[Site-specific drug delivery systems. I. Colon targeted delivery]

Colon specific drug delivery has gained increased importance not just for the delivery of the drugs for the treatment of local diseases associated with the colon like Chron's disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, cancer or infections, but also for the potential it holds for the systemic delivery of proteins (e.g. insulin) and therapeutic peptides. These systems enable the protection of healthy tissues from the side effects of drugs and the drug intake of targeted cells, as well. The formulation of colon specific drug delivery systems is of great impact in the case of diseases having circadian rhythm (midnight gerd). Such circadian rhythm release drug delivery systems are designed to provide a plasma concentration--time profile, which varies according to physiological need at different times during the dosing period, i.e., mimicking the circadian rhythm and severity/manifestation of gastric acid secretion (and/or midnight gerd). In general four primary approaches have been proposed for colon targeted delivery namely pH-dependent systems, time dependent systems, colonic microflora activated systems and prodrugs.