Pulsatile Drug Delivery Systems: The Novel Systems

The biological clock concept has given us a great scope to opt for the pulsatile drug delivery systems, which are the modified systems so as to deliver the drug at the right place, at the right time and in the right amount, thus providing spatial and temporal delivery and ultimately increases patient compliance. These systems are modified according to the circadian rhythm of the body. For these systems, maintaining a lag time prior to release of drug is the prime objective. The system is designed to reach the desired place for maximum absorption, maintain a desired lag time, and release the drug at the right time in the right amount when the intensity of occurrence of the symptom is at peak. Various pulsatile drug delivery systems like capsular systems, osmotic systems, single- and multiple-unit systems have been designed and are also available in the market. These systems are beneficial for the drugs having chronopharmacological behavior where night time dosing is required, such as anti-arhythmic and anti-asthmatic. These systems are designed based on the use of soluble or erodible polymer coating and use of rupturable membranes and swellable polymers have been highlighted within the book. The book highlights the reason and concept of circadian rhythm, the applicability of concept of chronopharmacokinetics. This also summarizes latest technological developments, formulation parameters, and release profiles of these systems. Current chapters also discuss the reasons for development of pulsatile drug delivery systems, types of the disease in which pulsatile release is required, classification, advantages, limitation, and future aspects of pulsatile drug delivery systems. The book may prove helpful for graduating, post graduating students, research scholars and anyone else concerned with the topic.