Microsponges as Drug Delivery System: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Microsponges are polymeric delivery devices composed of porous microspheres that range in size from 5 to 300 micrometers. These have been explored for biomedical applications such as targeted drug deliv-ery, transdermal drug delivery, anticancer drug delivery, and bone substitutes. The purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of recent developments and prospects for a microsponge-based drug delivery system. The current study analyzes how the Microsponge Delivery System (MDS) is made, how it works, and how it can be used for a wide range of therapeutic purposes. The therapeutic potential and patent information of microsponge-based formulations were systematically analyzed. The authors summarize various effective tech-niques for developing microsponges, such as liquid-liquid suspension polymerization, quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method, water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) emulsion solvent diffusion, oil-in-oil emulsion solvent diffu-sion, lyophilization method, porogen addition method, vibrating orifice aerosol generator method, electro-hydrodynamic atomization method, and ultrasound-assisted microsponge. Microsponge may reduce the side effects and increase drug stability by positively altering drug release. Drugs that are both hydrophilic and hy-drophobic can be loaded into a microsponge and delivered to a specific target. The microsponge delivery technology offers numerous advantages over conventional delivery systems. Microsponges, which are spherical sponge-like nanoparticles with porous surfaces, have the potential to increase the stability of medications. They also efficiently decrease the undesirable effects and alter drug release. � 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.