Oral Dissolving Films: A Comprehensive Review on Recent Perspectives and Current Approach to Effective Drug Delivery

Abstract

Oral dissolving films are advanced oral dosage forms implied for the attachment onto the buccal mucosa and have both local and systemic effects. These dosage forms may be favored over other oral drug delivery systems in terms of flexibility and comfort. These films utilize the property of bioadhesion of certain polymers, which on hydration target a particular region of the body for extended period of time thereby bypassing first pass metabolism and promoting increased bioavailability. These films are self-administrable, pharmacoeconomic and have good patient compliance. Various techniques may be used for the formulation of oral dissolving films, among which solvent casting method is the most preferable. Usually hydrophilic polymers along with other excipients are used to formulate buccal films, which disintegrate quickly releasing the incorporated APIs within seconds. Oral dissolving films offer numerous benefits as far as accessibility, administration and withdrawal, retentivity, low enzymatic movement, economy and high patient compliance is concerned, thus having the potential for market and business exploitation. This preset review emphasizes on mechanism of action, merits, composition, formulation, evaluation, marketed formulations of oral dissolving films. Additionally, covering the aspects related to novel fast dissolving techniques. Keywords: Solvent casting method, buccal films, bioadhesion, hydration, bioavailability.