drugs
Drug Absorption
Enteric coatings
If an orally administered drug harms the stomach lining or decomposes in the acidic environment of the stomach, a tablet or capsule of the drug can be coated with a substance intended to prevent it from dissolving until it reaches the small intestine. These protective coatings are described as enteric coatings. For these coatings to dissolve, they must come in contact with the less acidic environment of the small intestine or with the digestive enzymes there. However, the coatings do not always dissolve as intended. The tablet or capsule may be passed intact in the feces, especially in older people. 