Which term describes the four-phase process of drug movement through the body?

• A. Absorption, Excretion, Distribution, Metabolism
• B. Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
• C. Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Elimination/excretion
• D. Absorption, Distribution, Elimination, Metabolism

Answer: (C)

The concept here is the pharmacokinetic sequence that describes how a drug moves through the body: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Elimination (Excretion). After a drug is administered, it must be absorbed into the bloodstream, then distributed to tissues, then metabolized mainly by the liver into more water-soluble forms, and finally eliminated from the body through the kidneys, liver (bile), lungs, or other routes. The last stage is often called elimination or excretion.

This option matches the standard flow: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Elimination/Excretion. The other sequences mix up the order (for example, putting excretion before metabolism or before distribution), which would not reflect how drugs are processed in the body.