The basics of pharmacology- pharmacokinetics

Basics of Pharmacology:
Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacokinetics describes how the body affects a
specific chemical after administration through the
mechanisms of absorption, distribution, metabolism
and excretion.
Absorption- How will the drug get into the body?
Distribution- where will it go?
Metabolism- How is it broken down? How will the
body change the substance and its effects?
Excretion- how does it leave the body?
To perform its action, a drug needs to be in the
right place, at the right concentration and at the
right time.


Absorption
Administration routes
Oral- mouth, GI tract
Aural- into the ears

, Sublingual- under the tongue
Buccal- oral mucosa
Intra-ocular- eyes
Topical- skin
Rectal- via the rectum
Vaginal- via the vagina
Inhalation- nasal passages or lungs
Intravenous- directly into the venous blood
Intramuscular- into the muscles
Subcutaneous- into the blood from skin layers
Epidural- into the epidural space in the spine
Intrathecal- directly into the cerebrospinal fluid


Factors affecting oral drug absorption
• Presence of food
• Formulation of the drug
• Medical conditions
• Drug interactions