Physical methods for enhancing drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Biotechnology
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Oral delivery of macromolecules like peptides and proteins is hindered by gastrointestinal barriers.
• Previous strategies (enhancers, nanocarriers, chemical modifications) yielded limited success in improving oral bioavailability.
• Marketed oral peptide drugs generally exhibit very low bioavailability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a critical overview of unconventional physical force-based technologies for oral macromolecule delivery.
• To assess the potential and challenges of these methods for clinical translation.
• To highlight recent advancements in controlling drug permeability across the gastrointestinal mucosa.

Main Methods:

• Review of physical interaction-based approaches: magnetic, acoustic, and mechanical forces.
• Analysis of their impact on drug permeability and spatiotemporal delivery.
• Evaluation of potential and challenges for clinical application.

Main Results:

• Physical force-based methods demonstrate potential for improved oral drug absorption.
• These techniques offer enhanced control over drug permeability and delivery.
• Early-stage research indicates promise for overcoming GI barriers.

Conclusions:

• Physical force-based strategies represent a promising, albeit unconventional, avenue for oral macromolecule delivery.
• Further research is needed to address challenges for successful clinical translation.
• These methods could significantly improve the bioavailability of peptide and protein drugs.