Rectal absorption of oxcarbazepine

Physicians regularly challenge the hospital pharmacy departments to find al ternative routes for the administration of drugs, which can't be withhold, e.g. anti-epileptic drugs. In our hospital we were confronted with the ques tion whether it was possible to administer oxcarbazepine rectally. In the p resent report data on the absorption of rectally administered oxcarbazepine is presented. No therapeutic bloodlevels were attained after rectal administration. Admin istration via the oral route, however, gave within the same period of time a therapeutic bloodlevel. It is concluded that the absorption after rectal administration of oxcarbazepine at least in this dose and frequency used is too low to justify application in practice.