Which term describes the route of administration that bypasses the digestive tract?

Which term describes the route of administration that bypasses the digestive tract?

• A. Parenteral
• B. Enteral
• C. Oral
• D. Sublingual

Answer: (A)

Delivering a drug through parenteral routes means administering it by methods that do not involve the digestive tract—such as injections into muscle, vein, or skin. This bypasses the stomach and intestines and often avoids first-pass metabolism in the liver, giving more rapid and predictable drug action. In contrast, enteral routes involve the GI tract, with oral and sublingual administration absorbing through the mouth to the stomach and intestines. Those routes require passage through parts of the digestive system, so they don’t describe bypassing it. Thus, the term that fits the description is parenteral.

Delivering a drug through parenteral routes means administering it by methods that do not involve the digestive tract—such as injections into muscle, vein, or skin. This bypasses the stomach and intestines and often avoids first-pass metabolism in the liver, giving more rapid and predictable drug action. In contrast, enteral routes involve the GI tract, with oral and sublingual administration absorbing through the mouth to the stomach and intestines. Those routes require passage through parts of the digestive system, so they don’t describe bypassing it. Thus, the term that fits the description is parenteral.