The recent developments of floating drug delivery system (FDDS) including the physiological and formulation variables affecting gastric retention, approaches to design single-unit and multiple-unit floating systems, and their classification and formulation aspects are covered in detail. It is known that differences in gastric physiology, such as, gastric pH, and motility exhibit both intra-as well as inter-subject variability demonstrating significant impact on gastric retention time and drug delivery behavior. This triggered the attention towards formulation of stomach specific (gastro retentive) dosage forms. This dosage forms will be very much useful to deliver ‘narrow absorption window’ drugs. Several approaches are currently utilized in the prolongation of the GRT, including floating drug delivery systems (FDDS), swelling and expanding systems, polymeric bioadhesive systems, high-density systems, modified-shape systems and other delayed gastric emptying devices. The purpose of writing this review on floating drug delivery systems (FDDS) was to compile the recent literature with special focus on the principal mechanism of floatation to achieve gastric retention. This review also summarizes the in vitro techniques, in vivo studies to evaluate the performance and application of floating systems, and applications of these systems. These systems are useful to several problems encountered during the development of a pharmaceutical dosage form.
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