The following are the words of scientists and researchers around the world
who explore this field of science and medicine. We believe it helps the patient
population understand the validity and therapeutic potential of this mode of
delivery.
Suppositories are useful drug delivery systems
in many situations where the patient cannot receive medicine orally,
intravenously, or by injection (such as when a patient is vomiting,
experiencing seizures, or has an obstruction of the upper gastrointestinal
tract) or where the medicine is not orally effective and an alternate route of
administration is necessary (such as when medicine exhibits first-pass
metabolism).”
Reference: http://www.google.com/patents/US6462083
Rectal drug administration has many advantages over other routes of
drug administration such as oral administration and parenteral administration. For example, many drug substances that are given orally undergo inactivation in the stomach
because of the acidic, enzymatic content of the stomach or the drug may be
subject to digestive attack in the gut and/or to microbial degradation in the
lower gut. Oral administration of drugs also directs all of the absorbed
substances through the liver where they can be inactivated or reduced in
effectiveness.
Rectal administration overcomes wholly, or in part, these known
disadvantages of oral drug administration. Rectal drug administration also has advantages over parenteral administration. For example, rectal drug administration does not require highly trained personnel required for parenteral administration and also represents significantly less hazard to the patient.
In view of the known disadvantages of oral and parenteral drug
administration, drug administration by rectal delivery enables many drugs to
be absorbed from the anorectal area, and yet retain their therapeutic value.
The lower hemorrhoidal vein, surrounding the colon and rectum, enters the
inferior vena cava and thereby bypasses the liver. Therefore, drugs are
absorbed directly into the general circulation when rectally administered.”
Reference: https://www.google.com/patents/US4406896
Promoting better therapeutic efficacy
Dr. Bindu Boddupalli’s October-December 2010 article, “Mucoadhesive drug
delivery system: An Overview”, published out of the Department of
Pharmaceutics, Nalanda College of Pharmacy, Nalgonda,India in the Journal
of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research stated that
“the rectal lumen have also been explored for the delivery of active agents
both systemically and locally. The active agents meant for the systemic
delivery by this route of administration bypass the hepatic first-pass
metabolism, increase plasma concentrations and thereby promote better
therapeutic efficacy.”
Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3255397/?report=pri
ntable
“Mucoadhesive (adhesion of compounds to a mucous layer such as the
rectum, gut or nose) drug delivery systems prolong the residence time of the
dosage at the site of application for absorption.”
Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3255397/
This delivery method has the chance for tremendous success
Dr.Rahamatullah Shaikh, affiliated with the Drug Delivery Group, School of
Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Belfast,
UK discusses how this delivery method has the chance for tremendous
success in his January-March 2011 article “Mucoadhesive (medicine that
adheres to a mucous membrane) drug delivery systems” in The Journal of
Pharmacy and BioAllied Sciences. Dr. Shaikh firmly states that
“application of dosage forms to mucosal surfaces (rectal mucosal wall) are of
benefit to drug molecules not amenable to the oral route, such as those that
undergo acid degradation or extensive first-pass metabolism. Drugs that are
liable to extensive first-pass metabolism can benefit greatly if delivered to the
rectal area.”
Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3053525/?report=pri
ntable
Exhibiting a significant anti-tumor effect with a reduced toxicity profile
The College of Pharmacy at Yeungnam University in Gyongsan, South
Korea’s researcher Dr. Seo, published a March 2013 article titled “Docetaxel-
loaded Thermosensitive and Bioadhesive Nanomicells as a Rectal Drug
Delivery System for enhanced Chemotherapeutic Effect” in Pharmaceutical
Research. Dr. Seo shows that “rectally administered Docetaxel (currently used chemotherapy for refractory breast, lung and prostate cancer)-loaded nanomicelles exhibited a significant
anti-tumor effect with a reduced toxicity profile when compared to orally
administered Docetaxel.”
Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23549753
Cyclodextrins in delivery systems
Dr. Tiwari co-authored the 2010 article “Cyclodextrins in delivery systems:
Applications” which was published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical and
Bioallied Sciences.
“Recent studies have shown that rectal mucosa can be used as a potential
site for delivering drugs which have a high first-pass metabolism and degrade
in the gastrointestinal pH. A number of excipients have been used, and
amongst them CDs(cyclodextrins) have been found to be quite useful.”
Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3147107/
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