FORMULATION AND IN VITRO EVALUATION OF FAST DISSOLVING ORAL STRIPS

Abstract

Fast dissolving oral strips (FDOSs) are thin films that are laid on the tongue, where saliva hydrates them and they release the medicine into the oral cavity without the need for drinking water. They suggest a suitable method, particularly for individuals who cannot ingest medication orally, as well as for the general population. Because of the extensive network of small blood vessels in the mouth lining, drugs can quickly enter the bloodstream without passing through the liver, which enhances bioavailability and reduces adverse effects caused by first metabolism. This review covers the physiological and anatomical features of the oral cavity, permeation through the mucosa, and the biopharmaceutical aspects, important features, advantages and limitations of FDOSs. The choice of drugs, the natural and synthetic polymers used, and the physico-mechanical properties of films, including tensile strength, elongation at break, Young's modulus, strain and glass transition temperature, are discussed. The influence of plasticizers, oral mucosal permeation enhancers, film formation from solutions containing water and the minimum film-formation temperature are also described, together with the materials PVP, PVA, glycerol, ethanol and menthol.