Polysaccharides as drug delivery systems for different administration routes

Polysaccharides are biocompatible and biodegradable long carbohydrate molecules organized in repeated monosaccharide units interconnected with glycosidic bonds. These polymers constitute a large source of biomaterials for drug vehicles, controlled drug delivery, tissue engineering etc. The ionic character and the presence of reactive functional group led them to be good candidates for the development of controlled release formulations. They are well tolerated by living tissues and body cavities due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. In fact, polysaccharides have been widely proposed as drug delivery devices for many administration routes such as oral, parenteral, ophthalmic, nasal and transdermal route. Furthermore, polysaccharides can be considered appropriate for tissue engineering thanks to their mechanical and biochemical functions and ability to deliver and foster cells.The aim of the present work was the development of polysaccharides based platform formulations as novel and suitable delivery systems of specific drugs into determined anatomical districts.