Definition:

A route of administration is the path by

which a drug is brought into contact with
the body.
 -
CHANNELS OF
DRUG
ADMINISTRATION

Others
ENTERAL PARENTERAL 1. Inhalational
2. Topical
ENTERAL

ORAL

SUBLINGUAL

BUCCAL

RECTAL
 ORAL ROUTE
 Oral refers to
two methods of administration:
 applying topically to the mouth

 swallowing for absorption along the

gastrointestinal (GI) tract into systemic
circulation
Absorption of Drugs
by oral route
Oral Preparations
Liquids, elixirs, syrups Fastest
Suspension solutions 
Powders 
Capsules 
Tablets 
Coated tablets 
Enteric-coated tablets Slowest
 ORAL

 Advantages
 Convenient - can be self- administered, pain free,
easy to take
 Safest route – least chances of drug reaction or
drug toxicity
 Easy absorption - takes place along the whole
length of the GI tract
ORAL
 Disadvantages
 Sometimes inefficient - only part of the drug may be
absorbed, destruction of drugs by gastric acid and
digestive juices
 Irritation to gastric mucosa - nausea and vomiting

 Less Bioavailability due to first pass effect of drug

metabolism
 Absorption too slow for emergencies

 Unpleasant taste of some drugs

 Difficult to use in unconscious patient and patient

with serious GIT upset.
 SUBLINGUAL ROUTE
 Sublingual administration:
where the drug is placed under
the tongue
 rapidlyabsorbed by
sublingual mucosa
SUBLINGUAL ROUTE
11

ADVANTAGES
 FIRST-PASS AVOIDED
 DRUG ABSORPTION IS QUICK
 ALTERNATE ROUTE OF
EMERGENCY

DISADVANTAGES
 UNPALATABLE FOR BITTER DRUGS
 IRRITATION OF ORAL MUCOSA
 LARGE QUANTITIES CAN NOT GIVEN
 FEW DRUGS ARE ABSORBED
 BUCCAL ROUTE
 Buccal administration:
where the drug is
placed between gums
and inner lining of the
cheek (buccal pouch)
 absorbed by buccal
mucosa
BUCCAL ROUTE
ADVANTAGES
– Avoid first pass effect
– Rapid absorption
– Drug stability

DISADVANTAGES
– Inconvenience
– advantages lost if
swallowed
– Small dose limit
 By Suppository or Enema
RECTAL ROUTE – E.g. aspirin
14

ADVANTAGES
 USED IN CHILDREN

 LITTLE OR NO FIRST PASS EFFECT

 USED IN VOMITING / UNCONSCIOUS STATE

 HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS RAPIDLY ACHIEVED
DISADVANTAGES
 INCONVENIENT

 ABSORPTION IS SLOW AND ERRATIC

 IRRITATION OR INFLAMMATION OF RECTAL MUCOSA

 SYSTEMIC-PARENTERAL
 Par-enteral administration is
injection or infusion by means of
a needle or catheter inserted into
the body
 SYSTEMIC-PARENTERAL
16

I. INTRAVENOUS
II. INTRAMUSCULAR
III. SUBCUTANEOUS
IV. INTRA-ARTERIAL
V. INTRA-ARTICULAR
VI. INTRATHECAL
VII. INTRADERMAL
VIII. TRANSDERMAL
 INTRAVENOUS
17

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
 BIOAVAILABILITY 100%  IRRITATION &
 VERY RAPID CELLULITIS
ABSORPTION  THROMBOPHELEBITIS
 ROUTE OF EMERGENCY  REPEATED INJECTIONS
 LARGE QUANTITIES CAN NOT ALWAYS FEASIBLE
BE GIVEN  LEST SAFE
 CAN BE USED IN  TECHNICAL
VOMITING & DIARRHEA ASSISTANCE REQUIRED
 FIRST PASS AVOIDED  DANGER OF INFECTION
 INTRAMUSULAR ROUTE
18

