Bioavailability of Intranasal vs. Rectal Diazepam

Both intranasal formulations were well tolerated and exhibited relatively rapid, but variable, absorption with bioavailability of 70-90% relative to DZP rectal gel. This study shows that the development of a well-tolerated nasal formulation is possible and that the rate and extent of absorption approximates that of DZP rectal gel. We conclude that intranasal DZP offers a viable alternative to rectal administration, but enhancement of formulations is needed to improve the extent and consistency of absorption.