This document discusses various routes of drug administration and dosage forms. It begins by defining dosage forms as means of delivering drug molecules to sites of action in the body. There are several advantages to different dosage forms including accurate dosing, protection, masking of taste, and controlled release. Dosage forms are classified by physical form as solid, semisolid, liquid, or gaseous. The main routes of drug administration discussed include oral, sublingual, rectal, parenteral, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intra-arterial, intra-articular, intrathecal, intradermal, inhalation, transdermal, and topical administered to various mucous membranes. Each route

1. DR. ANKITA BIST
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOLOGY
GENERAL PHARMACOLOGY-
ROUTES OF DRUG
ADMINISTRATION

2. DRUG NOMENCLATURE
 Chemical Name
 Non- Proprietary name
 Proprietary name

3. Sources of Drugs

4. Definition: Dosage forms are the meansby which drug
molecules are delivered to sites of action within thebody.
The need for dosageforms:
1 Accurate dose.
2 Protection e.g. coated tablets, sealedampules.
3 Protection from gastricjuice.
4 Masking taste and odour.
5 Controlled release medication.
6 Optimal drug action.
7 Insertion of drugs into body cavities (rectal,vaginal)
Dosage Forms

5. They are classified as:
Physical form:
I)Solid
II)Semisolid
III)liquid
IV)Gaseous
ROUTE OFDRUG ADMINISTRATION:
The path taken by the drug to get into the body is
known as the route of drug administration.
Types of dosage forms

7. ORALROUTE
Advantages
 Convenient - can be self- administered, pain free, easy to
take, portable, multi-dose bottles
 Absorption - takes place along the whole length of the GI
tract
 Cheap - compared to most other parenteral routes as
sterilization of drug products is not essential
 Enteric coated tablets

8. ORALROUTE
Disadvantages
 Some of the drug is destroyed by gastric juices
e.g.adrenaline, insulin, oxytocin
 Unabsorbable drugs(e.g. aminoglycosides)
 Unconscious patients
 Patients with severe vomiting and diarrhoea
 Drugs with extensive first pass metabolism: term used
for hepatic metabolism of drug when absorbed and
delivered through portal blood.
 Unpalatable and highly irritant drugs

9. Sublingual Route
Tablets placed under the tongue or between cheeks or Gingiva.
Advantages:
 Rapid absorption takes place.
 Drug is dissolved easily
 Drug enters the blood directly
 Spitting out of the drug removes its effect
Disadvantages:.
 Irritation of the mucous membrane might occur
 Person may swallow the drug
 Might be unpleasant in taste.
 Examples of drugs given by this route include nitroglycerin,
isoprenaline and oxytocin. Nifedipine used for the treatment of
hypertension in emergency is given by sublingual route.

10. RECTALROUTE
ADVANTAGES
 Useful for Children
 Little or no first pass effect. Some (but not all) of the veins
draining the rectum lead directly to the general circulation thus
bypassing the liver. Therefore there may be a reduced first-pass
effect.
 Useful for vomiting or unconscious patient, gastric irritant drugs
DISADVANTAGES
 Inconvenient
 Absorption is slow and erratic
 Irritation or inflammation of rectal mucosa can occur
 Inconvenient and embarrassing to the patient

11. SYSTEMIC-PARENTERAL
17
I.
III.
 INJECTABLES
INTRAVENOUS
II. INTRAMUSCULAR
SUBCUTANEOUS
IV. INTRA-ARTERIAL
V. INTRA-ARTICULAR
VI. INTRATHECAL
VII. INTRADERMAL
 INHALATION - Absorption through the lungs

12. INTRAVENOUS
Advantages
• Bioavailability 100%
• Desired blood concentrations
achieved
• Large quantities
• Vomiting & diarrhea
• Emergency situations
• First pass avoided
• Gastric manipulation avoided
Disadvantages
 Irritation & cellulitis
 Thrombophelebitis
 Repeated injectionsnot
alwaysfeasible
 Less safe
 Technicalassistance
required
 Danger of infection
 Expensive
 Less convenientand
painful
18

13. INTRAMUSULAR ROUTE
Advantages
• Absorption reasonably
uniform
• Rapid onset of
action
• Mild irritants can be given
• First pass avoided
• Gastric factors can be
avoided
Disadvantages
• Only upto 10ml drug given
• Local pain and abcess
• Expensive
• Infection
• Nerve damage

14. SUBCUTANEOUS
• Injected under the skin.
• Absorption is slow, so action isprolonged.
IMPLANT :a tablet or porous capsule is insertedinto the
loose tissues by incision of the skin, which is then stiched.
Example : certain hormonal drugs

15. INTRA-ARTERIAL
• Rarely used
• Anticancer drugs are given for localizedeffects
• Drugs used for diagnosis of peripheral vascular
diseases

16. INTRA-ARTICULAR
Injections of antibiotics
and corticosteroids are
administered in inflammed
joined cavities by experts.
Example: hydrocortisone
in rheumatoid arthritis

17. INTRADERMAL
• Drug is given within skinlayers (dermis)
• Painful
• Mainly used for testing sensitivity to drugs.
• E.G. Penicillin, ATS(antitetanus serum)
• Inoculation :administration of vaccine (like small
pox vaccine)

18. Others
 Intraperitoneal offers large surface area. Helpful for fluids
administration in infants, peritoneal dialysis
 Intrathecal: Subarachnoid space for action in CNS
 Intrapleural route: Penicillin may be injected in cases of lung empysema
by intrapleural route
Special drug delivery systems:
Ocusert, Progestasert, Osmotic Pumps, Targeted drug delivery systems,
monoclonal antibodies

19. Transdermal
Absorption of drug through skin (systemic action)
i. Stable blood levels
ii. No first pass metabolism
iii. Drug must be potent or patch
becomes too large

20. Inhalation
Rapid delivery of a drug across the large surface area of the mucous
membranes of the respiratory tract and pulmonary epithelium.
Advantages:
• Rapid absorption
• Rapid onset of action
• This route has minimum side effects.
• Effective for patients with respiratoryproblems
• Fewer systemic side effects
• Effective and convenient for patients with respiratory disorders
Disadvantages:
• Most addictive route (drug can enter the brain quickly)
• Irritation of the respiratory tract may take place.
• It require training

21. Topical Routes ofAdministration
 Topical administration is the application of a drug
directly to the surface of the skin
 Includes administration of drugs to any mucous membrane
vagina
urethra
colon
eye
nose
ears
lungs

22. Topical Dosage Forms
Dose forms for topical administration include:
• Skin:
creams
ointments
lotions gels
transdermal patches
disks
• Eye or ear:
– solutions
– suspensions
– ointments
• Nose and lungs:
– sprays and powders

23. THANK YOU