Routes of Drug Administration

• Routes of drug administration into the body

  • Intravenous (IV): into a vein (rapid absorption)
  • Intraperitoneal (IP): into the gut (used in lab animals)
  • Subcutaneous (SC): under the skin
  • Intramuscular (IM): into a muscle
  • Inhalation of the drug into the lungs
  • Topical: absorbed through the skin
  • Oral: via the mouth

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Lipid-soluble drugs easily pass through the blood-brain barrier

Injection most common in lab animals (IP usually for small ones)

IV fastest but need skill and entire does does reach bloodstream all at once

Insulin must be injected (instead of oral) b/c it’s not absorbed from digestive system into the bloodstream

Intracerebral injection to get it thru the blood-brain barrier, best into injected into the ventricles

SC only if small amounts (too painful otherwise); can be in small capsule

Inhalation via the lungs; egs. Nicotine, marijuana (bad), asthma meds

Sniffed cocaine is a topical administration thru the nose

Oral most common in humans e.g. most medicines as kids or nitro(glycerine) for angina (blocking of coronary arteries).