Smart polymers for colon targeted drug delivery systems: a review

Abstract

The colon targeted drug delivery has a number of important implications in the field of pharmacotherapy. Oral colon targeted drug delivery systems have recently gained importance for delivering a variety of therapeutic agents for both local and systemic administration. Targeting of drugs to the colon via oral administration to protect the drug from degradation or release in the stomach and small intestine. It also ensures abrupt or controlled release of the drug in the proximal colon. Various drug delivery systems have been designed that deliver the drug quantitatively to the colon and then trigger the release of the drug. This review will cover different types of polymers which can be used in the formulation of colon targeted drug delivery systems.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Biodegradable polymers
• colon targeted delivery
• controlled delivery
• polysaccharides

Disclosure statement

The authors of the article do not claim any conflict of interest.