Review Article Gastric Retentive Controlled Drug Delivery: An Overview

The promise of gastric retentive drug delivery systems has propagated numerous inventions. The therapeutic window of many drugs is limited by their short circulating half-life and absorption via a defined segment of the GI tract. Four technologies have involved a substantial number of human clinical trials: floating, mucoadhesion, density modification, and expansion. The floating drug delivery system can remain in the gastric region for several hours via float on the gastric contents and hence significantly prolong the gastric residence time of drugs. Here the stomach may be used as a ‘depot’ for sustained release (SR) dosage forms which can be affected by gastric emptying time. Regionspecific and narrow absorption and poor bioavailability of drug promoted the invention of floating drug delivery system. Although the goal remains valuable, the promise of gastric retentive drug delivery systems can be fulfilled in near future.