What is the Origin of Vaginal Administration?

The term combines "vaginal," referring to the anatomical site of delivery, and "administration," the act of applying a drug or therapeutic agent. This route has been a recognized method of drug delivery in medical practice for centuries, particularly in gynecology.

What is the Mechanism of Vaginal Administration?

For local effects, the drug directly interacts with receptors in the vaginal and vulvar epithelial tissues, providing high, concentrated therapeutic levels at the site of pathology. For systemic absorption, the medication rapidly diffuses across the thin, richly vascularized vaginal mucosa directly into the systemic circulation. This bypass of first-pass hepatic metabolism results in a more stable pharmacokinetic profile and minimizes the production of certain hepatic metabolites associated with oral hormone administration.

Vaginal Administration

Meaning

Vaginal administration is a specific route of pharmaceutical delivery where a medication, typically in the form of a cream, suppository, ring, or tablet, is inserted into the vaginal cavity for either localized or systemic therapeutic action. This method is extensively utilized in hormonal health for the targeted delivery of estrogen or progesterone to treat local symptoms like vaginal atrophy, or to achieve systemic absorption that bypasses the initial metabolic breakdown by the liver. The route is favored for its efficiency and stability of drug delivery.