An overview on topical drug delivery system – Updated review

Abstract

The paper reviews an overview of a conventional and novel approach in the topical drug delivery system. Drug delivery via the skin is becoming progressively popular due to its convenience and affordability. The skin is the most important mechanical barrier to the penetration of many drug substances and acts as an ideal site to deliver the drug both locally and systemically. The topical route has been a favored route of drug administration over the last decades. Despite conventional topical drug delivery systems limits in poor retention and low bioavailability. This drawback overcomes by extensive research to develop a novel topical drug delivery system targeting to improve the safety, efficacy and to minimize side effects. The conventional review focuses on dusting powders, poultices, plasters, lotion, liniments, solution, emulsion, suspension, colloidions, tinctures, creams, gels, ointments, pastes, suppositories, transdermal delivery systems, tapes, and gauzes and rubbing alcohol while the novel review focuses on novel gels, aerosol foams, microsponges, muco-adhesive bio-adhesives, novel vesicular carriers, nano-emulsion & nano-emulgel, protein and peptide delivery, polymers, emulsifier-free formulations and fullerenes etc. The key purpose of a topical delivery system is to enhance the skin permeability and to retain in the dermis. This review addresses a basis for further advancement and up-gradation of current techniques and technologies.