Pharmacology is the study of how drugs act on living systems, including their biological effects, therapeutic uses, and interactions. A drug is any substance that alters physiological systems. Pharmacokinetics describes what the body does to a drug through absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, while pharmacodynamics describes what the drug does to the body through its mechanisms and effects. Drugs can be administered through various routes including oral, parenteral, topical, inhalational, and others. Proper drug nomenclature includes the chemical, generic, and trade names.