ADVANTAGES
 ABSORPTION
REASONABLY DISADVANTAGES
UNIFORM
 ONLY UPTO 10ML
 RAPID ONSET OF
DRUG GIVEN
ACTION  LOCAL PAIN AND
 ALTERNATE ROUTE OF ABCESS
EMERGENCY  INFECTION
 FIRST PASS AVOIDED  NERVE & MUSCLE
DAMAGE
 Intramuscular (Cont.)
SITES OF INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTIONS
– Ventrogluteal site (preferred)
– Vastus lateralis site
– Dorsogluteal site
– Deltoid site
SUBCUTANEOUS

 Drug is injected under the skin.

 Absorption is slow,

 so action is prolonged.

IMPLANT :a tablet or porous capsule is inserted

into the loose tissues by incision of the skin,
which is then stiched up.
example : certain hormonal drugs, like insulin
 INTRA-ARTERIAL

 Rarely used
 Anticancer drugs are given for localized effects

 Drugs used for diagnosis of peripheral vascular

diseases
INTRA-ARTICULAR
 Injections of antibiotics
and corticosteroids are
administered in
inflammed joined
cavities by experts.
example: hydrocortisone
in rheumatoid arthritis
 INTRADERMAL
 drug is given within skin layers
(dermis)
 Painful
 Mainly used for testing sensitivity
to drugs.
e.g. penicillin, ATS (anti tetanus
serum)

INOCULATION :administration of
vaccine (like small pox vaccine )
 Intrathecal: Drug injected into the spinal canal)
is most commonly used for spinal anesthesia .

 Intraperitoneal: (infusion or injection into the

peritoneum) e.g. peritoneal dialysis in case of
renal insufficiency
 Transdermal patches

Highly lipid soluble drug

can be applied over skin
for slow and prolonged
systemic absorption .
stable blood levels and
no first pass metabolism
 Example:

1. nitroglycerine ointment
in angina pectoris.
2. Oral contraceptives.
 Inhalation route
Used for gaseous and volatile agents and aerosols.
Used
.
for :
- Local action in Bronchi (e.g.
Salbutamol in Asthma)
- For systemic effect (e.g. Volatile
liquids or gas for anesthesia)
Advantages
A- Large surface area
B- High blood flow
As result of that a rapid onset of action
due to rapid access to circulation
 Inhalation route
Disadvantages
1- Most addictive route of
.
administration because it hits
the brain so quickly.
2- Difficulties in regulating the
exact amount of dosage.
3- Sometimes patient having
difficulties in giving
themselves a drug by inhaler
Topical Routes of Administration
 Topical administration:
 Application of drug directly to surface of skin,
mucous membrane and underlying tissue:
 eye – vagina
 nose – urethra
 ears – colon
 lungs
Transmucosal route

• NASAL DRUGS

– Drops
– Spray
 Transmucosal route

• EAR DROPS
Adults, Infant or child
Trans-mucosal route

– EYE MEDICATIONS
– Drops
– Ointments
Advantages and Disadvantages of the
Topical Route
 Local therapeutic effects
 Not well absorbed into the deeper layers of the
skin or mucous membrane
 lower risk of side effects
 Route for administration
-Time until effect-

 intravenous 30-60 seconds

 Endotracheal 2-3 minutes
 inhalation 2-3 minutes
 sublingual 3-5 minutes
 intramuscular 10-20 minutes
 subcutaneous 15-30 minutes
 rectal 5-30 minutes
 Oral 30-90 minutes
 transdermal (topical) variable (minutes to hours)
First-pass Effect

The first-pass effect is metabolism of a drug

when absorbed from the gut and passes
through liver before reaching to systemic
circulation.

The greater the first-pass effect, the less the

agent will reach the systemic circulation when
the agent is administered orally
First-pass Effect
Routes that bypass first pass effect

-Sublingual - Transdermal
-Buccal - Vaginal
-Rectal* - Intramuscular
-Intravenous - Subcutaneous
-Intranasal - Inhalation
*Rectal route partially bypass first-pass effects.