Pharmaceutical Plasticizers for Drug Delivery Systems

Nashwa      A. El-Gendy

doi:10.2174/156720112800234602

Abstract

In the field of pharmaceutical science and drug development, there are important and particular challenges related to the selection of suitable and compatible ingredients as well as the design of successful formulations. As plasticization is a phenomenon widely exploited in all formulation fields, plasticizers should be recognized as a critical aspect for drug delivery. The choice of an appropriate plasticizer requires a wide background of information. This is because they are incorporated into drug delivery systems containing an assortment of ingredients which may have different reactions to the presence of plasticizers. Concurrently, there are numerous pharmaceutical plasticizers and various environmental issues dictating favored solutions. To address these encumbrances, an extensive information concerning plasticizers; their types, properties, pharmaceutical roles, etc. is discussed. Additionally, the specific objective of this review is to substantiate the safety and performance of newly discovered plasticizers.

Keywords: Controlled release, drug delivery, plasticizers, polymer, pharmaceutical, dissolution, diffusion, anti-plasticization, glass transition, hot-melt extrusion, film coating