An Introduction to Pharmacokinetics From Conventional to Advanced Systemic Drug Delivery Systems

Abstract

In order to comprehend the peculiarities of advanced drug delivery (nano)system pharmacokinetics, we should first briefly discuss some general aspects of conventional drug delivery systems. This chapter focuses on systemic medications, that is, pharmaceutical systems meant to deliver the active ingredient(s) to systemic circulation from which it is transported by the blood to its molecular target at a given site of action. We define conventional drug delivery systems as pharmaceutical vehicles intended to release the active ingredient at a certain place with a certain kinetic so that the free drug eventually reaches systemic circulation from which it will eventually distribute to other tissues.