ABSTRACT:
Oral drug delivery is widely preferred due to its convenience, cost-effectiveness, and patient compliance; however, conventional systems often suffer from short gastric residence time and variable drug absorption. Floating Drug Delivery Systems (FDDS), also known as hydrodynamically balanced systems, are designed to overcome these limitations by remaining buoyant in gastric fluids and prolonging gastric retention. This enhances drug absorption in the upper gastrointestinal tract and improves bioavailability while reducing plasma concentration fluctuations. FDDS are categorized into effervescent and non-effervescent systems, including gas-generating systems, raft-forming systems, alginate beads, and hollow microspheres. Their performance depends on physiological factors such as gastric pH, motility, and food intake, as well as formulation variables like density and size. These systems are particularly useful for drugs with narrow absorption windows or poor solubility at higher pH. Overall, FDDS offer a promising approach for controlled drug delivery, improved therapeutic efficacy, and reduced dosing frequency in chronic treatments.