Smart Pharmaceutical Formulations of Biopolymeric Materials in Buccal Drug Delivery

Among the established routes for drug administration, oral and parenteral methods stand out as the most prevalent. Despite the patient-compliant oral formulations, there is a potential risk of asphyxiation, and these formulations are subject to first-pass metabolism leading to a significant reduction in bioavailability. Conversely, parenteral delivery is often associated with pain and various challenges such as vascular damage or thrombosis with the intravenous route and a small risk of nerve damage with intramuscular injections. Although infrequent, such complications are noteworthy. Mucosal drug delivery has emerged as a promising approach due to its direct systemic drug absorption, rapid onset of action compared to oral formulations, and reduced systemic drug exposure. The oromucosal region (buccal and sublingual areas) offers a distinct advantage for drug delivery, given their high vascularity and anatomical compliance. Various formulations like tablets, gels, and patches have been authorized for utilization on the buccal mucosal epithelium. Amid all the buccal formulations, films/patches exhibit more favorable outcomes in terms of simplicity of application, patient adherence, and drug consistency and have been investigated for small molecules, peptides, and immunotherapy. Mucoadhesive polymers represent the cornerstone for formulating a mucoadhesive product. Polymers such as HPMC, CMC, and Pullulan have already received approval, whereas natural polymers like chitosan and alginate are currently under scrutiny. This review presents concise vital information for those readers who are working in the area of buccal drug delivery.