• Designed to dissolve slowly when placed between the cheek and gums.
• Bypasses the digestive tract.
• Gives prolonged release of medication

Sublingual Tablets (SL)

• Designed to dissolve immediately and produce a rapid drug response when placed under the tongue, not swallowed
• Skin underneath the tongue is thin and allows medication to be quickly absorbed
• Bypasses the digestive tract

Chewable Tablets

• Designed to be easily chewed and then swallowed
• Dissolution properties are different than swallowed tablets

Effervescent Tablets

• Uses a chemical reaction (the release of carbon dioxide gas) to hasten tablet dissolution
• Should de dissolved in a glass of water or other liquid before ingestion

Enteric-coated Tablets

• Coated to delay the release of medication until the tablet has reached the intestinal tract
• Release of the medication into the stomach may render the medication inactive or may irritate the stomach lining.

Film-Coated

• Used to mask taste

Capsules (Hard)

• Hard capsules contain powders, granules, or beads.
  • Example:  Powder - Keflex, Granules/Beads - Fastin

• Soft capsules contain medication in liquid form
  • Example:  Vitamin E Caps

• Made from powdered natural materials such as plants and animal organs
• Powder was combined with a sticky material so that it could be rolled into a round mass called a pill.
• Out-dated dosage form

Controlled-Release Products

• Formulated to produce a constant release of medication over an extended period of time.  This:
• Allows for consistent blood level for a longer duration
• Reduces the number of doses that must be taken

Pastilles, Lozenges

• Dissolve in mouth
• Provide medication to the oral cavity
• Look similar to hard candy
• Example: Cough Drops

Troches

• Can be hard or have gummy consistency
• Provide medication to the oral cavity
• Example:  Mycelex Troches

Powders

• Solid dosage forms which have been crushed to make a fine powder
• Can be used internally or externally

Suppositories

• Designed to be inserted into a body cavity:
• Rectum
• Urethra
• Vagina

• Designed to melt at internal body temperature (98.6F or 37C) to release medication into the body
• Can provide a local effect or be absorbed into the blood stream to give systemic effect

Vaginal Tablets

• Inserted into the vagina where they dissolve to provide:
• Topical effect
• Systemic effect