Answer:
stomach acid , enzymes
Explanation:
Oral dosage medications, such as tablets and capsules are the most convenient way of administering a drug to patients. They are economical and the patient can use them without supervision. However, oral medications also have several disadvantages.
- In emergency cases especially when the patient is unconscious, oral medications are not preferred because of slow absorption as compared to intravenous medication.
- Stomach acid and digestive enzymes can degrade the drug in the stomach or small intestine, lowering or completely diminishing its activity.
- Stomach acids (low pH) can easily dissociate the components of the drug. Therefore, drugs such as salicylic acid, aspirin, thiopental, secobarbital and antipyrine are administered through oral route because they can survive highly acidic pH.
- Depending upon the type of functional groups present in the drug, oral drugs are susceptible to degradation by enzymes.
- Resistance to enzymes and fluctuating pH levels are crucial predictors of drug stability.
