EXPERIMENT NO :5

OF DRUG
AIM: INTRODUCTION OF ROUTES
ANIMALS.
ADMINISTRATION IN EXPERIMENTAL

Route of drug administration

into the body is
known as the route of drug
ne path taken by the drug to get
administration.

Classification
(A) Oral route
(B) Parenteral route
(C) Inhalation
(D) Topical
(A) ORAL ROUTE

administration and mostly used for

route of drug
Oral route is the most common

the neutral drug. administration in

tube is used for
oral drug
needle or rubber feeding
Gavage
laboratory animals (mostly rodents).
in

Plastic Gavage Needles Red Rubber Feeding Tube for Rats

Melal Gavage Needles

Gavage needle Give a gentle tight grip at the back of neck, so

Hold the rodent in hand carefully. & back to
Push the rodent head slightly upward
that is opens its mouth widely. needle. Gavage needle is
the esophagus for passage of metal gavage
straighten
40| P age
 inserted into the left side of animal's mouth and directed along the hard palate of
the mouth to the back of the throat. Inject the drug solution with help of syringe.

Red Rubber feeding tube

hand
Hold the rodent in carefully. Measure the tube length from the nose to the last
it. Give a gentle tight grip at the back of neck, so that is
rib of the rodent & Mark
Push the rodent head slightly upward & back to straighten
opens its mouth widely.
from right or left side of teeth, insert the tube by gentle
the esophagus & then either
To minimize discomfort, a small amount of
rotation to avoid the resistance.
xylocaine jelly can be placed on the end of the tubing. Slowly pass tube observing
for the swallowing reflex & when desired length of tube has been inserted, inject
solution with help of syringe.

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 Volume of Administration
mended Gavage Needle Slze and Maxdmum
Species Volumo Examplo
Gauge Longth Ball Diomoter
for a 25 gm mouse, the
mauimum volume would be
Mouse 24-20G
25 3.8 cm
L25-2.25 mm
<10 ml/ke
0.25 m
(1.0-1.5 For a 250 m rat, the
mauimum volume would be
Rat 20-16G 3.8-10cm 2.25-4.0 mm 2.5 ml
(1.5-4)

(B) PARENTERAL ROUTE

It includes
1. Intra-venous
2. Intramuscular
3. Intraperitoneal
4. Subcutaneous (Hypodermic)
5. Intradermal (Intracutaneous)

Intra-venous injection
applied to the lateral tail vein of rat/mouse,
nuavenous injections might be
vein (front of front leg) or latera
marginal ear vein of rabbit and cephalic
saphaneous vein (outside lower rear leg) in dog/cat.
Maximum volume to be administered by i.v. route
is 0.5 m.
 Jugular
voin

Cophalic
ven Saphenous vein
(lateral sutace)

Intramuscular injection
muscle of rat/mouse
Intramuscular injection given into the thigh i.e quadricep
and gluteus muscle of rabbit.
Maximum volume to be administered by i.m. route is 0.3 ml.

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 Cralnial Thigh
Mausces

Schatic Nene
TrargelInlectio
high Ste

Inraperitoneal injection
ofanimal.
Substances is injected into the peritoneal cavity
restrained by the assistant and the operator
.The hind quarters and tail should
The needle is inserted into the lower
should extend one of the animals hind legs.
from the midline at a 30-degree
left/right quadrant of the abdomen away
angle. small intestine.
are no organs are there except
I n this area, there
route is 5 ml.
Maximum volume to be administered by ip.
hamster.
Generally preferred for rat, mouse and

D e p a r m e n t of Pharmacology

P h . r m a c e u t i c a l

Institute of
K. B.E d u c a t i o n a l and Research

Gandhinagar-382 023.

44 Page
Subcutaneous injection
lower left/right quadrant
Subcutaneous
is given in the nap of neck region or

of the rodents. of
bleb formation at the site
abdomen
of the
.The subcutaneous
injection is proper if there is
injection.
volume to be
administered by s.c. route is 5 ml.
Maximum is known as subplater
in hind paw of rat/mouse
Subcutaneous injection agents and must
the admnistration of inflammatory/irritant
(used for
injection
anaesthesia).
be done under

45 | Page
 Intradermal injection
.The site of injection should be
clipped/depilated before the injection.
.The test item is injected in to the dermis of skin and not below
layer the dermis.
Animal holding should be done by assistant and the person
injection should hold the fold of skin and insert the needle performing
nearly flat on the
the
skin, so that the needle is in the dermis layer. Inject the test item slowly in the
dermis layer.
The intradermal injection is proper if there is bleb formation at the site of
injection.
Must be done under anaesthesia.
Maximum volume to be administered by i.d. route is 0.1 ml.

