Lecture 17: Flashcards
Which drugs are administered via the buccal cavity?
Used traditionally with drugs, but also with recreational substances.
Nitroglycerine (tablet) to treat cardiac diseases
What is the buccal cavity?
This route of administration involves placing drugs under the tongue or retained in the mouth
What can be achieved by using polymers which are bioacidic?
We can retain the medication in the buccal cavity, giving us more options for drug delivery
Can the buccal route be used as means of administration for system effects?
Yes. This is due to the extensive capillary network in the oral cavity
What is the buccal route especially good for?
The administration of drugs which are susceptible to mass degradation in the stomach and in the GIT
This is because the buccal cavity is not very acidic
What difficulties does the mucous in the cavity pose?
The mucous is not very permeable so it is not designed for absorbing drugs.
However some chemicals like sugars can be absorbed significantly through here
What is the main difference between transport mechanisms in the buccal cavity and the GIT?
In the GIT we had lots of mechanisms of transport, however in the buccal cavity, simple passive diffusion is the only transport
What kind of criteria must drugs meet to be absorbed via the buccal cavity?
Although many different drugs can be administered through this route, it is ideal that the drug has a logP value of 1.6-3.3 to undergo maximum absorption
Why does the ideal drug have to have a high log P value to be best absorbed through the buccal cavity?
The drug needs to be lipophilic because the mucous of the buccal cavity is lipophilic. However it also cannot have a log P too high (greater than 3.3) or else it wont be absorbed
What are the advantages with absorption via the buccal cavity?
It avoids first pass metabolism
There are lots of blood vessels, so it goes directly through the systemic circulation
There is rapid absorption
The environment is not as hostile
Administration of devices like tablets is easy, termination is also easy
There is a lower individual variability as sub tissues, mucosa and adipose tissue do not vary as much in the buccal cavity
The stratum corneum is absent (tight layer of skin tightly joined together) so absorption is maximised?
What are the disadvantages of drug administration via the buccal route?
Small surface area
Movement of tongue affects mucoadhesive system
Movement in oral cavity causes viscosity to decrease.
Oral cavity is less permeable than SI
Salivation could dissolve some of the drug
Sometimes drug could be swallowed by mistake
The taste of the drug is VERY important
What is a main application of the buccal cavity used to treat local conditions?
Oral infection or sore throat.
There are medicines to relieve cold symptoms which are administered via the buccal cavity
What is a main application of drugs administered via the buccal cavity used to treat systemic conditions?
The buccal cavity is suitable for the delivery of water soluble drugs, polysaccharides and sugars.
It could be an alternative route for insulin delivery in type I diabetes
What is the structure of the nose?
Nostrils about 1.5cm, next to nasal valve.
Nasal cavity up and behind nostrils.
Mucous layer about 5-20mm thick (there are actually two layers)
Cilia in the back 2/3rds of the nose, for defence
What is the nasal cavity?
A region behind the nostrils
Why is the nasal cavity a drug target for administration?
The nasal cavity has a large volume and is abundant in terms of capillary networks
What is the structure of the nasal cavity?
2ml and 6cm in length, with 3 foldings on each side
What is the nasal cavity divided by?
It is divided in half by the nasal seltum
What are turbinates?
Shelf like things, they circulate the air in the nasal cavity and also humidify and heat the air we breathe in
What are the main functions of the nose?
Main function is to smell, the nose also heats and humidifies inspired air
What is the pH of the mucous layer?
The surface is quite neutral. 7.39
However this can drop to 5.5 and 6.5 for microbial protction
What does a drug adminstered via the nasal cavity have to overcome?
Although the nasal cavity provides opportunities by its large surface area and capillary network, the drug will still need to overcome defence mechanisms set by the cilia and changing pH of the nose
What are the advantages of the nasal cavity?
It bypasses the first pass effect
There is rapid absoprtion
There is some enzymatic activity (especially nasal CYP P450 enzymes)
However absorption is so quick enzymatic degradation can be neglected.
Why can enzymatic degradation be neglected in the nasal cavity?
There are so few enzymes there they are unlikely to be saturated, so wont affect drug absorption too much.