Lecture 6: Oral drug delivery I Flashcards
What is biopharmaceutics?
study of how the physicochemical properties of drugs, dosage forms and routes of administration affect the rate and extent of drug absorption
What is pharmacokinetics?
the study of ADME
What is the relationship between pharmacokinetics and pharmacokinetics
While PK studies the effects of the body on the drug,
PD studies the effects of drug on the body.
e.g. side effects, toxicity, ADRs
What is the bioavailability for IV? other routes?
IV = 100%
Other routes = administered dose which reaches systemic circulation in an unchanged form.
how is absolute bioavailability determined?
relative to an IV bolus injection
What are the main characteristics of the oral route?
most frequently used
usually for systemic effect
generally considered the simplest, most convenient and safest
drug needs to be able to survive acid conditions of stomach, and be resistant to enzymatic attack to be absorbed across GIT membrane
What is the GIT?
the gastrointestinal tract is a muscular tube approx 6m long with FOUR main anatomical areas.
absorption is increased by surface roughness
the majority of the epithelium is covered by a mucous layer
What are the 4 main anatomical areas of the GIT?
oesophagus
stomach
small intestine
large intestine/colon
What is mucous?
a viscoelastic translucent aqueous gel
It has a large water component (approx 95%)
~5-500um thickness
it is constantly removed and replenished due to abrasion from acid and enzymatic break down
estimated turnoever of 4-5 hours.
What does mucous contain?
mucin
- large glycoproteins
- protein backbone of ~800 amino acids long
What is the oesophagus?
tube that links mouth to stomach
pH between 5-6
material moved by swallowing (commonly impaired in elderly) and peristalsis
assisted by gravity in upright position.
rapid transit time (5-15 seconds)
What is the stomach?
temporary reservoir to deliver food to duodenum at controlled rate.
- reduces solids to chyme via acid and enzymes
- reduces risk of noxious agents reaching intestine
- capacity of ~1.5L with mainly gastric secretions (though may be 50mL if fasting)
What are the main gastric secretions of the stomach?
- acid secreted by parietal cells (pH 1-3.5)
- gastrin (hormone) stimulates gastric acid secretions. gastrin is stimulated by peptides
- pepsins break down proteins at low pH
- mucous, protects gastric mucosa from acid and pepsins
What is the small intestine?
longest and most convoluted part of the GIT
~4-5m
-divided into duodenum, jejunum and ileum
-main site of absorption
-well supplied with blood and lymphatic vesels (~1/3 of CO)
-pH ~ 6-7.5
What are the main functions of the small intestine?
- digest (completes enzymatic digestion from stomach)
- absorb (major site of absorption)