An enteric coating is a polymer barrier applied to oral medication that prevents its dissolution or disintegration in the gastric environment.
[4][5] The time required for an enteric-coated dosage form to reach the intestine mostly depends on the presence and type of food in the stomach.
[7][8][9] Enteric coated granules emptying rate is, however, less affected by the presence of food and present the more uniform release and reproducible transit time typical of the multiparticulates dispersion.
[clarification needed][3][8] By preventing the drug from dissolving into the stomach, enteric coating may protect gastric mucosa from the irritating effects of the medication itself.
Drugs that have an irritant effect on the stomach, such as aspirin or potassium chloride, can be coated with a substance that will dissolve only in the small intestine.
However, it has been shown that enteric coated aspirin may lead to incomplete inhibition of platelets,[10] potentially negating the intended effect for those being treated for vascular disease.