Abstract
Transdermal drug delivery represents one of the most rapidly advancing areas and established itself as an integral part of novel drug delivery systems. Today about 74% of drugs are taken orally and are found not to be as effective as desired. Drug delivery through the skin to achieve a systemic effect without producing any fluctuations in plasma concentration of the drug. Drugs that are given by transdermal route may enhance the potency as well as safety of drugs. A transdermal drug delivery device (pharmaceutical preparation of varying sizes, containing, one or more active ingredient), which provides an alternative route for administering medication defined as self contained, discrete dosage forms which, when applied to the intact skin, deliver the drug, through the skin at controlled rate to the systemic circulation therefore system can improve the therapeutic efficacy and safety of the drugs. These devices allow for pharmaceuticals to be delivered across the skin barrier. An advantage of a transdermal drug delivery route over other types of medication delivery such as oral, topical, intravenous, intramuscular, etc. is that the patch provides a controlled release of the medication into the patient, usually through either a porous membrane covering a reservoir of medication or through body heat melting thin layers of medication embedded in the adhesive. Transdermal drug technology specialists are continuing to search for new methods that can effectively and painlessly deliver larger molecules in therapeutic quantities to overcome the difficulties associated with the oral route.
