Abstract
Drug excretion involves processes responsible of physically removing a drug from the body, either unchanged or in the form of biotransformation products. The main routes for drug excretion are the urine and the bile. Renal excretion plays an important role in eliminating unchanged drugs or their metabolites into urine. A major characteristic of compounds excreted in urine is that they are polar (e. g., ionized). Hydrophobic drugs require previous metabolism (phase I and/or phase II biotransformation reactions) to enhance their excretion by the kidneys. Drugs entering the hepatic circulation may also enter the bile and be excreted into the duodenum and small intestines. Depending on the chemical properties of the drug, it may then be reabsorbed from the small intestine and recirculate (enterohepatic recycling). Those drugs or drug metabolites that are not reabsorbed will pass through the large intestines and be excreted in the feces. In some cases, drugs will be also excreted through the lungs (volatile drugs or metabolites) and sweat. While they are not “intended” excretion routes, drugs might also be excreted through milk, tears, semen, hair, and saliva.
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The reader is advised to complement this chapter with Chap. 14 of this volume
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Talevi, A., Bellera, C.L. (2018). Drug Excretion. In: Talevi, A., Quiroga, P. (eds) ADME Processes in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99593-9_5
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