Patent ID: 8236285

Claim:
A method of administering zolpidem to a mammal to provide transmucosal absorption of a pharmacologically effective amount of zolpidem through the oral mucosa of the mammal to the systemic circulatory system of the mammal, comprising: spraying the oral mucosa of the mammal with a buccal spray composition comprising in weight percent of the composition: zolpidem or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in an amount of between 0.1 and 25 percent by weight of the total composition; a polar solvent in an amount between 10 and 97 percent by weight of the total composition; and a propellant in an amount between 2 and 10 percent by weight of the total composition, wherein said propellant is a C 3 to C 8 hydrocarbon of linear or branched configuration; and wherein said spraying the oral mucosa results in transmucosal absorption of a pharmacologically effective amount of zolpidem through the oral mucosa to the systemic circulatory system of said mammal.