Which option represents a parenteral route of drug administration?

Which option represents a parenteral route of drug administration?

• A. Oral administration
• B. Intravenous administration
• C. Rectal administration
• D. Sublingual route

Answer: (B)

Parenteral routes bypass the gastrointestinal tract and deliver the drug by injection or directly into the body tissues, providing rapid or controlled systemic exposure. An intravenous administration places the drug straight into a vein, ensuring immediate entry into the bloodstream, which is the hallmark of a parenteral route. The other options involve the GI tract or mucosal surfaces: oral administration goes through the stomach and intestines, rectal administration is through the rectum, and sublingual administration, while absorbed through the mouth, is still considered an enteral/mucosal route. So intravenous administration best exemplifies a parenteral route.

Parenteral routes bypass the gastrointestinal tract and deliver the drug by injection or directly into the body tissues, providing rapid or controlled systemic exposure. An intravenous administration places the drug straight into a vein, ensuring immediate entry into the bloodstream, which is the hallmark of a parenteral route. The other options involve the GI tract or mucosal surfaces: oral administration goes through the stomach and intestines, rectal administration is through the rectum, and sublingual administration, while absorbed through the mouth, is still considered an enteral/mucosal route. So intravenous administration best exemplifies a parenteral route.