Buccal drug administration

The size of the delivery system varies with the type of formulation, i.e., a buccal tablet may be approximately 5-8 mm in diameter, whereas a flexible buccal patch may be as large as 10-15 cm in area. Mucoadhesive buccal patches with a surface area of 1-3 cm are most acceptable. It has been estimated that the total amount of drug that can be delivered across the buccal mucosa from a 2-cm system in 1 day is approximately 10-20 mg.f The shape of the delivery system may also vary, although for buccal drug administration, an ellipsoid shape appears to be most acceptable. The thickness of the delivery device is usually restricted to only a few millimeters. The location of the delivery device also needs to be considered. A mucoadhesive retentive system is preferred over a conventional dosage form. A bioadhesive buccal patch would appear to be the most appropriate delivery system because of its flexibility and the area of the buccal mucosa available for its application. The maximal duration of buccal drug retention and absorption is approximately 4-6 h because food and/or liquid intake may require removal of the delivery device. 

Lamey PJ, Lewis MAO (1990) Buccal and sublingual delivery of drugs. In Florence AT, Salole EG (eds.) Routes of Drug Administration. Butterworth Co. (Publishers) Ltd., Norfolk, pp 30-47... 

One of the key pieces to development of a successful drug product is the ability to deliver the drug to the site of action with minimal discomfort or inconvenience to the patient. For small molecule therapeutics, there is a wide range of options available for drug administration. Delivery via injection (IV, IM, and SC), oral, nasal, ocular, transmucosal (buccal, vaginal, and rectal), and transdermal routes is possible with small molecule drugs. However, the size of proteins and the complexity of their structures severely limit the routes of administration available to proteins. 

Two sites within the buccal cavity have been used for drug administration. Using the sublingual route, as for glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), the medicament is placed under the tongue, usually in the form of a... 

The buccal route of drug administration is the most widely used method for application of mucoadhesive... 

Buccal and sublingual administration Oromucosal drug administration is possible, although mainly limited by ability and compHance concerns in the younger age group. It might be difficult in babies due to feeding patterns. Safety needs to be established in children. 

Compared with other routes of administration, different mucosa that line the oral cavity (buccal and sublingual sites of drug administration) offer advantages that include (1) being noninvasive, (2) producing a rapid onset of action,... 

The research on drug administration through the mucosa of the oral cavity dates back to the beginning of the 1980s [111]. Buccal preparations are... 

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