Editing Suppository (section)

{{Short description|Dosage form used to deliver medications}}
{{Context|date=November 2021}}
A '''suppository''' is a [[dosage form]] used to deliver [[pharmaceutical drug|medications]] by insertion into a [[body orifice]] (any opening in the body), where it dissolves or melts to exert local or systemic effects. There are three types of suppositories, each to insert into a different sections: rectal suppositories into the [[rectal administration|rectum]], vaginal suppositories into the [[Intravaginal administration|vagina]], and urethral suppositories into the [[Urethra#Male|urethra of a male]].

Suppositories are ideal for infants, elderly individuals and post-operative patients, who are unable to swallow oral medications, and for individuals experiencing severe nausea and/or vomiting.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Jannin|first1=Vincent|last2=Lemagnen|first2=Gilles|last3=Gueroult|first3=Pascale|last4=Larrouture|first4=Denis|last5=Tuleu|first5=Catherine|date=2014-06-30|title=Rectal route in the 21st Century to treat children|journal=Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews|series=Drug delivery and the paediatric population: where are we at?|language=en|volume=73|pages=34–49|doi=10.1016/j.addr.2014.05.012|pmid=24871671|issn=0169-409X|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Dulcolax 5 mg Suppositories - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc)|url=https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5505/smpc|access-date=2021-12-11|website=www.medicines.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Lowry|first=Michael|date=2016-02-22|title=Rectal drug administration in adults: how, when, why|url=https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/neurology/rectal-drug-administration-in-adults-how-when-why-22-02-2016/|magazine=Nursing Times|language=en|access-date=2022-04-10|volume=112|number=8, 12–14}}</ref> Suppositories are administered through rectal route to reduce onset time of reaction.