This review addresses contemporary mucoadhesive drug delivery systems. The use of hydrophilic polymers increases the retention time of the delivery system on mucosal tissues, leading to the gradual release of the active ingredient and better tolerance by the patient. The mucoadhesive interaction is explained in relation to the structural characteristics of mucosal tissues and the properties of the polymers. A separate section addresses the advantages and disadvantages of various mucoadhesive drug delivery systems (tablets, films, gels, microcapsules, and nanocarriers) and developed and commercially available medicinal formulations based on mucoadhesive polymers.

A method for evaluating mucoadhesive properties of polymer films that employs a model mucosa and wetting of tissues imitating physiological conditions is proposed. The results show evidence for good mucoadhesive properties of natural biocompatible polymers such as alginate and chitosan. The proposed method can be used to compare the mucoadhesive strength of various polymers widely used in pharmaceutical technology.