Which term refers to the elimination of a drug from systemic circulation?

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

Answer: (D)

The main concept here is how drugs are cleared from the body. The term that describes the elimination of a drug from systemic circulation is elimination. It refers to the process that reduces the drug’s plasma concentration as it is removed from the body through metabolism and excretion. Metabolism (biotransformation) typically in the liver converts drugs into more water-soluble forms, aiding excretion by the kidneys or via bile. Excretion then removes the drug or its metabolites from the body. Absorption is the entry of the drug into the bloodstream, not its removal, and pharmacodynamics is about the drug’s effects on the body, not how it is cleared.