Did You Know Just That Many Cancers Are Linked To A Vitamin Deficiency?
Sublingual
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation,
search Sublingual, literally 'under the tongue', from Latin,
refers to a pharmacological route of administration in which
certain drugs are entered directly into the bloodstream
via absorption under the tongue. Many pharmaceuticals are
prepared for subligual administration. These commonly include
cardiovascular drugs, steroids, barbituates, some enzymes
and increasingly frequently, certain vitamins and minerals.
The
principle behind sublingual administration is fairly simple.
When a chemical comes in contact with the mucous membrane,
or buccal mucosa, it diffuses into the epithelium beneath
the tongue. This region contains a high density of blood
vessels, and as a result, via osmosis, the substance quickly
enters the blood stream at the sublingual artery. Quickly
thereafter, the substance is carried by blood flow to the
connected lingual artery, which takes up the chemical and
translates it to its source: the carotid artery. This artery
is connected directly to the brain.
In
theory, sublingual routes of administration have certain
advantages over simple oral administration. This route is
often faster, and entering a drug into one's body sublingually
ensures that the substance will only come in contact with
the enzymes in saliva prior to entry into the bloodstream.
Drugs otherwise orally administered must instead rely upon
the incredibly hostile environment of the gastrointestinal
tract. This may mean a much greater percentage of the original
substance is degraded either by the myriad of enzymes in
the GI tract, such as monoamine oxidase, or the strong acids
it contains. Additionally, after GI absorption, the drug
is sent to the liver where the drug may be extensively metabolized;
this is known as the first pass effect of drug metabolism.
Due to the degradative qualities of the stomach and intestine,
or the solubility of the GI tract, certain substances, such
as salvinorin A may only be administered orally via the
sublingual route.
Almost
any form of substance is appropriate for sublingual administration,
so long as in that form the substance can readily enter
into solution with the saliva in the mouth. Chemicals prepared
as powders, solutions, or even aerosol sprays may all make
use of this method. However, a number of factors, such as
pH, molecular weight, and lipid solubility (to name just
a few) of a substance may determine whether the route is
practical or not. Based on these properties, it is entirely
possible that a drug, which will readily become a solution
with saliva, simply diffuses too slowly (or not at all)
in the buccal mucosa to be effective.
Psychoactives,
too, may be applied sublingually. LSD, MDMA, morphine, and
many other drugs including the psychedelic tryptamines and
phenethylamines are all viable candidates for administration
via this route. Most often, the drug in question is powdered
and placed in the mouth (often directly under the tongue).
If held there long enough, the drug will diffuse into the
blood stream, bypassing the GI tract. This is definitely
a preferred method to simple oral administration, because
MAO is known to oxidize many drugs (especially the tryptamines
such as DMT) and because this route translates the chemical
directly to the brain, where most psychoactives act. However,
this method is severely limited because only a small amount
of the substance can be entered in this way, and often a
large amount remains to be swallowed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sublingual
