ROLE OF POLYMERS IN DRUG DELIVERY

Abstract

This review focus on the role of polymers used in pharmaceutical drug delivery of therapeutic agents. The polymers are used as carriers for delivery of drug at target site. Biodegradable polymers are widely used in delivery of drugs at specific site of the body because they can be degraded at constant rate of drug release. Natural polymers are also used for drug delivery at predetermined rates. The release mechanism of the drug from these polymers is by Degradation, Diffusion and Swelling. For controlled drug delivery of the therapeutic agents, they are used in pharmaceutical industry as binders, as film coating to mask the unpleasant taste, to enhance the drug stability and to modify the release characteristics of the drug. Key words: Natural and synthetic polymers, drug delivery, mechanism, applications