A Review of Chitosan in Oral Drug Delivery Formulations

Abstract

In recent decades, the utility of nanoformulations as medication delivery systems has grown. It is not always
the best option due to gastrointestinal distress, restricted inadequate absorption, and solubility. The impact
of the early hepatic transit is one of the biggest obstacles that drugs must get past to have a therapeutic
effect. These materials have attracted a lot of attention because studies have shown that oral delivery can be
significantly enhanced by controlled-release systems that use nanoparticles (NPs) made of naturally derived
biodegradable polymers. Chitosan (CS) has several applications and qualities in the pharmaceutical and
medical industries. The traditional medication delivery method has been completely transformed by NPs’
capacity to modify molecules and their structures. In the current environment, CS because of their small
size, NPs are a valuable tool for novel drug delivery systems. The process of ionotropic gelation is not the
only one used in this field; alternative techniques include solvent evaporation, polyelectrolyte complex,
emulsification solvent diffusion, emulsification cross-linking, and microemulsion. Numerous drug delivery
applications, such as CS NPs have been found to be beneficial for a range of utilization, encompassing
mucosal and controlled administration of drugs, tissue engineering, delivery of non-viral genes, vaccines,
ocular drugs, electrodeposition, delivery of drugs that target the brain, enhancement of stability, and efficient
delivery of insulin.