Which term describes the removal of a drug from the body?

• A. Pharmacokinetics
• B. Absorption
• C. Biotransformation
• D. Elimination

Answer: (D)

Elimination describes the removal of a drug from the body. It’s the final phase of drug disposition and involves both metabolism (biotransformation) and excretion, with the dominant routes being the kidneys (renal excretion) and the liver (biliary excretion), plus minor routes like breath or sweat for some drugs. Absorption is the process of moving the drug from its administration site into the bloodstream, not its removal. Biotransformation refers to metabolism, converting the drug into more water-soluble forms to be eliminated, rather than the act of elimination itself. Pharmacokinetics is the overall study of how a drug moves through the body, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination, but when we talk about removing the drug from the body, elimination is the precise term.