Which type of coating is specifically designed to release the drug after passing through the stomach?

Enteric coating is specifically designed to protect drugs from the acidic environment of the stomach and to ensure that the release occurs in the more neutral pH of the intestines. This type of coating is made from materials that remain intact in the stomach but dissolve in the higher pH found in the small intestine.

The primary purpose of enteric coatings is to enhance the bioavailability of certain medications that may be degraded or inactivated by the acidic gastric juices. Drugs that irritate the stomach lining may also benefit from this type of coating, as it prevents direct contact with the stomach wall.

In contrast, sugar coating typically enhances the taste and appearance of tablets rather than providing a protective function for drug release. Sustained release coatings are designed to release a drug over an extended period, not specifically after it passes through the stomach. Compression coating, while providing a protective layer, does not specially address the pH sensitivity relevant to the stomach/intestine transition that enteric coatings do. This specificity for intestinal release makes enteric coating the correct answer for drugs that need to bypass the stomach environment before being released.