Orally disintegrating films made from natural polymers for drug administration

Abstract

Conventional oral administration of drugs using tablets, capsules and liquid solutions has several limitations when there is no patient collaboration, especially for pediatric and geriatric patients, patients with difficulty in swallowing, and even animals. Using these conventional methods, the patient may choke, expel or vomit the drug, causing a situation of discomfort and stress that may lead to the administration of incorrect dosage (subtherapeutic) and even treatment abandonment. Orally disintegrating films (ODFs) represent an alternative to the conventional administration of drugs, since they are thin polymer films capable of rapid hydration, adhering to the mucosa, disintegrating its matrix and releasing actives directly into the oral cavity. The use of natural polymers has presented advantages over synthetic ones for biomedical applications, since they are biocompatible, biodegradable, and may present hydrophilic and bioadhesive characteristics. In addition, natural polymers can be combined as blends to form materials with better properties than pure biopolymers. In this project, different compositions of biopolymer blends (silk fibroin with chitosan and with alginate) will be studied, aiming to modulate mucoadhesion and disintegration properties for application as ODFs for the treatment of heart diseases. It will be necessary an extensive study of the development and characterization of the films, as well as the study of their mucoadhesive and disintegration properties, in addition to the incorporation of propranolol, a drug used for the treatment of heart disease. The development of this type of material presents an innovative character, from the technological point of view, as well as from the point of view of application, representing an alternative and advantageous way of drug administration. The developed matrix may be applied to the development of ODFs for use in patients with swallowing difficulties, the elderly, children and animals, as well as the administration of other types of drugs, such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. (AU)