Following precautions should be taken before injection

Injection sites should be cleaned with a suitable disinfectant/antiseptic (isoprpyl
alcohol, ethanol, spirit etc.).
.Sterile syringes & needles must be used for any type ofinjection.
Always select the smallest possible gauge needle (25G-30G or Hypodermic
needle) is used to limit tissue trauma & injection discomfort.
Aspiration technique is always an important aspect before pushing theinjection
solution at the site (to confirm that the needle is not in any other organ).

Intranasal, intra-tracheal and inhalational administration

Preferred for the administration of drug/chemical in respiratory disease.
I n research settings, animals generally are sedated or anesthetized for the
intranasal and intratracheal routes of delivery, to minimize struggling and

sneezing.
Maximum volume to be administered by intranasal route is 35 ul per animal

(rodents) or 200-500 al per animal (rabbit/dog/cat).

Volumes administered intranasally are small compared with those of other
routes, to minimize the potential for suffocation and death. The technique may
not be useful in animals with signs of rhinitis or conjunctivitis.

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 of solutions
volumes
instillation injecting small
involves
Intratracheal
animals.
the trachea of anesthetized cutdown
directly into or a surgical
either intubating the species
intratracheal technique,
. I n the
the trachea for direct injection.
can be used to expose or aerosolsof nebulized particles
typically uses vapors
Inhalational delivery method and are
restrained
Animals are conscious with this delivery
in solution. Inhalational administration
is a highly
nose mask.
without aspecialized
with or
specialized equipment.
technique requiring
complex

Intranasal administration

(B)
(C)
| (A)

(D) Adminisiration
On sidc
On back using
Cannulations microsyringo pump

Rospiration Esophagus
Trachea

Nasal cavity
Intratracheal administration

47 Pa
 Inhalation route
Nose masks

STUDYQUESTIONS
animals with
Intravenous route is not be useful in
1. State True/False:
signs of rhinitis.
Ans : false for subcutaneous route in
administration
2. Write down the site of drug
laboratory animals.

Ans the abdomen of the

lower leftUright quadrant of
nap of neck region or

rodents.
inflammatory/irritant
for the administration of
subplater injection (used
agentsand must be done under anaesthesia). in
needle size used for oral drug administration
3. Write down the gavage
rat and mice.
Ans
Mice:24-20G
Rat: 20-16G
4. Nose mask is used for the_ _route of drug administration.
Ans: inhalation route
5. In which routes, bleb
formation occurs at the site ofinjection?
Ans: sub-cutaneous and intra-dermal
needle is used to administered the drug
6. State True/False: Oral gavage
subcutaneously in rat.
Ans: false
7. Which vein is prefereed to administered the drug in rabbit and dog?
Ans:
marginal ear vein ofrabbit
lower
cephalic vein (front of front leg) orlateral saphaneous vein (outside
rear leg) in dog/cat.

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 volume to be administered by intradermal route is
8 Maximum
Ans: 0.1 ml
is adminsitered in abdominal cavity for
Seote True/False: Drug
9 intraperitoneal route.

Ans : true
volume to be
administered by intranasal route is for
10.Maximum
rat/mice.

Ans: 35 ul is prefereed to use?

When this route
injection.
11.Define subplater in hind paw of rat/mouse is known as
Ans Subcutaneous injection
for the admnistration of inflammatory/irritant
Subplater injection (used
under anaesthesia).
must be done
agents and
the inhalational technique, surgical cutdown canbe
12.State True/False: In the administration of drug.
the trachea for
used to expose
Ans false
administration for intramuscular route in
the site of drug
13. Write down
laboratory animals.
and gluteus muscle of
Ans: thigh i.e quadricep muscle of rat/mouse
rabbit
routes used for drug administration in
14. Enlists various
parenteral
laboratory animals.

Ans:
1. Intra-venous
2. Intramuscular

3. Intraperitoneal
4. Subcutaneous (Hypodermic)
5. Intradermal (Intracutaneous)
inhalation
Intranasal, intratracheal and