delivery systems, Natural polymers, Biodegradable, Therapeutic efficacy, Bioavailability.