Abstract

IN-SITU GEL: NOVEL SUSTAINED RELEASE TECHNIQUE

Ankit Soni*, Arshpreet and Prof. Dr. Mahesh Kumar Kataria

ABSTRACT

Nowadays controlled and sustained drug delivery has become popular in upcoming pharmaceutical products and a wide research has been done to achieve much better drug product efficacy and safety. In situ gels has become an outstanding among novel drug delivery system (NDDS) in recent years due to its pros like sustained and prolonged drug action, improved patient compliance and reduced frequency of administration of the drug as compared to conventional drug delivery system (DDS). In this system the formulation is in the form of solution and when comes in contact with body fluids it undergoes gelation to form a gel which depends on factors like temperature changes, pH changes, presence of ions and ultraviolet irradiation. Many biodegradable polymers like sodium alginate, pectin, alginic acid, chitosan, xyloglucan, etc are used. In situ gels are administered through different routes like oral, ocular, nasal, rectal, vaginal, injectable and intraperitonial. The production is also less complex and thus lowers the investment and manufacturing cost. In this review on in-situ gelling system, some of the approaches through which in-situ gels can be prepared are also discussed. It also focuses on the applications of in-situ gels that are the type of novel drug delivery systems in which these systems can be formulated. Some of the novel drug delivery systems are oral, nasal, injectable and ophthalmic systems.

Keywords: Gelling systems, Gelation, in-situ gel, Hydrogels, polymers, gelling mechanism.