Pharmaceutical Polymers - A Review

Abstract

Humans have taken advantage of the adaptability of polymers for centuries in the form of resins, gums tars, and oils. However, it was not until the industrial revolution that the modern polymer industry began to develop. Polymers represent an important constituent of pharmaceutical dosage forms. Polymers have played vital roles in the formulation of pharmaceutical products. Polymers have been used as a major tool to manage the drug release rate from the formulations. Synthetic and natural-based polymers have found their way into the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries. Synthetic and Natural polymers can be produced with a broad range of strength, heat resistance, density, stiffness and even price. By constant research into the science and applications of polymers, they are playing an ever-increasing role in society. Diverse applications of polymers in the present pharmaceutical field are for controlled drug release. Based on solubility pharmaceutical polymers can be classified as water-soluble and water-insoluble. In general, the desirable polymer properties in pharmaceutical applications are film forming, adhesion, gelling, thickening, pH-dependent solubility and taste masking. General pharmaceutical applications of polymers in various pharmaceutical formulations are also discussed