The potential of ODFs as carriers for drugs/vaccines against COVID-19

Abstract

COVID-19 has spread out its wings across the globe and is taking away many lives. Millions of people are (self) quarantined to prevent the spread of this viral disease. World Health Organization (WHO) has affirmed that there is not any medicine for COVID-19. Besides, there is also no single drug that is approved by any regulatory agency for usage against this dangerous disease. Researchers across the globe are working tirelessly to fix an end to this virus and to save precious lives. While the research is in full swing, one is not sure whether they would come up with a chemical/herbal drug or a vaccine. Irrespective of the type of active ingredient for COVID-19, one needs to have a proper system to deliver the identified active ingredient to subjects/patients across the globe. Orodispersible films (ODFs) are excellent and attractive drug delivery carriers that have the potential to deliver drugs, herbal extracts, and vaccines. They are apt for patients who have a problem consuming traditional drug products such as tablets or capsules. The beauty of this dosage form is that it does not need water to consume by the subjects and can be readily administered to the tongue. The present review highlights the true potential of ODFs to act as a carrier for the delivery of various antiviral drugs/herbs/vaccines.

Keywords:

• Vaccines
• herbal extracts
• antiviral drugs
• carrier
• ODFs
• WHO

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.