BUCCAL DRUG DELIVERY- THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED: A REVIEW

There are many ways to deliver drugs into the body, oral (through swallowing), submucosal (through buccal and sublingual mucosa), parenteral (through injection) , transdermal (through skin) , pulmonary (through inhalation) etc.Oral cavity is a site where both local and systemic delivery of drugs can take place and therefore oral drug delivery is the most preferred and convenient option as it provides maximum active surface area compared to other drug delivery systems.Local delivery of drugprovides topical treatment of different oral mucosal infections. However, treatment can be influenced if the medications can be focused on specifically to the site of injury, accordingly lessening the systemic side effects. Buccal delivery of medication gives a convenient route of administration for both local and systemic effects. The objective of writing this review on buccal drug delivery system is to assemble the recent literature, provide knowledge about the advantages and limitations of buccal drug delivery system, pathways of absorption of drugs, theories of mucoadhesion and the newer drugs that can be administered along this route