Mucoadhesive systems in oral drug delivery.

Mucoadhesive systems in oral drug delivery promise the advantage of a prolonged gastric or small intestinal residence time, an intimate contact of the delivery system with the absorption membrane and the basis for interactions of multifunctional polymers with the mucosa such as permeation enhancement or enzyme inhibition. A promising new generation of mucoadhesive polymers are thiolated polymers - designated thiomers, which are supposed to provide sufficient adhesion even on the gastrointestinal (GI)-mucosa. Micro- and nanoparticulate thiomer formulations should contribute to a further prolonged GI-residence time.: