The most general term for the process by which the amount of active drug in the body is reduced after absorption into the systemic circulation is:

* If the amount of active drug reduces in the body before it enters the systemic circulation, it is called first pass metabolism, whereas if the amount of active drug reduces in body after it enters systemic circulation, it is called elimination. *Elimination is the term used for termination of action of a drug. * It is a broader term that includes both metabolism as well as excretion.