Targeted Drug Delivery: Trends and Perspectives

BACKGROUND: Having various limitations in conventional drug delivery system, it is important to focus on the target-specific drug delivery system where we can deliver the drug without any degradation. Among various challenges that are thrown to a formulation scientist, delivering the drug to its right site, in its right dose, is also an important aim. A focused drug transport aims to extend, localize, target and have a safe drug interaction with the diseased tissue. OBJECTIVE: The aim of targeted drug delivery is to make the required amount of the drug available at its desired site of action. Drug targeting can be accomplished in a number of ways that include enzyme mediation, pH-dependent release, use of special vehicles, receptor targeting, among other mechanisms. Intelligently designed targeted drug delivery systems also offer the advantages of a low dose of the drug along with reduced side effects which ultimately improves patient compliance. Incidences of dose dumping and dosage form failure are negligible. A focused drug transport aims to have a safe drug interaction with the diseased tissue. CONCLUSION: This review focuses on the available targeting techniques from experiment to perfection for delivery to the colon, brain, and other sites of interest. Overall, the article should make an excellent read for the researchers in this area. Newer drug targets may be identified and exploited for successful drug targeting.