European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

FLOATING DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM: A REVIEW

*Rohit Gurnani, Divyanshi Prakash and Dr. Sunil K. Batra

ABSTRACT

Significant advancements have been made in the field of drug delivery systems, addressing physiological challenges such as short gastric residence periods and unpredictable gastric emptying times. Gastro-retentive Dosage Forms (GRDF) refer to dosage forms designed to remain in the stomach for an extended period. Various methods have been employed to prolong gastric residence time, including floating drug delivery systems, swelling and expanding systems, polymeric bio-adhesive systems, high-density systems and delayed gastric emptying systems. The realm of medication-based disease treatment is entering a new era, with a growing range of innovative drug delivery technologies becoming available for clinical use. Floating Drug Delivery Systems (FDDS) is a gastro-retentive dosage form utilized to achieve prolonged gastric residency time. This review aims to compile recent literature on floating drug delivery systems, focusing particularly on the main mechanisms employed to achieve gastric retention. Sustained oral release of gastrointestinal dosage forms offers numerous advantages for drugs absorbed in the upper sections of the gastrointestinal tract and those with local gastric action. The review covers the physiology of gastric retention, factors influencing gastric retention time, excipient variables that impact gastric retention, approaches to designing single-unit and hydrodynamically balanced systems, multi-unit floating structures, as well as detailed discussions on their classification, formulation, evaluation, and a few applications of these systems.

Keywords: Gastro retentive dosage forms, Floating drug delivery systems.