Herbal Excipients in Novel Drug Delivery Systems

Due to advances in drug delivery technology, currently, excipients are included in novel dosage forms to fulfill specific functions and in some cases, they directly or indirectly influence the extent and/or rate of drug release and drug absorption. Recent trends towards use of plant based and natural products demand the replacement of synthetic additives with natural ones. Today, the whole world is increasingly interested in natural drugs and excipients. These natural materials have many advantages over synthetic ones as they are chemically inert, nontoxic, less expensive, biodegradable, improve the shelf life of product and widely available. This article gives an overview of natural excipients which are used in conventional dosage forms as well as novel drug delivery systems.