Recent Advances, Formulation Strategies, Evaluation Parameters, and Future Perspectives in Gastroretentive Drug Delivery Systems
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Gastroretentive drug delivery systems, which are often referred to as GRDDS, have become a significant method to address the pharmacokinetic issues that are associated with traditional oral dosage forms, especially for drugs that have narrow absorption windows, poor absorption in the colon, or those that need to act specifically in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Effervescent floating tablets, known as EFT, are the most clinically studied type of GRDDS, using the generation of carbon dioxide in situ to achieve a bulk density of less than 1.0 g/cm³, which allows them to stay in the stomach for an extended period.
Objective: This review aims to evaluate in a critical manner the mechanistic principles, compositional strategies, manufacturing methods, evaluation techniques, and recent technological developments in the area of effervescent floating tablet development, with a focus on the integration of Quality by Design, the use of 3D printing, the role of artificial intelligence in formulation, and the application of smart polymers.
Methods: A systematic narrative review was carried out on peer-reviewed literature that was published between the years 2015 and 2026, utilizing databases such as Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar with MeSH terms that included "gastroretentive drug delivery," "effervescent floating tablet," "floating lag time," "HPMC matrix," and "Quality by Design pharmaceutical."
Key Findings: Formulations that are based on HPMC matrices combined with sodium bicarbonate and citric acid are the most frequently reported, achieving floating lag times of less than 3 minutes and total floating durations that exceed 12 hours. The optimization that is guided by QbD using Box-Behnken and central composite designs has significantly enhanced the predictability of formulations. New applications of 3D printing, artificial neural networks, and smart polymers that respond to stimuli are changing the technological landscape of floating drug delivery systems.
Conclusions: Effervescent floating tablets present a scientifically backed and commercially feasible method for gastroretentive drug delivery. The integration of Quality by Design frameworks, regulatory science, and advanced manufacturing technologies will be crucial for moving laboratory developments into approved therapeutic products.