What is route of administration?

 A route of administration in pharmacology and toxicology is the path by

which a drug, fluid, poison, or other substance is taken into the body.
 Routes of administration are generally classified by the location at which the
substance is applied.
 Routes can also be classified based on where the target of action is.
- topical (local),
- enteral (system-wide effect, but delivered through the gastrointestinal tract),
- parenteral (systemic action, but delivered by routes other than the GI tract).

Enteral/enteric administration:
- oral (through the mouth)
- rectal (into the rectum administration)
- sublingual (under the tongue)
- sublabial or buccal (between the cheek and gums)
The rectal route
- effective
- absorb quickly
- avoid the "first pass effect" through the liver
DOSAGE FORMS AND ROUTES
 oral route: swallowed by mouth as a pill, liquid, tablet or lozenge
 rectal route: suppository inserted into the rectum
 intravenous route: injected into vein with a syringe or into intravenous (IV)
line
 infusion: injected into a vein with an IV line and slowly dripped in over time
 intramuscular route: injected into muscle through skin with a syringe
 topical route: applied to skin
 enteric: delivered directly into the stomach with a G-tube or J-tube
 nasal: sprays or pumps that deliver drug into the nose inhaled: inhaled
through a tube or mask (e.g.lung medications)
 otic: drops into the ear
 ophthalmic: drops, gel or ointment for the eye
 sublingual: under the tongue
 buccal: held inside the cheek
 transdermal: a patch on the skin
 subcutaneous: injected just under the skin
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
Dosage forms are the means by which the molecules are delivered to the sites of
action within the body. The pharmacological effects of a drug are generally related
to the concentration of the drug at its sites of action and include both of the
undesirable (toxic) effects and the desirable (therapeutic) effects. The aim of
successful drug therapy is to deliver the appropriate concentration of the drug
molecules to the appropriate sites in order to achieve maximum therapeutic benefit
with minimum toxicity.

Some dosage forms are designed to produce only a local effect of the drug on the
skin or on mucous membranes, including those of the eye, nose, stomach, rectum,
vagina or respiratory tract. Although systemic absorption from such formulations
should be minimal, some drug inevitably enters the blood stream with potentially
undesirable effects.

Many dosage forms are designed to produce significant absorption of the drug into
the blood stream from the gastrointestinal tract, through the skin or from mucous
membranes at various sites in the body. For example, parenteral dosage forms are
designed for administration by injection to various depths beneath the skin surface.
The absorption and distribution of drugs in the body is largely influenced by the
release of the drug from the dosage form and the ability of the drug to cross
biological membranes.

2. Read part 1 again and check if the following statements true or false.
Correct the false.
___ 1. Dosage forms are ways drugs are absorbed into the sites of the body:
___ 2. When delivered to the appropriate sites of the body, drugs have only
therapeutic benefit.
___ 3. Potentially undesirable effects of a drug may occur when it is aimed at
producing local effects but is absorbed to the blood stream.
___ 4. Generally the concentration of the drug at its sites of action affects its
pharmacological effects.
___ 5. A drug can bring about not only the therapeutic effects but also the toxic
desirable effects.
1F 2F 3T 4T 5T

Part 2: Routes of administration

Routes of administration for systemic effects
Oral route
The most commonly used route of administration is the oral route. It is convenient
for self administration and effective for most drugs except for those that are rapidly
inactivated by gastric or intestinal secretions or by passage via the hepatic portal
circulation through the liver. The oral route is unsuitable for surgical patients
immediately and pre- and post-operatively, for patients who are unconscious or
vomiting and for those with malabsorption states.