Abstract
The vagina is an important area of the reproductive tract. The vaginal route of administration of drugs may be a viable alternative to oral theraphy. But the vaginal preparations on the market are exclusively restricted to those are topically effective. Most of agents in vaginal preparations act directory on the vaginal membrane. Vaginal absorption is characterized by the avoidance of hepatic first pass effect, prolonged retention of the blood level and the variation throughout the reproductive cycle. In this minireview, the vaginal absorption of several drugs with low molecular weight is introduced from the standpoint of chemical structure, first pass effect and transport process. In addition, we discuss the vaginal absorption of prasterone sulfate(PS)in rats. PS is almost completely absorbed from the vagina. PS may be transported through vaginal membranes by both paracellular route and carriermediated process.
