RECENT ADVANCES IN DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Drug delivery systems (DDS) play a crucial role in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy, safety, and patient compliance of pharmaceutical agents. Conventional drug delivery approaches often suffer from limitations such as poor bioavailability, nonspecific distribution, rapid degradation, and undesirable side effects. To overcome these challenges, significant advances have been made in the development of novel drug delivery systems that enable (parafece)controlled, targeted, and sustained release of drugs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of both conventional and advanced drug delivery systems, including nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, dendrimers, transdermal systems, and polymer-based carriers. The mechanisms of drug release, targeting strategies, and factors influencing delivery efficiency are critically discussed. In addition, recent advancements in nanotechnology-based and stimuli-responsive drug delivery platforms are highlighted, with a focus on their applications in the treatment of cancer, infectious diseases, and chronic disorders. Current challenges related to toxicity, scalability, regulatory approval, and clinical translation are also addressed. This review aims to offer valuable insights into the design and development of efficient drug delivery systems and outlines future perspectives for translating innovative DDS technologies into clinical practice.