TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM: A REVIEW

Abstract

Today about 74% of drugs are taken orally and are found not to be as effective as desired. To improve such characters transdermal drug delivery system was emerged. The transdermal route of drug delivery has attracted researchers due to many biomedical advantages associated with it. However, excellent impervious nature of skin is the greatest challenge that has to be overcome for successfully delivering drug molecules to the systemic circulation by this route. Drug delivery through the skin to achieve a systemic effect of a drug is commonly known as transdermal drug delivery and differs from traditional topical drug delivery. The development of transdermal drug delivery systems is a multidisciplinary activity that encompasses fundamental feasibility studies starting from the selection of a drug molecule to the demonstration of sufficient drug flux in an ex vivo and/or in vivo model the fabrication of a drug delivery system that meets all the stringent needs that are specific to the drug molecule (physicochemical and stability factors), the patient (comfort and cosmetic appeal), the manufacturer (scale-up and manufacturability), and most important, the economy. This review article provides an overview of TDDS, its advantages over conventional dosage forms, drug delivery routes across human skin, penetration enhancers, various components of Transdermal patches, types of Transdermal patches.