What would be the distribution of a non-absorbed drug?

What would be the distribution of a non-absorbed drug?

• A. Distribution to tissues occurs rapidly
• B. Distribution limited to plasma
• C. No distribution; drug remains in GI tract and is excreted in feces
• D. Distribution to brain only

Answer: (C)

Non-absorption means the drug never enters the systemic circulation, so it doesn’t distribute to tissues or organs. After oral administration, its “distribution” is confined to the site of administration—in the GI tract—and it is excreted in feces. The other patterns imply drug in the bloodstream or crossing into the brain, which would require absorption into circulation, so they don’t apply to a non-absorbed compound. Some drugs act locally in the GI tract and are eliminated unchanged this way, spelling out why the correct description is remaining in the GI tract and exiting in feces.

Non-absorption means the drug never enters the systemic circulation, so it doesn’t distribute to tissues or organs. After oral administration, its “distribution” is confined to the site of administration—in the GI tract—and it is excreted in feces. The other patterns imply drug in the bloodstream or crossing into the brain, which would require absorption into circulation, so they don’t apply to a non-absorbed compound. Some drugs act locally in the GI tract and are eliminated unchanged this way, spelling out why the correct description is remaining in the GI tract and exiting in feces.