A COMPREHENSIVE AND STRUCTURED OVERVIEW OF SUBLINGUAL FILM DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS

Sublingual drug delivery systems offer a promising alternative to conventional oral dosage forms by enabling rapid drug absorption and improved bioavailability while bypassing first-pass metabolism. The sublingual mucosa, being highly vascularized, facilitates direct entry of drugs into systemic circulation, resulting in faster therapeutic action. Among various dosage forms, sublingual films have gained attention due to their rapid disintegration, ease of administration and enhanced patient compliance, especially in pediatric, geriatric and dysphagic populations. The performance of these films depends on factors such as drug physicochemical properties, polymer selection and mucosal permeability. Recent advancements, including bioadhesive systems, solid dispersion techniques and taste-masking approaches have further improved their effectiveness and acceptability. Despite limitations such as dose constraints and possible mucosal irritation, sublingual films represent a convenient and efficient drug delivery platform with significant potential in modern pharmaceutical applications.