The Various Types of Drug Delivery Systems

MedTech Outlook | Wednesday, December 15, 2021

The manner in which medicine is given can have a substantial effect on its efficacy. It is now possible to better manage medications' pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, toxicity, immunogenicity, and efficacy by designing a range of drug delivery systems (DDSs).

FREMONT, CA: Drugs can be absorbed into the body in various ways. These routes are often categorized according to their "beginning point"—the medicine administration site. Each method has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Among them are the following:

Oral drug delivery: Oral drug delivery is by far the most well-known and frequently preferred method of drug administration because of its non-invasive nature, convenience of use, cost-effectiveness, and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract's highly absorbent qualities. However, oral medication administration has limitations in the applicability for specific patient populations, including pediatric, geriatric, and those with cognitive impairment. To ensure the efficacy of oral medication delivery, the aqueous solubility of the therapeutic compound in the gastrointestinal system should be determined to see if any modifications are required to increase bioavailability.

Sublingual drug delivery: Sublingual drug delivery is a word that refers to the administration of medication beneath the tongue. The medication is subsequently absorbed into the bloodstream via the tongue's ventral surface and the mouth's floor.  Sublingual absorption is fast, allowing for rapid commencement of effect. Additionally, this method of administration circumvents hepatic first-pass metabolism. It does, however, cause disruptions in conversation, eating, and drinking, which is undesirable. Additionally, smoking reduces the absorption and hence efficacy of the medicine due to vasoconstriction of the arteries; therefore, use in smokers is not suggested.

Ocular drug delivery: The eye's unique structure and physiology—both static, dynamic, and metabolic ocular barriers inhibit medication absorption through the eye—ocular drug delivery has been a problematic issue for drug delivery scientists. There are various potential routes of administration for administering medications to specific areas of the eye. Researchers have overcome some of the difficulties associated with drug delivery to ocular tissues by finding unique efflux and influx transporters in the eye and altering medicines to target these transporters specifically.

Vaginal/anal drug delivery: Compared to the oral route, vaginal/anal medication delivery routes have a faster onset of action and a better bioavailability. Rectal drugs may have local (e.g., laxative) or systemic effects (e.g., analgesics when other routes are contraindicated). Vaginal administration circumvents first-pass metabolism and is unaffected by GI problems. The vaginal route is frequently investigated for hormone delivery and addressing women's health concerns. There are a variety of vaginal formulations available, including hydrogels, pills, pessaries, and suppositories.

Transdermal drug delivery: Transdermal drug delivery is a technique for systemic administration of medicine that involves applying a formulation to unbroken skin. The medicine initially penetrates the stratum corneum and then advances further into the epidermis and dermis, where it is finally absorbed systemically via the dermal microcirculation. Two significant advantages are that it is non-invasive and acceptable for unconscious or vomiting individuals.