International Journal of Indigenous Herbs and Drugs

EMERGING TRENDS IN NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR ENHANCED BIOAVAILABILITY AND TARGETTED DRUG ACTION

Naresh Rapi — 2026-06-01

Plants possess medicinal properties and are utilized by humans. Since ancient times, soil has served as both food and medicine. In the contemporary world, the exploration of herbs within laboratory settings, along with preliminary testing and subsequent analysis, has proven beneficial for drug users. This progress has paved the way for the production of herbal products through advancing technology. Recent advancements in our understanding of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs offer a more rational basis for creating optimal drug delivery systems. It is clear that collaborative efforts across various disciplines will be crucial for the future success of drug delivery research. Through the implementation of sophisticated techniques, it is feasible to achieve protection against toxicity, enhance stability, improve bioavailability, and safeguard against both chemical and physical degradation of herbal formulations, all of which must yield results in a more efficient or expedited manner. Although traditional medication delivery methods are widely utilized, they are less effective compared to more innovative and modern drug delivery technologies. If the concentration of a drug falls outside the appropriate range, it can either be detrimental or fail to provide any therapeutic benefit. The approach to delivering medications to targeted tissues is becoming increasingly essential, especially given the relatively limited progress in treating severe diseases effectively.

DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM

Vaishnavi Rayapati — 2026-06-02

An efficient and patient-friendly substitute for traditional oral and parenteral dosing forms is the transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS). Together, the reviewed papers demonstrate the increasing significance of transdermal patches in providing prolonged and regulated medication release via the skin into the bloodstream. Avoiding first-pass metabolism, increasing bioavailability, decreasing the frequency of doses, minimizing variations in plasma levels, and improving patient compliance are only a few benefits of TDDS.

FUTURE PERSPECTIVES OF PHARMACOGENOMICS IN PERSONALIZED MEDICINE

Sandhya Rudra — 2026-06-02

By making patient-specific medication therapy possible, developments in pharmacogenomics and artificial intelligence (AI) are revolutionising personalised medicine. Pharmacogenomics addresses interindividual variability in treatment outcomes by examining the ways in which genetic variants impact medication metabolism, effectiveness, and safety. Genetic variations in drug-metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and targets are important factors that influence both therapeutic response and adverse drug reactions, according to recent studies. However, conventional analytical methods face considerable difficulties due to the size and complexity of genetic and clinical data. AI has become a potent tool for analysing high-dimensional pharmacogenomic datasets, identifying gene–drug interactions, and more accurately predicting medication responses. This is especially true of machine learning and deep learning techniques.

EMERGING CONTROLLED DRUG DELIVERY TECHNOLOGIES: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Neeraja S — 2026-06-04

Controlled drug delivery systems (CDDS) represent an advanced approach to pharmacotherapy aimed at maintaining drug plasma concentrations within the therapeutic range for prolonged periods. By releasing drugs at a predetermined rate and site, these systems minimize fluctuations associated with conventional dosage forms, thereby reducing dosing frequency, adverse effects, and improving patient compliance. This review summarizes the principles, mechanisms, and types of controlled and sustained-release drug delivery systems, with emphasis on oral controlled release formulations. Various approaches including diffusion-controlled, dissolution-controlled, osmotic, and biodegradable polymer-based systems are discussed, along with materials commonly employed in formulation design. The advantages of CDDS such as improved bioavailability, predictable pharmacokinetics, targeted delivery, and enhanced therapeutic efficacy are highlighted, while limitations including formulation complexity, dose dumping risk, and variability due to gastrointestinal physiology are also addressed. Recent technological advancements ranging from macro- to nano-scale delivery systems, including microencapsulation and targeted delivery strategies, are reviewed. The clinical relevance of CDDS in reducing dosing frequency and maintaining uniform plasma drug levels for local or systemic action is emphasized. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives in the development of controlled drug delivery systems are outlined, underscoring their significant role in optimizing drug therapy and improving overall treatment outcomes globally today.

EMERGING TRENDS IN BIO DEGREDABLE POLYMER TECHNOLOGY

Bunny Sarka — 2026-06-06

Biodegradable polymers are materials which decompose when environmental microorganisms including bacteria and fungi break them down into water and carbon dioxide. The process of developing degradation testing methods has become important because researchers need to understand how different polymers break down into their chemical components. Researchers currently use multiple analytical methods which advanced through product development to study biopolymer compositions that include polyhydroxyalkanoates and poly (lactic acid) via bioanalytical techniques. The initial section of this review presents biopolymer definitions and their examples before explaining analytical techniques used to study biopolymers through physical methods (SEM, TEM, weighing analytical balance, etc.), chromatographic methods (GC, THM-GC, SEC/GPC), spectro scopic methods (NMR, FTIR, XRD, XRF), respirometric methods, thermal methods (DSC, DTA, TGA), and meta-analysis. The researchers dedicated special attention to chromatographic methods because they represent the standard procedure used for polymer testing. The review purpose centers on presenting current biopolymer testing techniques and instrument methods to analyze different biopolymer forms.