A Review: Overview of Novel Polyelectrolyte Complexes as Prospective Drug Bioavailability Enhancers

Abstract

Polyelectrolyte complexes are novel, emerging polymeric combinations that can impart a variety of applications in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. This article reviews various approaches to improve oral bioavailability in systems that utilize polymeric polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs). The present review focuses on various strategies used for the synthesis of PECs, the conditions that have to be met to facilitate their formation and the types of polymers that can be employed in order to synthesize the complexes. This article also offers a concise overview of the mechanisms of drug release and the advancement in drug bioavailability provided by polymeric polyelectrolyte complexes.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Bioavailability
• controlled drug release
• polyelectrolyte complex