DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF FLOATING DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR ENHANCED GASTRIC RETENTION

Sowmya Jonnakuti

Jonnakuti Sowmya Priyadarshini Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, 5th Mile, Pulladigunta, Guntur-522017, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Abstract

Gastro retentive floating drug delivery systems (GRFDDS) are designed to prolong the residence time of dosage forms in the stomach, thereby improving the bioavailability of drugs that are preferentially absorbed from the upper gastrointestinal tract. These systems remain buoyant in gastric fluid without affecting the normal gastric emptying rate, allowing sustained and controlled drug release. Floating drug delivery systems are particularly beneficial for drugs with a narrow absorption window, low solubility at high intestinal pH, or those intended for local action in the stomach. GRFDDS are mainly classified into effervescent and non-effervescent systems. Effervescent systems generate gas upon contact with gastric fluid, reducing density and enabling floatation, whereas non-effervescent systems rely on swellable polymers to maintain buoyancy. Various polymers such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, chitosan, and sodium alginate are commonly used in formulation development. The advantages of GRFDDS include improved therapeutic efficacy, reduced dosing frequency, enhanced patient compliance, and minimized drug fluctuations. However, factors such as gastric motility, fed or fasted state, and formulation variables influence system performance. Overall, gastro retentive floating drug delivery systems represent an effective approach for enhancing oral drug delivery and are widely explored in modern pharmaceutical research.

Keywords: Gastro retentive drug delivery system (GRDDS), Floating drug, delivery system (FDDS), Gastric retention time (GRT), Low density systems, Floating lag time, Sustained release, Controlled release, Hydrodynamically balanced system (HBS), Effervescent floating systems.

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