What is the Origin of Drug Depot?

The term is a compound of the clinical word "drug" and the French word dépôt, meaning "a place where things are stored." In pharmacology, it describes a reservoir created by the physical properties of the formulation and the physiological environment of the injection site. This method is an evolution of drug delivery science aimed at improving patient adherence and therapeutic consistency.

What is the Mechanism of Drug Depot?

The mechanism relies on the formulation's physical characteristics, often an oil-based solution or a microcrystalline suspension, which creates a low-solubility reservoir within the tissue. The active compound, such as a lipophilic steroid hormone ester, must be slowly partitioned or hydrolyzed from this vehicle before it can enter the surrounding capillaries and be absorbed into the bloodstream. This rate-limiting step governs the release kinetics, ensuring a stable, physiological concentration of the hormone is maintained over days or weeks.

Drug Depot ∞ Area

Drug Depot

Meaning

A Drug Depot is a specifically localized anatomical site, typically a large muscle mass or the subcutaneous fat layer, where an administered pharmaceutical formulation is designed to reside for slow, controlled release into the systemic circulation. This sophisticated delivery strategy is employed to achieve a sustained therapeutic effect, avoiding the need for frequent dosing and minimizing the wide fluctuations in plasma drug concentration. It is a critical pharmacokinetic concept for long-acting hormonal therapies, such as esterified testosterone or progesterone.