Abstract

A REVIEW ON VARIOUS POLYMERS AND APPROACHES USED TO DESIGN PULSATILE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM.

Sai Rekha G,* Sowjanya Battu and Uma Maheshwar Rao.

ABSTRACT

Pulsatile drug delivery is an area of interest and is gaining increasing attention as it offers more sophisticated and better approach over the traditional sustained release and conventional drug delivery systems. The major advantages are improved dosage regimen, reduced first pass metabolism, reduced dose dumping and side effects and, better bioavailability of drugs. A well designed pulsatile system would control the fluctuations in plasma drug level by facilitating the preprogrammed drug release with a distinct predetermined lag time to mimic the circadian rhythm of the disease. A pulse has to be designed in such a way that a complete and rapid drug release is achieved after the lag time so as to match body’s circadian rhythms with the release of drug which increases the efficacy and safety of drugs by proportioning their peak plasma concentrations during the 24 hours in synchrony with biological rhythm. The release of the drug can be modified by adding suitable polymers. This review gives an overview of various polymers and approaches employed to develop pulsatile drug delivery system.

Keywords: pulsatile, polymers, circadian rhythm, bioavailability, preprogrammed, lag time.