An Overview of Chitosan-Xanthan Gum Matrices as Controlled Release Drug Carriers

Naturally occurring polysaccharides and/or their chemically modified derivatives have been widely investigated in relation to their use as components of controlled release sys tems for drug delivery. The aforementioned is due, in part, to their distinct properties such as abundant availability and biocompatibility as well as environmental and eco nomic advantages. Chitosan (CS) and xanthan gum (XG) based matrices have received growing scientific/pharmaceutical interest as oral controlled release drug carriers. Herein, recent advances spanning the last two decades in CS-XG based drug delivery systems are reviewed with the emphasis being on oral tablet formulations, due to their versatility as pharmaceutical dosage forms. The mechanism of interaction between CS and XG, by means of computational and experimental approaches, is scrutinized. Results obtained from the literature establish the possibility of fabricating a controlled release drug delivery system based on CS and XG matrices. This can be achieved by monitor ing and manipulating the physiochemical properties of the two polymers as well as the experimental variables affecting their drug retardation efficiency, without the need to employ special equipment or sophisticated experimental techniques/methodologies.