adme is an abbreviation in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology for "absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion," and describes the disposition of a pharmaceutical compound within an organism. the four criteria all influence the drug levels and kinetics of drug exposure to the tissues and hence influence the performance and pharmacological activity of the compound as a drug. the abbreviation ladme is seen sometimes -- the l stands for "liberation" and deals with details of the route of administration such as what a tablet will do at a given gastric ph level, the creation of extended-release injectables for im or sc use and the like.inside narcotics, 6th edition (2014) pp 467 "glossary" == components == === absorption/administration === for a compound to reach a tissue, it usually must be taken into the bloodstream - often via mucous surfaces like the digestive tract (intestinal absorption) - before being taken up by the target cells. factors such as poor compound solubility, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, chemical instability in the stomach, and inability to permeate the intestinal wall can all reduce the extent to which a drug is absorbed after oral administration. absorption critically determines the compound's bioavailability. drugs that absorb poorly when taken orally must be administered in some less desirable way, like intravenously or by inhalation (e.g. zanamivir). routes of administration is an important consideration === distribution === the compound needs to be carried to its effector site, most often via the bloodstream. from there, the compound may distribute into muscle and organs, usually to differing extents. after entry into the systemic circulation, either by intravascular injection or by absorption from any of the various extracellular sites, the drug is subjected to numerous distribution processes that tend to lower its plasma concentration. distribution is defined as the reversible transfer of a drug between one  compartment to another. some factors affecting drug distribution include regional blood flow rates, molecular size, polarity and binding to serum proteins, forming a complex. distribution can be a serious problem at some natural barriers like the bloodâbrain barrier. === metabolism === compounds begin to break down as soon as they enter the body. the majority of small-molecule drug metabolism is carried out in the liver by redox enzymes, termed cytochrome p450 enzymes. as metabolism occurs, the initial (parent) compound is converted to new compounds called metabolites. when metabolites are pharmacologically inert, metabolism deactivates the administered dose of parent drug and this usually reduce
Medicinal_chemistry Pharmacokinetics