Lakhasly

Since the early 1980s the concept of mucoadhesion has gained considerable interest in pharmaceutical technology
The various advantages associated with these systems as a novel route of drug administration.Buccal mucosa is the preferred site for both systemic and local drug action. The mucosa has a rich blood supply and it relatively permeable.This review highlights the anatomy and structure of oral cavity and mucosa, mechanism and theories of mucoadhesion[Mucoadhesion is currently explained by six theories: electronic, adsorption, wettability, diffusion, fracture and mechanical ], factors affecting mucoadhesion, characteristics and properties of desired mucoadhesive polymers, various types of dosage forms, and general considerations in design of mucoadhesive buccal dosage forms, permeation enhancers, and evaluation methods.The buccal region of the oral cavity is an attractive target for administration of the drug of choice, particularly in overcoming deficiencies associated with the latter mode of administration. Problems such as high first-pass metabolism and drug degradation in the gastrointestinal environment can be circumvented by administering the drug via the buccal route. Moreover, rapid onset of action can be achieved relative to the oral route and the formulation can be removed if therapy is required to be discontinued. It is also possible to administer drugs to patients who unconscious and less co-operative. To prevent accidental swallowing of drugs adhesive mucosal dosage forms were suggested for oral delivery, which included adhesive tablets, adhesive gels, adhesive patches and many other dosage forms with various combinations of polymers, absorption enhancers. The main obstacles that drugs meet when administered via the buccal route derive from the limited absorption area and the barrier properties of the mucosa. The effective physiological removal mechanisms of the oral cavity that take the formulation away from the absorption site are the other obstacles that have to be considered .Natural polymers have recently gained importance in pharmaceutical field. Mucoadhesive polymers are used to improve drug delivery by enhancing the dosage form’s contact time and residence time with the mucous membranes.These systems remain in close contact with the absorption tissue, the mucous membrane, and thus contribute to improved and/or better therapeutic performance of the drug and of both local and systemic effects.Mucoadhesion may be defined as the process where polymers attach to biological substrate or a synthetic or natural macromolecule, to mucus or an epithelial surface. When the biological substrate is attached to a mucosal layer then this phenomenon is known as mucoadhesion. The substrate possessing bioadhesive polymer can help in drug delivery for a prolonged period of time at a specific delivery site. The studies of Mucoadhesive polymers provide a good approach of mucoadhesion and some factors which have the ability to affect the mucoadhesive properties of a polymer. Both natural and synthetic polymers are used for the preparation of mucoadhesive buccal patches. In addition to this, studies have been conducted on the development of controlled or slow release delivery systems for systemic and local therapy of diseases in the oral cavity.