Routes of Drug Administration
Routes of Drug Administration The purpose of the administration of the drug is to make it available at its site of action. A drug must be either inserted into the body or applied to the body. There are several routes of drug administration that are broadly divided into two categories Local routes Systemic routes Local routes When the site of the action is directly accessible, the drug could be applied directly. For example, topical application of an antibiotic cream at the site of the injury for preventing the infection of the wound. Advantages of local routes are A high concentration of the drug is attained at the desired site without exposing the rest of the body to the drug. Minimal or absence of systemic side effects or toxicities. The local routes are: a.) Topical route: The drug is directly applied at the desired site of action. It includes application to localized lesions on the skin, mucous membrane, bronchi, eyes, ear canal, anal canal, or vagina. b.) Deeper Tissue: Drugs