The sublingual route of administration occurs when a drug is given under the tongue, which is a faster form of absorption by the body, compared to oral pills, where the pill has yet to disintegrate and be metabolized by the liver, only after it is absorbed. and exerts its therapeutic effect.
Only a few active substances can be administered sublingually, as they must have specific characteristics to be viable by this pathway, which has a rapid systemic effect, since in addition to being absorbed directly into the bloodstream, they are not metabolized by the liver.
- The sublingual route is a widely used option.
- In cases where it is necessary to administer medication in an emergency.
- Such as during a heart attack.
- For example.
- When nitroglycerin is administered under the tongue.
- Which takes effect in about 1 to 2 minutes.
In addition, it is also an option for active ingredients altered or degraded by gastric juices and/or liver metabolism, since absorption occurs in the oral mucosa, which is highly vascularized. The substances are rapidly absorbed through the veins under the oral mucosa and transported through the inner brachycephalic and jugular veins, and then drained into the systemic circulation.
The sublingual route is also an alternative for use in elderly and children who cannot swallow tablets.
The main benefits of sublingual drug administration are
The main drawbacks of the sublingual route are:
Understand how a medicine works from the moment it is absorbed until it is removed.
Examples of remedies available for sublingual administration are nitroglycerin, for cases of heart attack, in which it is necessary to act urgently to avoid the sequelae, zolmitriptan, which is a suitable remedy for migraine, to quickly relieve symptoms, or buprenorphine, which is indicated for very severe and / or chronic pains.