Rectal absorption of oxcarbazepine

Physicians regularly challenge the hospital pharmacy departments to find alternative routes for the administration of drugs, which can't be withhold, e.g. anti-epileptic drugs. In our hospital we were confronted with the question whether it was possible to administer oxcarbazepine rectally. In the present report data on the absorption of rectally administered oxcarbazepine is presented. No therapeutic bloodlevels were attained after rectal administration. Administration via the oral route, however, gave within the same period of time a therapeutic bloodlevel. It is concluded that the absorption after rectal administration of oxcarbazepine at least in this dose and frequency used is too low to justify application in practice.