The review paper summarizes the principal pharmaceutical and medical information about the hitherto achieved results in the development of bioadhesive dosage form concentrating on mucoad- hesive oral tablets. The site of administration of the tablets is the facial pocket. Due to specific properties of the mucous layer on the buccal mucosa and mucoadhesive polymers from which the tablets are manufactured, tablets adhere to the mucosa. The adhesion may take a certain period of time and during the whole period the active ingredient is gradually released. Absorption of the drug through the mucous membrane of the oral cavity has a number of advantages, in particular with respect to the stability of the drug. Various types of mucoadhesive tablets are being developed. The system releasing the drug only in one direction, i.e. direct to the mucosa, seems to be very advantageous. In the evaluation of mucoadhesive tablets, two parameters are of particular impor- tance, the bioadhesive force and the rate of drug release. Oral mucoadhesive tablets can be employed in the treatment of both systemic and local diseases.

        Key words: systems with controlled drug release – mucoadhesive oral tablets – mucoadhesion – mucoadhesive polymers