Targeted delivery of drugs to the gastrointestinal tract

The oral route is attractive for drug administration because it is associat ed with patient acceptability, less stringent production conditions, and lo wer costs. However, gastrointestinal destruction of labile molecules and lo w levels of absorption generally render oral delivery of peptides and prote ins ineffective. Several strategies have the potential to enhance the effic acy of orally administered drugs. Bioadhesion is an approach for increasing interaction between drugs and the mucosae. Bioadhesive systems can be nons pecific, achieving adhesion via mechanical processes or specific systems th at recognize receptors on epithelial cells. Lectins are one group of specif ic bioadhesives with many suitable properties for targeting of cells in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This review assesses the potential of lectin s in the delivery of drugs and vaccines to the GIT.