Nanocarriers for Gastro-Retentive Drug Delivery

Recently, the field of oral drug administration's tremendous growth has been observed in the use of gastro-retentive drug delivery systems (GRDDS). The rate of sustained oral drug delivery systems has witnessed significant scientific and technological progress in recent years. This progress has effectively addressed physiological obstacles, including the unpredictable gastric emptying time (GET) as well as short gastric residence time (GRT). It is a common problem where drugs undergo degradation in the gastrointestinal tract or do not get absorbed in sufficient quantities to produce the desired therapeutic outcomes. Over the past few years, nanocarriers have emerged as a popular choice, presenting a viable alternative for the oral delivery of drugs. The technique of formulating drugs into nanoparticles has the potential to enhance drug stability within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which is known for its harsh environment. Additionally, this technique offers the opportunity to target specific sites within the GI tract and improve drug solubility and bioavailability. Furthermore, sustained release of drugs in the GI tract can be achieved through this method. To enhance the efficacy of the treatment, it is recommended to use efficient nanocarriers, including lipid and polymeric nanoparticles, microsphere, microcapsule, dendrimers, quantum dot, and nanoemulsion. The present chapter highlights the remarkable advancements in the gastro-retentive nanocarrier employed for drug delivery purposes.