Parenteral products are pharmaceutical formulations intended for administration through routes other than the digestive tract, primarily through injection. These include intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), subcutaneous (SC), and intradermal (ID) routes. Parenteral products are classified based on their formulation and purpose:


  1. Solutions:

    • Application: Immediate systemic effect, fluid and electrolyte balance, nutritional support.
    • Examples:
      • Saline Solution (0.9% Sodium Chloride): Used for rehydration and as a vehicle for other medications.
      • Dextrose Solution (5% Dextrose in Water): Used for providing calories and hydration.

  2. Suspensions:

    • Application: Prolonged drug action, depot therapy.
    • Examples:
      • Depo-Provera (Medroxyprogesterone acetate): A long-acting contraceptive.
      • Kenalog (Triamcinolone acetonide): Used for anti-inflammatory purposes.

  3. Emulsions:

    • Application: Parenteral nutrition, delivery of fat-soluble drugs.
    • Examples:
      • Intralipid: An intravenous fat emulsion used for parenteral nutrition.
      • Propofol: An anesthetic agent used for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia.

  4. Powders for Reconstitution:

    • Application: Long-term stability, on-demand preparation.
    • Examples:
      • Ceftriaxone: An antibiotic reconstituted with sterile water before injection.
      • Vancomycin: An antibiotic used for serious infections, requiring reconstitution before use.

  5. Gels:

    • Application: Localized, prolonged action, and depot formulations.
    • Examples:
      • Liposomal Doxorubicin Gel: Used in the treatment of cancers with localized delivery.
      • Lidocaine Hydrochloride Gel: Used for local anesthesia.

  6. Implants:

    • Application: Long-term drug release.
    • Examples:
      • Nexplanon (Etonogestrel Implant): A contraceptive implant providing long-term hormone release.
      • Gliadel Wafer (Carmustine): Implanted in the brain to deliver chemotherapy directly to the tumor site.

  7. Liposomal Formulations:

    • Application: Enhanced drug delivery, reduced toxicity.
    • Examples:
      • Doxil (Liposomal Doxorubicin): Used in cancer therapy.
      • AmBisome (Liposomal Amphotericin B): Used for severe fungal infections.

  8. Depot Injections:

    • Application: Prolonged release, compliance improvement.
    • Examples:
      • Risperdal Consta (Risperidone Microspheres): Used for the treatment of schizophrenia.
      • Lupron Depot (Leuprolide Acetate): Used for the treatment of prostate cancer and endometriosis.

Parenteral products are critical in clinical settings for delivering medications that require rapid onset, precise control of dosage, and avoiding first-pass metabolism by the liver. Their applications span a wide range of therapeutic areas including hydration, anesthesia, pain management, infection control, cancer therapy, and hormonal treatments.