3.6 : 약물 전달: 기타 경로

Drug delivery methods, such as oral inhalation, nasal sprays, transdermal patches, eye drops, intravitreal, and intrathecal injections, mostly offer localized effects with minimal toxicity.

Oral inhalation and nasal sprays rapidly carry drugs across the respiratory epithelium's mucosal layer. Inhaled glucocorticoids and bronchodilators directly address lung conditions like asthma, whereas corticosteroid nasal sprays alleviate allergic rhinitis.

Transdermal patches deliver drugs through the skin into the bloodstream. Commonly used controlled-release patches include nicotine patches for smoking cessation, opioids for pain relief, and nitroglycerin for angina pectoris.

Drugs in eye drops are absorbed through the conjunctival epithelium, such as dorzolamide, which lowers intraocular pressure in glaucoma. 

Intravitreal injections deliver drugs like ranibizumab into the eye's vitreous humor to treat age-related macular degeneration.

Intrathecal delivery involves injecting a drug into the subarachnoid space to reach the brain. Baclofen injection, for instance, effectively treats severe muscle spasms.