Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Drug Delivery: Overview

Drug Delivery: Overview

The selection of a drug's delivery route depends upon its physicochemical properties, including lipid or water solubility and ionization, as well as the therapeutic requirement, such as immediate or sustained effect. These routes can be divided into three primary categories: enteral, parenteral, and topical.
Enteral delivery involves administering drugs directly through swallowing, sublingual placement, or buccal application. Orally administered drugs predominantly navigate the...

Drug Delivery: Enteral Route

Drug Delivery: Enteral Route

The enteral drug administration involves three primary routes: oral, sublingual, and buccal. Oral ingestion is the most prevalent, safe, economical, and convenient method for drug administration. However, it has certain drawbacks, including limited absorption due to the drug's low water solubility or poor membrane permeability, possible emesis from GI mucosa irritation, destruction of drugs by digestive enzymes or low gastric pH, and irregular absorption along with food or other drugs.

Drug Delivery: Parenteral Route

Drug Delivery: Parenteral Route

The parenteral route is a critical method of drug administration. It delivers compounds directly into the systemic circulation and bypasses the gastrointestinal tract. This approach is particularly advantageous for drugs that exhibit poor absorption or instability when administered orally.
There are three primary parenteral routes: intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and subcutaneous (SC). The IV route introduces the drug directly into the bloodstream, ensuring immediate action. The IM route...

Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems

Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems

Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) enable the controlled release of drugs across the skin into systemic circulation. They are particularly advantageous for drugs with short half-lives or narrow therapeutic indices, as they maintain consistent plasma concentrations and reduce the risk of subtherapeutic or toxic levels.TDDS are categorized into monolithic, reservoir, and mixed systems. Monolithic systems embed the drug in a polymer matrix, where diffusion governs release. Reservoir systems...

Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems

Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems

Ophthalmic drug delivery faces major limitations due to poor absorption across the corneal membrane. This process is primarily driven by diffusion and is influenced by two main factors: the physicochemical properties of the drug and tear drainage. Most ophthalmic drugs, such as pilocarpine, epinephrine, atropine, and local anesthetics, are weak bases. They are typically formulated at an acidic pH to enhance chemical stability. However, this leads to high ionization, reducing their ability to...

Intrauterine Drug Delivery Systems

Intrauterine Drug Delivery Systems

Controlled-release systems for intravaginal and intrauterine drug delivery have been developed primarily for the administration of contraceptive steroid hormones. These delivery routes circumvent first-pass hepatic metabolism, thereby enhancing bioavailability and allowing for reduced systemic dosages compared to oral administration. Such approaches contribute to improved therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance, particularly in long-term contraceptive regimens.Intravaginal Drug Delivery...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Co-formulation of IL-12 mRNA and doxorubicin in polymeric nanoparticles for simultaneous delivery in murine melanoma.

RSC pharmaceutics·2026

Same author

A modular hydrogel system with independent control of bioadhesion, fibrosis, and stiffness.

Science advances·2026

Same author

Investigating the impact of poly(beta amino) ester-mediated FOXJ1 mRNA delivery on differentiation of primary human bronchial epithelial cells.

Biology open·2026

Same author

The Use of Deep Learning in RNA Therapeutic Development.

ACS nano·2026

Same author

Am80-lipid nanoparticles serve as an enteric mucosal adjuvant following parenteral immunization with inactivated polio vaccine.

Science advances·2026

Same author

Author Correction: Extracellular vesicles incorporating retrovirus-like capsids for the enhanced packaging and systemic delivery of mRNA into neurons.

Nature biomedical engineering·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Trans-Tympanic Drug Delivery for the Treatment of Ototoxicity

Trans-Tympanic Drug Delivery for the Treatment of Ototoxicity

Published on: March 16, 2018

Drug delivery across length scales.

Derfogail Delcassian^1,2,3, Asha K Patel^1,4, Abel B Cortinas^1,5

¹a David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge , MA , USA.

Journal of Drug Targeting

|February 9, 2018

Summary

Drug delivery systems are shrinking from macro to nano-scale. This miniaturization enables precise, on-demand delivery of potent therapeutics, improving treatment efficacy and targeting specific biological pathways.

Keywords:

Drug delivery length scale macro micro nano targeting

More Related Videos

Intraluminal Drug Delivery to the Mouse Arteriovenous Fistula Endothelium

Intraluminal Drug Delivery to the Mouse Arteriovenous Fistula Endothelium

Published on: March 4, 2016

Manufacture and Drug Delivery Applications of Silk Nanoparticles

Manufacture and Drug Delivery Applications of Silk Nanoparticles

Published on: October 8, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Trans-Tympanic Drug Delivery for the Treatment of Ototoxicity

Trans-Tympanic Drug Delivery for the Treatment of Ototoxicity

Published on: March 16, 2018

Intraluminal Drug Delivery to the Mouse Arteriovenous Fistula Endothelium

Intraluminal Drug Delivery to the Mouse Arteriovenous Fistula Endothelium

Published on: March 4, 2016

Manufacture and Drug Delivery Applications of Silk Nanoparticles

Manufacture and Drug Delivery Applications of Silk Nanoparticles

Published on: October 8, 2016

Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Nanotechnology
Pharmacology

Background:

Therapeutic molecules have evolved from natural products to sophisticated biomolecules like proteins and nucleic acids.
Potent, targeted therapies require advanced drug delivery systems for effective and safe administration.
Traditional systemic dosing faces challenges in achieving precise therapeutic levels at target sites.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the miniaturization of drug delivery systems.
To focus on controlled dosing and targeting as key design parameters.
To highlight future directions in advanced therapeutic delivery.

Main Methods:

Review of scientific literature on drug delivery system miniaturization.
Analysis of macro- to nano-scale device evolution.
Focus on controlled dosing and targeted delivery principles.

Main Results:

Miniaturization enables a shift from systemic to targeted drug delivery.
Nanoscale devices offer enhanced control over drug release and localization.
Controlled dosing and targeting are critical for optimizing therapeutic outcomes.

Conclusions:

Miniaturized drug delivery systems are essential for modern therapeutics.
Future research should focus on further refining on-demand, targeted delivery mechanisms.
Advancements in nanotechnology promise more effective and personalized treatments.