Editing Route of administration (section)

{{short description|Path by which a drug, fluid, poison, or other substance is taken into the body}}
[[File:120310-F-XC314-001 (6979611329).jpg|thumb|Oral administration of a liquid.]]
In [[pharmacology]] and [[toxicology]], a '''route of administration''' is the way by which a [[medication|drug]], fluid, poison, or other substance is taken into the body.<ref>[http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/route+of+administration TheFreeDictionary.com > route of administration] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612045450/http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/route+of+administration |date=2011-06-12 }} Citing: Jonas: Mosby's Dictionary of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2005, Elsevier.</ref>

Routes of administration are generally classified by the  location at which the substance is applied.  Common examples include [[oral administration|oral]] and [[intravenous therapy|intravenous]] administration. Routes can also be classified based on where the target of action is.  Action may be [[topical medication|topical]] (local), [[enteral administration|enteral]] (system-wide effect, but delivered through the [[gastrointestinal tract]]), or [[#Parenteral|parenteral]] (systemic action, but is delivered by routes other than the GI tract). Route of administration and [[dosage form]] are aspects of [[drug delivery]].