Meloxicam, a selective
COX-2 inhibitor, has demonstrated clinical effectiveness in managing
inflammation and
acute pain. Although available in oral and parenteral formulations such as
capsule,
tablet,
suspension, and
solution, frequent administration is necessary to maintain therapeutic efficacy, which can increase adverse effects and patient non-compliance. To address these issues, several sustained drug delivery strategies such as oral, transdermal, transmucosal,
injectable, and implantable drug delivery systems have been developed for
meloxicam. These sustained drug delivery strategies have the potential to improve the therapeutic efficacy and safety profile of
meloxicam, thereby reducing the frequency of dosing and associated gastrointestinal side effects. The choice of drug delivery system will depend on the desired release profile, the target site of
inflammation, and the mode of administration. Overall,
meloxicam sustained delivery systems offer better patient compliance, and reduce the side effects, thereby improving the clinical applications of this drug. Herein, we discuss in detail different strategies for sustained delivery of
meloxicam.