Routes of Administration in Medicine

The way a drug is delivered to the body, like swallowing a pill or getting an injection.

How a drug is packaged and prepared for use, like a tablet, capsule, or liquid.

The amount of a drug needed to have a beneficial effect with minimal side effects.

A drug works only in the specific area it's given, like a cream on a rash.

A drug enters the bloodstream and travels throughout the body.

A dosage form should consistently work as it's supposed to.

A dosage form must be easy and comfortable to use.

A dosage form must be stable over time and under different conditions.

The size of individual drug particles affects various aspects of drug behavior, including dissolution (how quickly it breaks down), mixing with other ingredients, flow properties, and bioavailability (how much reaches the bloodstream).

This refers to the study of how the body affects a drug. It encompasses absorption (how the drug enters the body), distribution (where it goes), metabolism (how it's broken down), and excretion (how it leaves the body).

This refers to the way a drug is administered. Common routes include oral (swallowing), rectal (insertion), topical (skin application), parenteral (injection), respiratory (inhalation), nasal (nose), ocular (eye), and aural (ear).

The oral route is the most common and often the simplest way to take medication. It offers advantages like ease of administration and diverse dosage forms, but also faces challenges like potential degradation in the stomach and variability in absorption.

This refers to the process where a drug's concentration is reduced before it reaches systemic circulation (the bloodstream). It primarily occurs in the liver, where enzymes break down the drug. This can significantly reduce the effectiveness of orally administered drugs.

The amount of a drug that enters systemic circulation after oral administration is often reduced due to the first-pass metabolism in the liver. This can necessitate adjusting the dose or using alternative delivery methods.

Solid dosage form containing an active drug in a solid matrix, usually in the form of a small, compressed disc.

Solid dosage form where the active pharmaceutical ingredient is enclosed in a shell, typically made of gelatin. Hard capsules are usually filled with powders or granules, while soft capsules can contain liquids or semi-solids.

A homogeneous one-phase system containing two or more components where the drug is dissolved in a solvent, usually water.

A liquid dosage form where insoluble drug particles are suspended in a suitable vehicle, creating a heterogeneous mixture.

A pharmaceutical formulation where two immiscible liquids (one dispersed finely within the other) are mixed to form a stable mixture. It involves an aqueous phase and an oily phase.

A drug administered directly into the bloodstream via injection.

The process of administering a drug directly into subcutaneous tissue (the layer just beneath the skin).

The process of administering a drug directly into the muscle.

The process of administering a drug directly into a vein.