Faculty and Course Information

  • Faculty: Faculty of Pharmacy, Nutrition and Dietetics

  • Department: Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology

  • Course Title: Advanced Dosage Forms and Marketing

  • Course Code: PMY 510

  • Instructor: Mr. Fernando Bwalya (BPharm, MSc Pharmaceutical Technology)

  • Date: 28/01/2026

  • Time: 11:58 am

Unit 1: Introduction to Advanced Pharmaceutics

Overview

  • Covers conventional and non-conventional drug delivery systems.

Unit Content

  1. Conventional drug delivery systems: Advantages and limitations

  2. Non-conventional drug delivery systems

Types of Conventional Drug Delivery Systems

A. Oral Delivery Systems

  • Forms: Tablets, capsules, syrups, solutions.

  • Route: Gastrointestinal tract.

  • Absorption: Through the stomach and intestines.

  • Examples:

    • Paracetamol tablets

    • Amoxicillin capsules

B. Parenteral Delivery Systems

  • Forms:

    • Intravenous (IV)

    • Intramuscular (IM)

    • Subcutaneous (SC) injections.

  • Route: Bypasses the gastrointestinal tract.

  • Examples:

    • Insulin injection (SC)

    • Ceftriaxone injection (IV)

C. Topical Delivery Systems

  • Forms: Creams, ointments, gels, patches.

  • Route: Direct application to the skin for localized action.

  • Examples:

    • Hydrocortisone cream

    • Diclofenac gel

D. Inhalation Systems

  • Forms: Aerosols, dry powder inhalers.

  • Route: Respiratory system.

  • Examples: Salbutamol inhaler for asthma.

E. Rectal/Vaginal Delivery Systems

  • Forms: Suppositories, creams.

  • Route: Through mucosal absorption.

  • Examples: Glycerin suppositories for constipation.

Advantages of Conventional Drug Delivery Systems

  • Formulation: Easy formulation and manufacturing.

  • Cost: Generally cheaper compared to advanced delivery systems (e.g., nanoparticles).

  • Acceptance: Widespread use and acceptance among patients.

  • Invasiveness: Oral drugs are non-invasive and user-friendly.

  • Onset of Action: Fast onset of action, especially with parenteral administration (e.g., IV injections).

  • Forms: Different forms like liquids, solids, and semisolids allow adaptation to patient needs.

Limitations of Conventional Drug Delivery Systems

  • Absorption Issues: Limited absorption of drugs due to first-pass metabolism (oral route).

  • Release: Drug release is often immediate, leading to peaks and troughs in drug concentration.

  • Dosing Frequency: Short half-life drugs require multiple doses per day, reducing compliance.

  • Distribution: Drugs often distribute non-selectively, affecting unintended organs or tissues.

  • Targeting: Limited ability to deliver drugs to a specific site in the body (e.g., tumors).

  • Administration Inconvenience: Painful injections and risk of infection in parenteral administration.

  • Degradation: Some drugs degrade under environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity).

Non-conventional Drug Delivery Systems

A. Delayed Release Dosage Forms

  • Definition: Use intermediate dosing of a drug from one or more immediate release units incorporated into a single dosage form.

  • Example: Enteric-coated tablets.

B. Extended Release

  • Definition: When absorption of a drug is greater than its elimination.

  • Characteristic: A dosage form should allow at least a twofold reduction in dosage frequency as compared to that drug presented as an immediate release dosage form.

  • Purpose: Maintains therapeutic blood or tissue level of drug for a prolonged time.

C. Sustained Release

  • Definition: Drug delivery systems that achieve and ensure slow release of drugs over an extended/prolonged period at a constant release rate to maintain therapeutically effective levels of drug concentration in circulation.

  • Rate: Absorption rate is equal to the elimination rate over an extended period.

D. Controlled Release

  • Definition: Any drug delivery system from which the drug is delivered at a predetermined rate over a prolonged period of time.

Targeted Drug Delivery

A. Site Specific Targeting

  • Definition: A dosage form that releases drug at or near the intended physiologic site of action.

  • Characteristics: May have either immediate or extended-release characteristics.

  • Mechanism: Implies using carriers meant for either passive preprogrammed or active programmed drug release approaches.

  • Molecular Recognition: Usually appended with suitable site directing molecules that recognize their receptor or molecular determinants at the target.

B. Receptor Targeting

  • Definition: A system targeting a particular receptor within an organ or tissue.

Fast Dissolve Drug Delivery System

  • Definition: A type of solid dosage form that dissolves or disintegrates in the oral cavity without the help of water or chewing.

  • Mechanism: Fast dissolving is achieved through

    • Forming a loose network

    • Use of effervescent agents or moisture of disintegrating agents and swelling.

Questions

  • Immediate release drug delivery system lacks this feature:

    • a. Dose maintenance

    • b. Controlled release rate

    • c. Site targeting

    • d. All of the above

References

Prescribed Text Books

  1. Alexander TF, Juergen S (2009), Modern Pharmaceutics: Applications and Advances, 5th Edition. Marcel Dekker Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1-4200-6564-0

  2. Bang W, Teruna JS, Richard AS (2005), Drug Delivery Principles and Applications, 1st Edition. Wiley-Interscience. ISBN 0-471-47489-4

  3. Daniel L (2002) Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, 20th Edition. ISBN 0-7817-200X-4

  4. Shayne CG (2008). Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Handbook, John-Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 978-0-470-25958-0.

Recommended Text Books

  1. Ashok K and Mahesh VC (2006). Excipient Development for Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and Drug Delivery Systems, Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN-10: 0-8493-2706-7

  2. Bill B and Graham C (2003). Pharmaceutical Production - An Engineering, IchemE. ISBN 0 85295 440 9

  3. Rowe RC (2009). Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients, 6th Edition. Pharmaceutical Press. ISBN 978 0 85369 792 3

  4. George W (2001). Handbook of Solvents, 1st Edition. ChemTech. ISBN 1-895198-24-0

  5. Winfield AJ, Richards RME (2004). Pharmaceutical Practice, 2nd Edition. Churchill Livingstone Press. ISBN: 9780443072062