Medicated Chewing Gum: An Innovative Approach for Oral Drug Delivery System

Oral route is most convenient for the patient therefore it is very popular in the society. Chewing gum delivery system is convenient, easy to administer anywhere, anytime and is pleasantly tasting, making it patient acceptable. It is a novel drug delivery system containing masticatory gum base with pharmacologically active ingredient and intended to use for local treatment of mouth diseases or systemic absorption through oral mucosa. Chewing gums are solid and reliable drug delivery systems. It is a potentially useful means of administering drugs either locally or systemically via, the oral cavity. MCGs are solid, single dose preparations with a base consisting mainly of gums that are intended to be chewed but not swallowed. They contain one or more active substances which are released by chewing and are intended to be used for local treatment of mouth diseases. Now days the medicated chewing gum has increasing acceptance as a drug delivery system. Several active medicaments are incorporated in medicated chewing gum, e.g. Fluoride for prophylaxis of dental caries, chlorhexidine as local disinfectant, nicotine for smoking cessation, aspirin as an analgesic, and caffeine as a stay alert preparation.