Abstract

ADVANCED MULTIPLE UNIT CONTROLLED RELEASE FLOATING BEADS: A REVIEW

Ritesh Kumar, Amrish Chandra*, Shiva Saloni and Pawan Kumar Gautam

Abstract

The aim of writing this review on floating beads is to compile the recent literature with special focus on the novel technological advancements in floating drug delivery system to achieve gastric retention. Floating beads are often used for controlled drug release as they have gastroretentive property without affecting the gastric emptying rate. Floating beads drug delivery systems are mainly based on non-effervescent system. Floating beads is useful for several categories of drugs which act locally in stomach, poorly soluble in alkaline pH, having narrow absorption window, unstable in intestine or colonic environment and primarily absorbed in stomach. It is expected that floating beads may enhance the pharmacotherapy of drugs. Floating beads are formulated for various drugs those which are available for treatment of diseases like gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers, zollinger-ellison syndrome, hypertension and gastro esophageal reflux disease etc. The advantages, limitation, types, method of preparations, evaluation techniques and applications of floating beads are covered in detail.

Keywords: Floating beads, Gastroretentive, Gastric time, Gastric emptying, Buoyancy.