Bioadhesives in Biomedical Applications: A Critical Review

Abstract

The necessity for a long time contact between the drug and mucus layer/epithelial cell or a combination of the two requires a bioadhesive. A bioadhesive is known to intensify contact between the two and help in controlled release of drugs. The conventionally used bioadhesives are known to have poor adhesion strength and can have toxic side effects. This review focuses on the various types of polymers and their composites for use as bioadhesives which can overcome the previously mentioned issues. These include some naturally occurring bioadhesives such as collagen, chitosan, albumin, dextran and some synthetic bioadhesives like gelatin, poly(ethylene glycol), poly(acrylic acid), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) based bioadhesives. The clinical trials prove the effectiveness of these bioadhesives and they are found to be more efficient than the commercial glues and hence possess great potential for use in the biomedical industry.