Int J Gastrointest Interv.  2025 Apr;14(2):43-50. 10.18528/ijgii240061.

Gastro-retentive drug delivery systems: Modern insights on approaches and applications

• Patel RI
• Shah C
• Chauhan N
• Upadhyay U

• KMID: 2567370
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18528/ijgii240061

Abstract

The pharmaceutical research sector is highly interested in oral gastro-retentive dose formulations. The significance of gastro-retentive drug delivery systems (GRDDS) has grown as these systems enhance patient compliance and improve the therapeutic indices of medications. Various technical advancements in the design and production of gastro-retentive dosage forms can overcome physiological limitations, such as short gastric retention time and fluctuations in stomach emptying. Medications with shorter half-lives, instability or poor solubility at alkaline pH, or inadequate absorption in the lower gastrointestinal tract can greatly benefit from GRDDS. To achieve the desired retention period and release pattern, these systems can be developed using a range of innovative methods, including magnetic, bioadhesive, expandable, and floating systems. The use of GRDDS for oral drug administration has significantly increased in recent years, with innovative design strategies—such as the widely used floating drug delivery system—playing a major role. GRDDS offer several advantages, including the ability to provide drugs with a narrow absorption window, improved pharmacological effects, reduced dosing frequency, enhanced bioavailability, and prolonged drug residence in the stomach for local effects such as the treatment of peptic ulcer disease. This study provides a brief introduction to gastro-retentive drug delivery, covering its necessity, advantages, disadvantages, influencing factors, approaches, and applications.

Keyword

Bioadhesive; Biological availability; Floating drug delivery system; Gastrointestinal tract; Gastro-retentive