Routes of Drug

Administration
 Learning Outcomes
0L
• Enlist different dosage form s of
drugs.
• Discuss the factors that influence the
route of administration of a drug
• Discuss03the merits and demerits of
the different routes of administration
of drugs
• Demonstrate the different routes of
drug administration .
 0
Enteral

Routes
03 Parenteral
Topical
Enteral
1. Oral
2. Sublingual
3. Buccal
4. Rectal
01
Oral route
• Most common route of drug
administration

• Given through oral cavity

• Absorbed through gastrointestinal tract

into systemic circulation
01
Oral dosage forms
Tablets Capsules

Syrups/Suspensions Gels
01 Advantages

02 04
Self administered, Absorbed into
pain free and non systemic circulation
invasive readily

CONVEIENT ECONOMICAL GOOD ABSORPTION SAFE

01 03
Cheaper to buy Many over the
counter drugs are
safe when taken by
oneself
01 Disadvantages

SLOW ABSORPTION IRRITABLE INTERACTIONS DESTRUCTION

Cannot be used in
Cannot be used in Food-drug & drug- Destroyed by gastric
unconcious or patients drug interaction
emergencies with nausea & secretions
vomitting

BIOTRANSFORMATION

Due to first pass

effect
02
Sublingual route

• The drug in its dosage form is placed

under the tongue

• Rapidly absorbed into circulation

• By passes first pass effect

02

ADVANTAGES DISADAVANTAGES

• Economical • Bitter drugs

• Irritation of oral mucosa

• Self administered
• Large quantities are not given
• Drug absorption is quick • Few drugs can be absorbed

• First pass bypassed

• Excreted quick
03
Buccal route

• The drug is placed between the gums

& inner lining of cheek

• Absorbed through buccal mucosa

03

ADVANTAGES DISADAVANTAGES

• Rapid absorption • Inconvenient

• Drug stability • Small doses can be given

• Avoid first pass effect • Benefit lost if swallowed

04
Rectal route

• The drug is administered rectally in the

form of suppository

• In this form, drug is mixed with a waxy

substance that liquefies and dissolves
when placed rectally
03

ADVANTAGES DISADAVANTAGES

• Used in children • Inconvenient

• Used in unconscious or vomiting • Irritates rectal mucosa

patients
• Slow absorption
• Higher concentrations achieved
 Parenteral

• The word PARENTERAL comes from a greek word:

para means outside

enteron means intestine

• Pareneteral administration is infusion or injections by means of needle or catheter

inserted into the body

• This route of administration bypasses the alimentary canal

Parenteral
1. Intravenous
2. Intramuscular
3. Subcutaneous
4. Intradermal
5. Others (intra-arterial,
intrathecal, intraperitoneal)
 Parenteral route
• Intravenous (IV): Drug given directly
into blood stream
• Intramuscular (IM): Drug is injected
into muscle tissue
• Subcutaneous (SC): Drug absorbed
from subcutaneous layer of skin
• Intradermal (ID): Injected into
superficial layer of skin
Parenteral route
Intramuscular site
Procedure for intramuscular site
injection
0L

• Explain the procedure to the patient.

• Identify the patient correctly.
• 03privacy.
Provide
• Wash your hands.
• Select suitable site for injection
• Prepare the medication
Procedure for intramuscular site
injection
0L

• Use alcohol swab to clean the

injection site.
• Inject 03
the needle at 90 degree.
• If no blood comes out give the
medication slowly .
• Remove the needle and press the
site with swab .
• Cover the patient and wash your
hands .
Intravenous Sites
Intravenous Sites
Intravenous injection procedure
 Dosage forms
Infusion Ampules

Vials Prefilled syringes

01
Intravenous
ADVANTAGES DISADAVANTAGES

• 100% bioavailability • Skin irritation

• Desired blood concentration • Thrombohlebitis

• Large quantities given • Less safe

• Choice of form in emergency • Medical assistance needed

• First pass bypassed • Expensive

• No gastric manipulation • Invasive administration

02
Intramuscular
ADVANTAGES DISADAVANTAGES

• Uniform absorption • Small volumes only

• Rapid action • Local pain and abcess
• First pass avoided • Nerve damage
• Gastric manipulation avoided • Expensive
03
Subcutaneous
• Injected under skin

• Absorption is slow so prolonged action

• Implant: certain tablet or capsule can

be inserted into loose tissue of skin via
incision e.G. Hormonal drugs
04
Intradermal
• Injected in skin layer the dermis

• Used for testing sensitivity of drug

• Painful

• Inoculation: administration of small

pox vaccine
 Topical Dosage

Skin Eye or ear Nose or lungs

creams
solution
ointments
suspension sprays and powders
lotions
ointment
gels
patches
 Topical drug
• Local therapeutic effect

• Not well absorbed to deeper layers

• Less side effect

• Transdermal route cause only local

effect but nasal sprays can cause
systemic effect
 Inhalational drug
advantages

02 04
Large suface area is High blood flow for
produced by absorption in lungs
inhalation form present

SURFACE AREA LOCAL ROUTE FLOW TOXICITY

01 03
Local route drug in Small doses are
lung diseases given causing less
toxicity
 Inhalational drug
disadvantages

ADDICTIVE REGULATION DIFFICULT USING IRRITANT

Difficult to regulate the Some patients have

Most addictive route as same amount of dose Induces cough and
hits brain quickly difficulty self secretions
administering
 Procedure for inhalation of
medicine
0L

• Explain the procedure to the patient .

• Take consent of the patient .
• Make sure the inhaler and spacer are
clean. 03
• Shake the inhaler well for 10 seconds.
• Remove the cap of the inhaler.
• Fix the inhaler with the spacer.
• Make sure the patient is comfortable
and ask him/her to take a deep breath.
 Procedure for inhalation of
medicine
0L

• Ask the patient to close mouth around

mouthpiece of spacer and hold it tightly
with teeth .
• Push down 03on the inhaler once. Now
the medicine is inside the spacer.

• Then ask the patient to take a slow,

deep breath and hold it for a count of
10 and then slowly breathe out .
 Procedure for inhalation of
medicine
0L

• Many times, the correct dose of your

medicine will be to inhale 2 puffs. If this
is what is prescribed for the patient ,
03 minute after the first puff,
then wait one
and then follow all of the steps again.
• Ask the patient to rinse mouth to
prevent fungal infection.
 Transdermal
• Absorbs drug from skin

• Stable blood levels

• No first pass metabolism

• Drug must be potent

 Factors affecting choice of route
PROPERTY AVAILABILITY

Physical and chemcal properties of The form in which certain drugs are
drug available and choice of patient
01 08
SITE PATIENT

Depending on site of action of drug 02 07 The physical and mental condition of

required patient

ABSORPTION ACCURACY
03 06
Depending on rate and extent of Necessity of accurate dosage to be
absorption from route 04 05 given and repeated

METABOLISM TIME

Digestive manipilation and first pass Rapidness in which response of

effect drug is desired
THANK YOU!