Novel Drug Delivery Systems and its Future Prospects

Abstract

Most common methods of delivery include the preferred topical (skin), transmucosal (nasal, buccal, sublingual, vaginal, ocular and rectal) and inhalation routes. The conventional dosage forms provide drug release immediately and it causes fluctuation of drug level in blood depending upon dosage form. Therefore to maintain the drug concentration within therapeutically effective range needs novel drug delivery system. In the past few decades, considerable attention has been focused on the development of novel drug delivery system (NDDS). The NDDS should ideally fulfill two prerequisites. Firstly, it should deliver the drug at a rate directed by the needs of the body, over the period of treatment. Secondly, it should channel the active entity to the site of action. In conventional drug delivery systems, there is little or no control over release of the drug and effective concentration at the target site can be achieved by irregular administration of grossly excessive doses. At present, no available drug delivery system behaves ideally, but sincere attempts have been made to achieve them through various novel approaches in drug delivery.