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Drug Delivery: Overview

Drug Delivery: Overview

The selection of a drug's delivery route depends upon its physicochemical properties, including lipid or water solubility and ionization, as well as the therapeutic requirement, such as immediate or sustained effect. These routes can be divided into three primary categories: enteral, parenteral, and topical.
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The enteral drug administration involves three primary routes: oral, sublingual, and buccal. Oral ingestion is the most prevalent, safe, economical, and convenient method for drug administration. However, it has certain drawbacks, including limited absorption due to the drug's low water solubility or poor membrane permeability, possible emesis from GI mucosa irritation, destruction of drugs by digestive enzymes or low gastric pH, and irregular absorption along with food or other drugs.

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Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Development, Characterization, and Evaluation of CAGE-based Ionic Liquid Systems for Transdermal Delivery

Development, Characterization, and Evaluation of CAGE-based Ionic Liquid Systems for Transdermal Delivery

Published on: September 26, 2025

Current Advancements in Transdermal Biosensing and Targeted Drug Delivery.

Prem C Pandey¹, Shubhangi Shukla², Shelby A Skoog³

¹Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi 221005, India. pcpandey.apc@iitbhu.ac.in.

Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)

|March 3, 2019

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This review explores minimally-invasive transdermal biosensing and drug delivery advancements. Techniques like microneedles and iontophoresis overcome skin barriers for enhanced drug permeation and biomolecule sensing.

Keywords:

Iontophoresis drug delivery electroporation fluorescent biosensors luminescent sensors microfabrication microfluidics microneedle transdermal biosensing

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Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Materials Science
Pharmacology

Background:

The stratum corneum presents a significant barrier to transdermal drug delivery and biosensing.
Enhancing transdermal permeation is crucial for effective therapeutic administration and analyte detection.
Minimally-invasive approaches are sought to improve patient compliance and reduce procedural discomfort.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent advancements in minimally-invasive transdermal biosensing and drug delivery technologies.
To discuss strategies for overcoming the skin barrier for improved transdermal permeation.
To highlight innovations in the structure and performance of transdermal systems.

Main Methods:

Review of physical techniques including iontophoresis, reverse iontophoresis, electroporation, and microneedles.
Analysis of strategies for enhancing transdermal permeation of therapeutic entities.
Examination of advancements in biosensing of biomolecules and analytes in body fluids.

Main Results:

Physical techniques offer electrical amplification for biosensing and facilitate minimally-invasive drug transport.
Iontophoresis utilizes low currents to enhance the migration of molecules across the skin.
Microneedles provide a novel, minimally-invasive alternative to hypodermic needles for sensing and drug delivery.

Conclusions:

Minimally-invasive transdermal technologies show significant promise for both drug delivery and biosensing applications.
Innovations in microneedle and iontophoresis systems are improving efficiency and patient experience.
Further development in transdermal systems could revolutionize therapeutic administration and diagnostics.