Development of Polyherbal Buccal Films for Rapid Systemic Delivery of Therapeutic Agents

Researchers in Kanpur, India developed and tested a new type of dissolving film designed to deliver herbal medicines through the lining of the mouth — a route that bypasses the digestive system and gets compounds into the bloodstream faster. The films combined extracts from two plants: Ocimum sanctum (holy basil, also called Tulsi) and Moringa oleifera. The idea is that buccal films — thin strips placed inside the cheek — can release active compounds directly into the blood without first passing through the stomach and liver, which often break down or reduce the effectiveness of plant-based medicines. The study focused on whether these films could be made to a consistent standard and whether they released their payload reliably over time. The best-performing formulation, labelled F2, released 96.67% of its drug content within 48 hours under laboratory conditions, suggesting sustained and near-complete release. The films also passed basic physical tests for weight consistency, flexibility, moisture content, and stability over time. Paclitaxel — a chemotherapy drug — was included as the model therapeutic agent alongside the herbal extracts, which is an unusual combination that raises questions about the intended clinical application. While the results look promising on paper, this is entirely laboratory-based work with no animal or human testing, so the real-world relevance remains untested. The study contributes to pharmaceutical formulation science by showing that plant extracts from moringa and Tulsi can be incorporated into mucoadhesive buccal films without compromising basic film quality.