Recent Trends and Advances in Mucoadhesive Buccal Drug Delivery Systems

Abstract

Mucoadhesive buccal drug delivery systems have emerged as an effective alternative to conventional oral drug administration due to their ability to enhance drug bioavailability, prolong residence time, and bypass hepatic first-pass metabolism. The buccal route offers a non-invasive, patientfriendly platform for both local and systemic drug delivery, making it particularly suitable for drugs with poor gastrointestinal stability and extensive first-pass effect. This review highlights the fundamental concepts of bioadhesion and mucoadhesion, the anatomy and physiology of the oral mucosa, mechanisms and theories of mucoadhesion, formulation components, and factors influencing mucoadhesive performance. Various dosage forms including tablets, films, patches, gels, microspheres, and nanoparticles are discussed along with their evaluation parameters. Recent advances such as polymeric and surface-modified nanoparticles, hybrid carrier systems, 3D printing technology, smart drug delivery systems, mucoadhesive proteins and peptides, recombinant vaccine delivery approaches, and Quality by Design (QbD) applications have significantly improved the effectiveness of buccal drug delivery. Furthermore, therapeutic applications in cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory disorders, microbial infections, diabetes, migraine, and allergy management are reviewed. The article emphasizes the growing potential of mucoadhesive buccal systems in achieving targeted, controlled, and patient-compliant drug delivery and discusses future prospects for the delivery of proteins, peptides, and vaccines through the buccal mucosa.