Editing Route of administration (section)

===Topical route===
{{Main|Topical drug delivery}}
The definition of the topical route of administration sometimes states that both the application location and the [[pharmacodynamic]] effect thereof is local.<ref name="mw-topical"/>

In other cases, ''topical'' is defined as applied to a localized area of the body or to the surface of a body part regardless of the location of the effect.<ref name=freedict-topical/><ref name=dict-topical/> By this definition, [[topical administration]] also includes [[transdermal]] application, where the substance is administered onto the skin but is [[absorption (skin)|absorbed]] into the body to attain [[systemic administration|systemic]] distribution.

If defined strictly as having local effect, the topical route of administration can also include [[enteral administration]] of medications that are poorly absorbable by the [[gastrointestinal tract]]. One such medication is the antibiotic [[vancomycin]], which cannot be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and is used orally only as a treatment for [[Clostridioides difficile colitis|''Clostridioides difficile'' colitis]].<ref name=AHFS2015>{{cite web|title=Vancocin|url=https://www.drugs.com/monograph/vancocin.html|publisher=The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists|access-date=Sep 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906002445/http://www.drugs.com/monograph/vancocin.html|archive-date=September 6, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>