Enteral: refers to anything
involving the alimentary tract,
i.e., from the mouth to the
rectum
Dosage forms
Tablets
Hard formulations in which the drug and
other ingredients are machine compressed
under high pressure into a shape
Sugar coated: coated with a sugar glaze
Film coated: coated with a non-sweat coating
Multiple compressed tablets: contain one drug in an inner layer and
another drug around it as an outer layer. Can also have the two layers
adjacent to each other.
Repeat action: Release one dose of the drug and
then release a second dose sometime later
Chewable
Effervescent: designed to breakdown
when in contact with water or other
liquids which will cause it to dissolve.
Capsules
Drugs and other ingredients in a gelatin shell
Gelatin shell dissolves in the stomach and the freed contents must still
undergo disintegration and dissolution before the drug is absorbed into
the circulatory system
Bulk powders
Contain the active drug in a small
powder paper or foil envelope
Patient empties the envelope into a glass
of water or juice and drinks the contents
Most of the drug and ingredients dissolve
in the water before the patient takes it
Solutions
Clear liquid made up of one or more
ingredients dissolved in a solvent
Aqueous solutions are the most common oral solution
Aqueous means that water was used as the solvent
Suspensions
Formulations in which the drug does not
completely dissolve in the solvent. The drug
particles are suspended in the formulation.
Sweetened and flavored
Elixirs
Clear, sweetened liquid
Less sweet and thick than syrups
Syrups
Solutions of sucrose (sugar) in water
Thicker than water and contains less than 10% alcohol
Emulsions
Formulation containing both aqueous and oleaginous components
Lozenges
Formulated with sweetening agents
Sometimes used instead of tablets for
sublingual administration
Ointments
Inteded to be spread around the anal
opening and are most often used to
treat inflamed hemorrhoidal tissues
Suppositories
Semisolid dosage forms that dissolve or
melt when inserted into the rectum
Route
Oral
Buccal
Pouch between the teeth
and cheek in the mouth
Allows for rapid absorption of drugs and
bypasses first-pass metabolism in the
liver
Tablets, solutions
Sublingual
Under the tongue
Other administrations are
considered more convenient
Tablets, lozenges
Most frequently used route of administration
Certain drugs cannot be taken orally because they
are degraded or destroyed by stomach acid and
intestinal enzymes
Liquid dosage forms reach the
circulatory system faster than drugs
in solid form
Enteric coated tables are used when the
drug can be degraded by the stomach acid.
The enteric coating will not let the tablet
disintegrate until it reaches the high pHs of
the small intestines