**1. Introduction**

68 Recent Advances in Plasticizers

Zhu, Y., Shah, N.H., Malick, A.W., Infeld, M.H. & McGinity, J.W. (2002). Solid-state

Zondio Fiume, M. (2003). Final Report on the safety assessment of triacetin. *International Journal of Toxicology,* Vol.22, Supplement 2, (June 2003), pp. 1-10, ISSN 1091-5818

ISSN 0378-5173

plasticization of an acrylic polymer with chlorpheniramine maleate and triethyl citrate. *International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Vol.* 241, No.2, (July 2002) pp. 301–310,

> The modern pharmaceutical technology is not conceivable without plasticized polymers. The pharmaceutical applications of polymers range from packaging materials or auxiliary substances in conventional dosage forms to membranes or matrices modifying and controlling the drug release characteristics in therapeutic systems. Recently, a great variety of plasticized polymeric systems have been studied as microparticles, matrices, free membranes, membranes for transdermal systems and *in situ* forming implants. Not only the polymer itself but thorough choice of other ingredients of the polymer system is necessary for required quality of drug delivery system. The plasticizer has the unsubstitutable place in drug polymer system due to its primary role, i. e. improve the flexibility and processability of polymers by lowering the glass transition temperature. The supramolecular structure and relevant properties of specific plasticized polymer drug delivery systems has attracted the interest of many researchers.
