Subcutaneously

Injection

Injection into the subcutaneous tissue is a route of administration used for drugs such as insulin: because it possesses few blood vessels, the tissue absorbs drugs slowly. Subcutaneous injection is believed to be the most effective manner to administer some drugs, such as human growth hormones. In addition, it is the common route for self-administration of biopharmaceuticals. Understanding the physiological, chemical and physical properties of subcutaneous tissue and the injection site can help optimize drug formulation, improve bioavailability and enhance drug delivery via the subcutaneous route. Just as the subcutaneous tissue can store fat, it can also provide good storage space for drugs that need to be released gradually because of limited blood flow. As the molecular size of the drug increases, drugs administered subcutaneously are more likely to be absorbed through the lymphatic system rather than directly through blood capillaries and the lymphatic uptake and transit is generally slower resulting prolonged systemic absorption. "Skin popping" is a slang term that includes this method of administration and is usually used in association with recreational drugs.