Which term describes a formulation that protects a medication from being released too early in the digestive system?

The term that describes a formulation specifically designed to protect a medication from being released too early in the digestive system is "enteric coated." This type of coating is strategically applied to tablets or capsules to prevent them from dissolving in the acidic environment of the stomach. Instead, the enteric coating allows the medication to pass through the stomach intact and only dissolve once it reaches the higher pH environment of the small intestine. This method is particularly advantageous for drugs that can be irritative to the stomach lining or that require a specific absorption location to be effective.

In contrast, controlled release and time release refer to formulations designed to release the medication gradually over an extended period but do not necessarily protect it from early release in the stomach. Effervescent formulations involve the release of gas in a solution and might not provide any buffering against stomach acid release either. Therefore, enteric coated is the most precise and appropriate term for this specific function of protecting medication from premature release.