TOPICAL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM: AN OVERVIEW

The drug delivery systems ensure that drugs enter the body and reach their intended place. These systems must consider a variety of factors, ranging from convenience of administration to therapeutic efficacy. Several firms specialise in inventing and marketing drug delivery technologies to pharmaceutical corporations, while others design their own systems. Many of these methods are patented and one-of-a-kind. When a medicine is administered, the dose must be precisely established so that the drug can be utilized by the body, which mandates the use of a drug delivery system with precise dosing capabilities. Drug delivery systems must also consider that how the body metabolizes a drug. Some drugs are destroyed in the digestive tract and hence cannot be administered into the body this way. Others may be toxic in high dosages, necessitating the use of a time release approach to assure patient safety. The application of a medicine to the skin's surface in an absorbable formulation is one way of topical drug administration. Skin patches are one type of topical medicine administration technology. Other treatments include sprays applied to the nose's mucous membranes, inhalation aerosols, eye drops, and lotions applied on the skin. These systems are often simple to use, which appeals to patients. A main purpose of the drug delivery system is to provide the required dosage to the desired location in all situations. Many drugs are available in topical and enteral formulations that may be taken orally or applied directly to the skin because patients prefer painless and uncomplicated methods. Parenteral methods are more common in therapeutic settings, especially for restricted medications, since they provide greater control over how and when drugs are supplied.

KEYWORDS: Skin, Creams, Gels, Pastes, Topical drug delivery system, Ointment.