Fast Dissolving Films: A Novel Approach to Oral Drug Dilivery

Abstract

In the recent years, many of the pharmaceutical groups are focusing their research on rapid dissolving technology. This technology evolved over the past few years from the confection and oral care markets in the form of breath strips and became a novel and widely accepted form by consumers, so OFDFs are gaining the interest of large number of pharmaceutical industries. The main advantage of this technology is the administration to pediatric and geriatric patient population where the difficulty of swallowing larger oral dosage forms is eliminated. This fast dissolving drug delivery system (FDDS) is suited for the drugs which undergo high first pass metabolism and is used for improving bioavailability with reducing dosing frequency to mouth plasma peak levels, which in turn minimize adverse/side effects and also make it cost effective. Orally fast dissolving film is the type of drug delivery system which when placed in the oral cavity, disintegrate or dissolve within few seconds without the intake of water. OFDFs are very similar to postage stamp in their shape, size and thickness. The present review provides an account of various formulation considerations, method of preparation and quality control of the OFDFs.