Which route refers to medication placed under the tongue to dissolve?

• A. Translingual
• B. Sublingual
• C. Transbuccal
• D. Transmucosal

Answer: (B)

Sublingual administration uses placement of the medication under the tongue, where the mucosa is thin and highly vascular. The drug dissolves there and is absorbed directly into the systemic circulation through those vessels, providing a rapid onset and bypassing the stomach and the liver’s first-pass metabolism. That fast, efficient absorption is the hallmark of the sublingual route.

Other terms describe different mouth-area routes but don’t specify placement under the tongue. Translingual involves the tongue itself (often along the surface), transbuccal uses the cheek mucosa, and transmucosal is a broad category for mucous-membrane absorption in general.