What does the abbreviation b.p.c. stand for in medical terms?

The abbreviation b.p.c. stands for "before meals." This term is commonly used in medical prescriptions and dietary recommendations to indicate that a medication or treatment should be administered prior to the patient eating. The timing is important because the presence of food in the stomach can affect the absorption and effectiveness of certain medications, making it crucial for healthcare providers to specify that they should be taken on an empty stomach for optimal results.

In contrast, the other options pertain to different times of medication administration relative to meals, but they do not convey the same meaning as b.p.c. "At bedtime," "after meals," and "during meals" each refer to specific times when a medication might be taken, but none of them indicates that the medication should be consumed prior to eating, which is precisely what b.p.c. signifies.