Which statement about absorption is NOT true, given the design of drugs for systemic versus local activity and extended-release products?

• A. I, II, III
• B. I, II
• C. III only
• D. None of the above - All statements are correct

Answer: (D)

Absorption is about how a drug moves from where it’s given into the body and reaches the site where it can produce its effect, whether that's the bloodstream for systemic action or the local tissue for local action. When drugs are designed for systemic activity, the goal is to achieve enough absorption so that therapeutic levels are reached in the plasma. For drugs intended for local action, you often want to limit absorption so the drug stays where it’s needed and minimizes systemic exposure. Extended-release designs focus on regulating how fast the drug is released and absorbed, so the effect lasts longer and peaks are smoothed out rather than abrupt.

In this context, statements about absorption tend to align with these design goals: absorption considerations are adjusted to either promote systemic levels, limit systemic uptake for local action, or slow and extend absorption in extended-release products. Because of that, all these aspects described about how absorption works in systemic versus local action and extended-release formulations can be true. Therefore, the choice that all statements are correct fits best, since there isn’t a false claim about absorption within this design framework.