Beyond Conventional: Recent Advancement on Floating Drug Delivery Systems: An Approach to Oral Controlled and Sustained Drug Delivery Via Gastric Retention

Gastro-retentive drug delivery system (GRDDS) has gained immense popularity in the field of oral drug delivery recently. It is a widely employed approach to retain the dosage form in the stomach for an extended period of time and release the drug slowly that can address many challenges associated with conventional oral delivery, including poor bioavailability. Different innovative approaches like magnetic field assisted gastro-retention, plug type swelling system, High-Density Systems, muco-adhesion technique, floating system with or without effervescence are being applied to fabricate GRDDS. highlighting their mechanisms of action and applications in targeted drug delivery. Furthermore, recent innovations in materials science and formulation technologies have enabled the development of novel GRDDS with improved biocompatibility, stability, and controlled release profiles. The review also addresses challenges associated with GRDDS, including physiological variability, drug stability, and regulatory considerations, and proposes potential strategies to overcome these obstacles. Gastro-retentive systems extend the residence time in the stomach, improving drug bioavailability, and ensuring maximum drug concentration at the target site. This review explores different gastro-retentive drug delivery systems, including those made from natural and synthetic polymers, and their applications. It also highlights the factors impacting these systems, as well as the challenges in the process and future prospects for their commercialization Additionally, the clinical relevance of GRDDS in the treatment of various gastrointestinal disorders and their future prospects in personalized medicine and targeted therapy are explored.