Enteric coating

Enteric coating (pronounced: en-ter-ic coa-ting) is a polymer barrier applied on oral medication that prevents its dissolution or disintegration in the gastric environment. This coating is often used to protect the drug from the acidity of the stomach, the stomach from the detrimental effects of the drug, and to release the drug after the stomach, usually in the intestine.

Etymology

The term "enteric" refers to the intestine, derived from the Greek word "enteron" meaning intestine, and "coating" refers to covering something with a layer.

Process

The process of enteric coating involves the application of a polymer substance such as cellulose acetate phthalate or polyvinyl acetate phthalate, onto the surface of a pharmaceutical dosage form. The coating is designed to hold up strong against the acid in the stomach, but breaks down quickly in the less acidic and slightly basic environment in the intestines.

Uses

Enteric coatings are used when the drug substance is to be protected from a strong gastric acid environment, when it can irritate the gastric mucosa, or when it can enhance drug absorption in the intestinal tract.

Related Terms

• Oral medication
• Polymer
• Pharmaceutical
• Gastric environment
• Intestine

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Enteric coating
• Wikipedia's article - Enteric coating

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

---

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski