A Review on Bucco-Adhesive Drug Delivery Systems for Oral Sub-Mucous Fibrosis: Challenges, Opportunities and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Oral sub-mucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic, insidious disease which might affect the oral cavity (oral mucosa) including pharynx and larynx. Numerous approaches and anticancer molecules have been explored in the literature to treat OSF with different modes of action. However, complete cure for OSF is limited due to the lack of an ideal carrier for safe and effective delivery of potent drug moieties. There are several challenges such as anatomical or histological barriers and appropriate animal model need to be explored and optimized to develop the efficient treatment for oral sub-mucous fibrosis. Constant progression in the development of new formulations has led to the effective management of the disease associated with the mucosa using mucosal or muco-adhesive drug delivery systems. Muco-adhesive drug delivery systems (such as gel and patches) have gained unique position as drug cargoes. Therefore, present review is an attempt to contemplate on OSF in terms of pathogenesis, currently available treatment shaving their mode of action, major challenges encountered during treatment, usefulness/feasibility of muco-adhesive dosage forms, opportunities/future scope of muco-adhesive drug delivery in OSF and recent developments in the delivery of various anti-cancer drugs in the treatment of OSF.