Although many sites of metabolism and excretion exist, the chief organ of metabolism is the liver, while the organ primarily tasked with excretion is the kidney. Any significant dysfunction in either organ can result in the accumulation of the drug or its metabolites in toxic concentrations.
What is the main organ for drug metabolism?
The major organ for drug biotransformation is the liver. The metabolic products often are less active than the parent drug or inactive. However, some biotransformation products (metabolites) may have enhanced activity or toxic effects.
What are the two most important organs for drug metabolism?
The primary organ responsible for drug metabolism is the liver, although the kidney, intestine, lung, adrenals, blood (phosphatases, esterases), and skin can also biotransform certain compounds.
What is the metabolism of drugs called?
The study of drug metabolism is called pharmacokinetics. The metabolism of pharmaceutical drugs is an important aspect of pharmacology and medicine. For example, the rate of metabolism determines the duration and intensity of a drug’s pharmacologic action.
What is the role of the liver in drug metabolism?
Most drugs must pass through the liver, which is the primary site for drug metabolism. Once in the liver, enzymes convert prodrugs to active metabolites or convert active drugs to inactive forms. … If the substances increase the ability of the enzymes to break down a drug, then that drug’s effects are decreased.
How is drug metabolized in body?
Drugs can be metabolized by oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, hydration, conjugation, condensation, or isomerization; whatever the process, the goal is to make the drug easier to excrete. The enzymes involved in metabolism are present in many tissues but generally are more concentrated in the liver.
In which organ does most of the metabolism and detoxification of drugs take place?
Although many sites of metabolism and excretion exist, the chief organ of metabolism is the liver, while the organ primarily tasked with excretion is the kidney. Any significant dysfunction in either organ can result in the accumulation of the drug or its metabolites in toxic concentrations.
What is the importance of drug metabolism?
Metabolism by the host organism is one of the most important determinants of the pharmacokinetic profile of a drug. High metabolic lability usually leads to poor bioavailability and high clearance. Formation of active or toxic metabolites will have an impact on the pharmacological and toxicological outcomes.
What is drug metabolism in pharmacology?
Drug metabolism is the term used to describe the biotransformation of pharmaceutical substances in the body so that they can be eliminated more easily. The majority of metabolic processes that involve drugs occur in the liver, as the enzymes that facilitate the reactions are concentrated there.
What drugs are metabolized in the kidney?
Drugs such as morphine, paracetamol, and p-aminobenzoic acid are metabolized in the kidney and experimental renal disease has been shown to reduce drug metabolism in the diseased kidney compared with the contralateral normal kidney.
What are metabolites in the body?
Listen to pronunciation. (meh-TA-boh-lite) A substance made or used when the body breaks down food, drugs or chemicals, or its own tissue (for example, fat or muscle tissue). This process, called metabolism, makes energy and the materials needed for growth, reproduction, and maintaining health.
What are the two phases of drug metabolism?
Metabolism is often divided into two phases of biochemical reaction – phase 1 and phase 2. Some drugs may undergo just phase 1 or just phase 2 metabolism, but more often, the drug will undergo phase 1 and then phase 2 sequentially.
What do the kidneys do to a drug?
The kidneys and the bladder work together to stabilize the amount of electrolytes in the blood and prevent fluid and waste buildup in the system. Thus, the majority of the drugs that individuals take are eventually excreted through this process.
Where does drug metabolism occur in the liver?
Enzymes located in the endoplasmic reticulum of liver cells protect the organism against an accumulation of lipid-soluble exogenous and endogenous compounds by converting them to water-soluble metabolites which can be easily excreted by the kidney.
What are the four main drug actions?
Absorption: Describes how the drug moves from the site of administration to the site of action. Distribution: Describes the journey of the drug through the bloodstream to various tissues of the body. Metabolism: Describes the process that breaks down the drug. Excretion: Describes the removal of the drug from the body.