A Review on Bio-Polymers Derived from Animal Sources with Special Reference to their Potential Applications

Abstract

Biopolymers are naturally found material and most of the materials are made in nature during the life cycles of plants, animals, fungi and bacteria. For any pharmaceutical formulation the two main ingredients are active pharmaceutical ingredient and excipients. As excipients in any kind of dosage form, the biopolymers play a vital function. Biopolymers are pharmacologically inert ingredients formulated along with the active ingredient to increase the volume; they help in the formulating dosage form and also simultaneously can improve the physicochemical parameters of the dosage form and so are widely used in the development of new drug delivery system. The biopolymers which are obtained from animal sources are usually non-toxic, biocompatible, stable and economic; and can control the release pattern of the drug. Natural polymers have more preponderant effects on fast dissolving tablets than synthetic polymers. Now-a-days, because of many problems regarding drug release and adverse effects of synthetic polymers, manufacturers are going towards using natural polymers. In this review article we mainly discussed about types of polymer, different alignment of natural polymer, advantages of natural polymers over synthetic polymers, drawbacks of natural polymers, mechanism of drug release of polymer, different methods of preparation of biopolymers, role of polymer in pharmaceutical industry and drug delivery systems. Keywords: Natural polymers, Chitin, Collagen, Sources, Preparation.