Colon Drug Targeting: Overview on Formulation Excipient Aspects

Colon targeted delivery systems incorporating polymers that were loaded with active drug(s) are among current trends for the treatment of a number of local colonic diseases. The development of prodrugs, coating of pH-sensitive polymers, the use of biodegradable polymers particular to the colon are among few of them for colon targeting strategies. These biodegradable polymers that were exploited exclusively by colonic bacteria offers tremendous promise among the many methods to accomplish targeted drug release to the colon. In the production of nanoparticles utilized in colon-targeted drug delivery systems, polysaccharide biomaterials have become more important. These procedures are oral non-invasive therapy used to treat a variety of diseases. The chemical, enzymatic, and mucoadhesive barriers inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract must be examined in order to successfully transport a drug through the colon. The nanoparticles will be able to get past these obstacles and enter the colon as a result. For colon-specific drug release, many polysaccharides have been studied as drug carrier or excipients. Among those polymers few were found with biodegradable and non biodegradable types, while others are categorized under water soluble or water insoluble types having specific physico-chemical characteristics suitable for colon targeting with loaded active drug moieties. The fact that these materials are permitted to be used as pharmaceutical excipients is their best property.