Suppository — definition?
Solid dosage form inserted into body orifices.
Main routes for suppositories?
Rectal, vaginal, urethral.
Suppositories — primary use?
Promote defecation, deliver drugs locally/systemically.
Advantages of rectal route?
Bypasses first-pass metabolism, protects drugs, suitable for children/unconscious.
Disadvantages of suppositories?
Fixed doses, variable effectiveness, limited absorption, not for narrow-margin drugs.
Local action of suppositories?
Acts directly at the application site, e.g., hemorrhoid relief.
Systemic action of suppositories?
Absorbed through mucosa into bloodstream for whole-body effects.
Factors affecting absorption?
Fluid volume, pH, drug solubility, particle size, base type.
Fatty bases — example?
Cocoa butter (theobroma oil).
Water-soluble bases — example?
Polyethylene glycol (PEG), glycerinated gelatin.
Cocoa butter — melting point?
30-36°C, melts at body temperature.
Polymorphism in cocoa butter?
Multiple crystalline forms; beta stable, gamma unstable.
Fatty bases — key property?
Immiscible with water, melt at body temperature.
Water-soluble bases — key property?
Dissolve in body fluids, enable gradual drug release.
Suppository bases — main types?
Fatty (oleaginous) and water-soluble.
Suppository — shape and size importance?
Ensure easy insertion and retention.
Suppository — drug release mechanism?
Melting, softening, or dissolving at body temperature.
Rectal absorption — influenced by?
Fluid volume, mucosal condition, drug properties.
Test your knowledge with 9 questions on Suppository Formulation and Delivery.
1. How do fatty (oleaginous) bases and water-soluble bases differ in their physical properties and drug release behavior in suppositories?
2. In which scenario is a suppository most appropriately used in clinical practice?
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