Abstract

A REVIEW ON TRANSDERMAL PATCHES

Mukesh Kumar Shukla*, Kirti Shukla and Harshit Srivastava

ABSTRACT

The concept of transdermal drug delivery systems emerged to overcome the challenges associated with conventional drug administration methods, particularly the oral route. A transdermal patch is a specialized adhesive patch affixed to the skin's surface, designed to administer a specific drug dosage through the skin and into the bloodstream. This approach facilitates healing in targeted areas of the body that may be difficult to access otherwise. A notable advantage of transdermal drug delivery compared to other methods like oral, topical, intravenous (IV), and intramuscular (IM) administration is its controlled release of medication into the patient's system. This controlled release is achieved either by using a porous membrane enclosing a medication reservoir or by utilizing the patient's body heat to melt thin layers of medication embedded in the adhesive. Despite its benefits, transdermal drug delivery has certain limitations due to the skin's effective barrier function. Only molecules with small sizes can efficiently permeate the skin and consequently be delivered through this method. This comprehensive assessment delves into the inception of transdermal patches, encompassing patch design, the process of patch fabrication, challenges related to effective drug transport, and more.

Keywords: TDDS, Transdermal patch, reservoir system, permeation enhancer, sebaceous glands.