Bioadhesion

First International Joint Workshop of the Association for Pharmaceutical Technology (APV) and the Controlled Release Society (CRS), Leiden 22-24 May 1989.

Bioadhesion is one of the most challenging fields of research for future development of controlled drug delivery systems. The increased interest in bioadhesion sytems from the fact that bioadhesive or mucoadhesive polymers and/or copolymers have been found to show the following features required for a controlled drug release system:

- localization in specified regions to improve and enhance bioavailability of drugs - prolonged residence time to permit reduced daily dosage for the eye, mouth, gastrointestinal tract, rectum, vagina, etc. for improved patient compliance - optimum contact with the absorbing surface allowing modification of tisssue permeability, eg. for the absorption of peptides or proteins, or to inhibit enzyme activity

All the lectures given at the first APV/CRS workshop are covered in this APV paperback book. The introductory chapters deal with fundamental aspects of bioadhesion and the physiological aspects on mucus and mucoadhesion. In the following chapters, special attention is payed to the buccal, nasal, gastrointestinal and ocular routes of application. In the last part future trends of the application of bio(muco)adhesive drug delivery systems are discussed.
This book is primarily intended for all scientists working either in industry or academia, and involved or interested in the development of bioadhesive dosage forms as an alternative to currently existing forms This book is also recommended to all those interested in the advances in the design of modern controlled drug delivery systems.