Mucoadhesive Oral Tablets: A Modern Dosage Form with Controlled Release of theActive Ingredient

Overview

The review paper summarizes the principal pharmaceutical and medical information about thehitherto achieved results in the development of bioadhesive dosage form concentrating on mucoad-hesive oral tablets. The site of administration of the tablets is the facial pocket. Due to specificproperties of the mucous layer on the buccal mucosa and mucoadhesive polymers from which thetablets are manufactured, tablets adhere to the mucosa. The adhesion may take a certain period oftime and during the whole period the active ingredient is gradually released. Absorption of the drugthrough the mucous membrane of the oral cavity has a number of advantages, in particular withrespect to the stability of the drug. Various types of mucoadhesive tablets are being developed. Thesystem releasing the drug only in one direction, i.e. direct to the mucosa, seems to be veryadvantageous. In the evaluation of mucoadhesive tablets, two parameters are of particular impor-tance, the bioadhesive force and the rate of drug release. Oral mucoadhesive tablets can be employedin the treatment of both systemic and local diseases.

Key words:
systems with controlled drug release – mucoadhesive oral tablets – mucoadhesion– mucoadhesive polymers