Development of Floating Microspheres for Gastroretentive Delivery of an Anti-Diabetic Drug

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder requiring long-term pharmacotherapy, where consistent drug absorption and sustained plasma drug levels are critical for effective glycaemic control.Conventional oral dosage forms often suffer from variable gastric emptying, short gastrointestinal residence time, and site-specific absorption limitations, leading to fluctuating bioavailability of anti-diabetic drugs.Gastroretentive drug delivery systems (GRDDS) have emerged as a promising strategy to overcome these challenges by prolonging gastric residence time and improving drug absorption in the upper gastrointestinal tract.Among various gastroretentive approaches, floating microspheres have gained significant attention due to their low density, multi-unit nature, controlled drug release characteristics, and improved patient compliance.This review comprehensively discusses the rationale, formulation principles, materials, preparation techniques, and evaluation parameters of floating microspheres designed for gastroretentive delivery of anti-diabetic drugs.The article further highlights the therapeutic advantages, mechanistic aspects of buoyancy, challenges in formulation development, and recent research advancements in this domain.By integrating formulation science with pathophysiological considerations of diabetes, this review provides a consolidated academic perspective on the role of floating microspheres as an advanced oral delivery platform for anti-diabetic therapy.