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Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Routes of Administration

Sublingual

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

/sʌbˈlɪŋɡwəl/adjectiveCommon term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, sublingual means: Placed under the tongue and left to dissolve, so that the drug is absorbed directly into the blood through the lining of the mouth.

In Turkish: dil altı, sublingual

How it is used

Abbreviated SL. This route gives a fast effect and avoids first-pass metabolism in the liver. The classic example is glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) for angina, as a tablet or spray. Buccal is a similar route in which the tablet is held between the gum and the cheek.

Example sentences

  1. Put the sublingual tablet under your tongue and let it dissolve; don't swallow it.

  2. The sublingual route bypasses the liver on the first pass.

Common collocations

  • sublingual tablet
  • sublingual spray
  • sublingual route
  • given sublingually
  • first-pass metabolismThe breakdown of a swallowed drug in the gut wall and liver before it reaches the general circulation, which lowers the amount that can act in the body.
  • route of administrationThe way a medicine enters the body, for example by mouth, through the skin, by injection into a vein or muscle, or by breathing it in.
  • oralTaken by mouth and swallowed, so that the medicine is absorbed through the digestive system; the most common route for medicines.
  • absorptionThe movement of a drug from the place where it is given, such as the gut or the skin, into the bloodstream.

More terms: Routes of Administration

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.