The following pharmacological definition has been taken from the Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Department Glossary at Boston University School of Medicine.

Cl, Clx:

Clearance – in volume/unit time – of a drug or chemical from a body fluid, usually plasma or blood, by specified route(s) and mechanism(s) of elimination, as indicated by a subscript, e.g., ClR, urinary clearance; ClH, hepatic clearance, etc. ClT, total clearance, indicates clearance by all routes and mechanisms of biotransformation and excretion, operating simultaneously. ClT = kel ยท Vd. Following intravenous administration, ClT = D/AUC; following administration of drug by any route other than the intravenous, ClT = F D/AUC.

The copyright of the text is held by Trustees of Boston University. Permission has been granted for its use in this blog.

Recommended pharmacokinetics reading

  • Pocket Guide: Pharmacokinetics Made Easy (2009)
  • Basic Clinical Pharmacokinetics (2009)
  • Concepts in Clinical Pharmacokinetics (2010)
  • Clinical Pharmacokinetics, 4th Edition (2008)
  • Are you a visual learner interested in learning psychopharmacology? Click here to get our videos