Medicated Chewing Gums are solid, single-dose preparations that contain one or more active ingredients that are released by chewing. This drug delivery system provides is a potentially useful means of administering drugs either locally or systemically via, the oral cavity.
Medicated Chewing Gums are made with a tasteless masticatory gum base that consists of natural or synthetic elastomers. Currently, medicated chewing gums are available for pain relief, smoking cessation, travel illness, and freshening of breath. In addition, a large number of chewing gum intended for prevention of caries, xerostomia alleviation, and vitamin/mineral supplementation are currently available.
Listed below are various advantages and disadvantages of medicated chewing gum.
1. Convenient – promoting higher compliance.
2. Increased rate of effectiveness rather than other oral delivery systems.
3. The treatment can, if required, be terminated at any time.
4. Reduced risk of overdosing while it’s whole swallowed.
5. Does not requires water to swallow. Hence can be taken anywhere.
6. Protection of the susceptible drugs contained from chemical or enzymatic attack in gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
7. Gum does not reach the stomach. Hence gastrointestinal (GI) tract suffers less from the effects of excipients.
8. Can be used for both systemic and local drug delivery.
9. Highly acceptable by children and teenagers.
10 Low first-pass effect so reduced dose is formulated in chewing gum compared to other oral delivery systems.
11. Good for rapid delivery.
12. Fewer side effects due to avoidance of high plasma peak concentration and the promotion of controlled-release of the drug.
13. Good stability against light, oxygen, and moisture.
14. Reduced pains and difficulties in swallowing following tonsillectomy.
15. Annihilation of xerostomia and help tasting and swallowing in people with dry mouth.
16. Improving work performance and cognitive function.
17. Decreases ear discomfort when flying.
18. Fast bowel recovery after GI surgery.
19. Stimulating alertness through increased blood flow to the brain.
20. Help reduce food cravings.
21. Relaxes and eases tension.
22. Freshens the breath.
1. Disappearing of drug in the oral cavity following salivary dilution.
2. Short time of administration due to eating, speaking, and drinking.
3. Different release profiles because of chewing style differences.
4. Allergic reaction to artificial sweeteners, flavorings, and colorants.
5. Continuous stress on jaws that may cause temporomandibular joint disorder.
6. Stomach irritations, aches, gastric ulcer through continuous swallowing of saliva.
7. Prolong chewing on gum may also result in pain in facial muscles and earache in children.
8. Teeth decay through being coated by sugar.
9. Masseter problems.
10. Presence of sorbitol in medicated chewing gum formulation may cause diarrhea and flatulence.
11. Getting choked by swallowing gum in under-aged children.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Medicated Chewing Gum
