MICROSPONGES: A PERSEPECTIVE APPROCH FOR TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY

Vinay V. K.*, Mohammad Ali and Parthiban S.

ABSTRACT

Transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) is not practicable for delivery of materials whose final target is skin itself. Controlled release of drugs onto the epidermis with assurance that the drug remains primarily localized and does not enter the systemic circulation in significant amounts is a challenging area of research. Microsponges are highly porous micro-sized particles with a unique ability for entrapping active pharmaceutical ingredients. To control the delivery rate of active agents to a predetermined site in human body has been one of the biggest challenges faced by scientists. Microsponge technology has many favorable characteristics which make it a versatile drug delivery vehicle. Microsponge delivery system (MDS) can entrap wide range of drugs and then release them into the skin over a time by diffusion mechanism to the skin. Microsponges can entrapped various type of drug and incorporated in formulation such as cream, powder, gels, and lotions. Microsponges can entrapped various type of drug and incorporated in formulation such as cream, powder, gels, and lotions. The present review describes microsponge technology including its preparation, characterization, programmable parameters and release mechanism of microsponge drug delivery system.

Keywords: Microsponges, Controlled release, Transdermal delivery.