Stomach Targeted Drug Delivery System : an emerging approch

Stomach targeted or gastro retentive dosage forms are one of the most widely known and accepted forms of oral controlled release drug delivery systems. These systems are designed with an objective to overcome the shortcomings of conventional dosage forms, particularly of short gastric residence time and erratic gastric emptying time.Controlled release Stomach targeted drug delivery system is a promising delivery system for a drug candidate having limited absorption window at lower GIT, drugs those locally release in stomach and shows degradability in colon or poor colonic absorption. Incorporation of the drug in a controlled release gastroretentive dosage forms (CR-GRDF) which can remain in the gastric region for several hours would significantly prolong the gastric residence time of drugs and improve bioavailability, reduce drug waste, and enhance the solubility of drugs that are less soluble in high pH environment. Gastroretention would also facilitate local drug delivery to the stomach and proximal small intestine. Thus, gastroretention could help to provide greater availability of new products and consequently improved therapeutic activity and substantial benefits to patients.