FLOATING MICROSPHERES AS GASTRORETENTIVE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS: A REVIEW

Among the different routes of drug administration, the oral route has achieved the most attention among the researchers. Microspheres constitute an important part of these particulate drug delivery systems by virtue of their small size and efficient carrier characteristics. Gastro retentive multiparticulates have emerged as an efficient means of enhancing the bioavailability and controlled delivery of many drugs. Floating microspheres have been gaining importance due to the uniform distribution of these multiple-unit dosage forms in the stomach, which results in more reproducible drug absorption and reduced risk of local irritation. Such systems have more advantages over the single-unit dosage forms. The present review briefly addresses the physiology of the gastrointestinal tract and the factors affecting the gastric retention time. The purpose of this review is to bring together the recent literature with respect to the approaches to achieve gastric retention, classification and characterization of floating drug delivery system, their advantages and limitations.