Chronotherapy: A Novel Concept In Drug Delivery

[摘要] Recent advances in chronopharmacology and requirement of an appropriate technology todeliver the drug at specific time and site led to the development of novel type of drug deliverysystems as “chronotropic drug delivery systems”. Rationale behind designing these drugdelivery systems is to release the drug at desired time (pathophysiological need of disease),which results into improved therapeutic efficacy and patient-compliance. These systems aremeant for treatment of those diseases that are caused due to circadian changes in body and whenzero order drug release is not desired. These drug delivery systems are designed to release thedrug within a short period of time, immediately after a predetermined lag time. Chronotropicsystems are promising drug delivery systems in asthma, peptic-ulcer ,cardiovascular diseases,arthritis, attention-deficit syndrome in children and hypercholestremia e.t.c. Approaches likecapsular systems, systems with different type of barrier coatings, stimuli sensitive pulsatilesystems and externally regulated systems are summarized in this article. This article mainlyfocuses on diseases requiring chronotropic systems, approaches to design them, recenttechnologies for chronotherapy and currently available marketed formulations.

[学科分类] 药理学