Floating Drug Delivery System-A Review

Gastroretentive systems can remain in the gastric region for several hours and hence significantly prolong the gastric residence time of drugs. Prolonged gastric retention remains buoyant, improves bioavailability, reduces drug waste, and improves solubility for drugs that are less soluble in a high pH environment. The purpose of writing this review on floating drug delivery systems (FDDS) was to compile the recent literature with special focus on the principal mechanism of floatation to achieve gastric retention. The recent developments of FDDS including the physiological and formulation variables affecting gastric retention, approaches to design single-unit and multiple-unit floating systems, and their classification and formulation aspects are covered in detail. Current review article discussed the reasons for development of floating drug delivery system, evaluation, advantages and disadvantages. This review also summarizes the in-vitro techniques, in vivo studies to evaluate the performance and application of floating systems, and applications of these systems.