TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY –ITS APPROACHES, UTILITY AND CURRENT ADVANCEMENT

Transdermal drug delivery system comprises one of the most important routes for new drug delivery system. Providing a means to sustain drug release it offers a large number of advantages over conventional drug delivery system. These are self-contained, discrete dosage forms which are known to deliver drug through intact skin at a controlled rate into systemic circulation. This delivery system has undergone a large number of modifications since its introduction in 1800's, starting from the first generation which included delivery of small, lipophilic, low dose drugs to later ones which target their effects to skin barrier layers of stratum corneum using micro needles, thermal ablation, electroporation, etc.This review also focus on the potential of ionic liquids for transdermal application. This review details about various approaches to transdermal delivery system and describes numerous pharmaceutical developments which have been employed to overcome limitation related to skin delivery system. Key words: Transdermal Drug Delivery System, Skin, Microneedle, Iontophoresis, Ionic Liquid.