Abstract

CHRONOTHERAPEUTIC DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS: A REVIEW

Alan Jacob*, Sruthi K., Arathy A.P., Justin K. Mathew and Manjusha C.

ABSTRACT

Chronotherapeutics refers to a treatment method in which in vivo drug availability is timed to match rhythms of disease, with the aim of optimising the therapeutic outcomes and minimising side effects. It is based on the interdependent relationship between peak-to-trough rhythmic activity in disease symptoms and risk factors, pharmacologic sensitivity and pharmacokinetics of many drugs. The specific time at which patients take their medication is very important as it has significant impact on treatment success. Optimal clinical outcome cannot be achieved if drug plasma concentrations are constant. If symptoms of a disease display circadian variation, drug release should also vary over time. Drug pharmacokinetics can also be time-dependent; therefore, variations both in a disease state and in drug plasma concentration need to be taken into consideration in developing drug delivery systems intended for the treatment of disease with adequate dose at appropriate time. Various technologies such as time controlled, pulsed, triggered and programmed drug delivery devices have been developed and extensively studied in recent years for chronopharmaceutical drug delivery. The concept of biological rhythms, the dependence of drug action and pharmacokinetics on these rhythms and the various chronotherapeutic drug delivery systems are addressed in this review.

Keywords: Chronotherapeutics, Chronopharmaceutical drug delivery.