Floating Drug Delivery Systems (FDDS), a Novel Approach for Targeted and Sustained Drug Delivery

Drug having low solubility and less stability in intestinal fluids can be given through floating drug delivery systems (FDDS) that are design to keep the drug in the stomach. Density of floating dosage form is less than the gastric fluids so that it floats on the gastric fluids are the basis behind producing this delivery system. They float over the gastric contents and remain in the stomach for longer period of time without affecting the emptying rate of the gastric tract and the drug content is released slowly at an appropriate rate from the FDDS. The residual part of the system is clear from the stomach after release of the drug. Due to this Gastric Residence Time (GRT) of the drug is increased and also helps in controlling the variation in the plasma drug concentration. The main reason behind the preparation of FDDS is to provide an easy and practical method to accomplish the increased GRT and also sustained drug release. This helps in achieving the increased therapeutic efficacy of the drug under such condition. Increased GRT of the drug moieties provide many advantages such as bioavailability and the therapeutic efficacy is increased and dosing frequency is reduced.

Advantages of floating drug delivery system

1. Simple and traditional approach for development of delivery system.
2. Targeted drug delivery system.
3. Controlled and sustained delivery of drugs.
4. Absorption and duration of action of the drug at the target site is increased due to increased Gastric Residence Time.
5. Due to sustained release of the drug irritation in the gastric mucosa is greatly reduced.
6. Due to controlled and slow release of drugs, the bioavailability of the drug is increased.

Classification of floating drug delivery systems

(A) Effervescent floating drug delivery system

These are matrix type drug delivery systems in which swellable polymer such as methyl cellulose and chitosan is ombined with effervescent compounds such as sodium carbonate and citric acid. These are prepared in such a way that when it comes in contact with gasctric juice it releases the CO₂ which is entrapped inside of the swollen polymer cause the floating of the FDDS.

(B) Gas generating systems

After oral administration when this system comes in contact with the gastric juice there is release of the CO₂ which get entrapped in the gel based hydrocolloid polymer such as cellulose derivatives. This causes the upward movement of the dosage form and keeps its buoyancy and decrease the specific gravity of the dosage form resulting in the floating of the dosage form.

Reference:

1. Jiddewar Avinash, An overview on floating drug delivery system, International Research Journal of Management Science & Technology, Vol 5, Issue 6, 2014, 124-135.
2. Niharika Mirmeera Girish, Krishnamoorthy Kannan, Akkala Madhukar, Overview on floating drug delivery system, International Journal of Applied Pharmaceutics, Vol 10, Issue 6, 2018, 65-71.
3. Bhalla Neetika, Goswami Manish, Floating Drug Delivery System, International Journal of Pharmaceutical Research & Allied Sciences, Vol 1, Issue 4, 2012, 20-28

                                                                                                                                                                                     By

Sudeep Kumar Mandal

Assistant Professor

Faculty of Pharmacy,

Kalinga University, Raipur