Buccal delivery systems, chitosan

A buccal delivery system is meant to deliver the drug from the mucosa in the oral cavity in a unidirectional fashion towards systemic circulation. A study carried out to test the mucoadhesiveness of a chitosan formulation on the buccal cells revealed that the formulation remained wedged into the buccal cells for at least one hour [121]. 

Several in vivo studies have demonstrated the potential of thiolated chitosans to improve the bioavaUabUity of therapeutic compounds. In particular, thiolated chitosans have been used to develop carrier matrices for oral, nasal, and buccal delivery systems. 

Langoth N, Kahlbacher H et al (2006) Thiolated chitosans design and in vivo evaluation of a mucoadhesive buccal peptide drug delivery system. Pharm Res 23 573-579... 

Mucoadhesive drug delivery systems are comprised of administration of drug across the mucosal membrane using a mucoadhesive/bioadhesive polymer through various noninvasive routes such as peroral, ocular, buccal, nasal, stomach, intestinal, colon, vaginal, rectal, cervical or vulval. The drug delivery systems, which have made use of chitosan as a carrier for administration through various routes, have been represented in Table 2.2. 

Other modern research has highlighted the importance of CG for different drug delivery systems, as follows CG and chitosan combinations (2 3,3 2, and 4 1) as a carriers for buccal drug delivery of 10 mg propranolol hydrochloride mucoadhesive tablets coated on one face with 5% (w/v) ethyl cellulose or formulated using a direct compression technique [226] enhancement of solubility, dissolution rate and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drug lovastatin using modified CG (by heating) and solid dispersion techniques [227] formulation and evaluation of nimesulide orodispersible tablets... 

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