Advanced Drug Metabolism Flashcards
What is the primary site of metabolism?
Liver
What is activation in metabolism?
Activation refers to the process when a drug is metabolized to a metabolite that has greater pharmacological activity than the administered drug
Pro-drug –> drug
What is bioactivation in metabolism?
Metabolic activation of a drug to a toxic metabolite
Drug –> toxic metabolite
What is the primary Phase I enzyme class?
P450
Out of the P450 superfamily, CYP 3A4 is the most important in drug metabolism (50% of drugs can be metabolized by CYP 3A4)
What are some characteristics of P450 enzymes?
Responsible for the hydroxylation, oxidation, or reduction of structurally diverse drugs
High affinity, but low capacity. Can be easily saturated (higher risk for drug interaction)
Associated with smooth ER and active site lies within ER membrane (drug needs to cross membrane into ER to be metabolized by P450)
List the Phase II enzymes
- UDP-Glucuonosyl transferases (UGT)
- Sulfotransferases (ST)
- Glutathione transferases (GST)
- N-Acetyltransferases (NAT)
- Methyltransferases
- Amino Acid conjugases
What are the characteristics of UGT enzymes?
Mediate the conjugation of UDPGA to drug substrates
Found in the lumen of the ER
ex. UGT1A and UGT2B
What are the characteristics of ST enzymes?
Catalyze the conjugation of inorganic sulfate to drugs containing hydroxyl functional groups
Found in the cell cytosol
Overlap substrate specificities with UGT enzymes
What are the characteristics of GST enzymes?
Catalyze the conjugation of glutathione to reactive intermediates
What are the characteristics of NAT enzymes?
Mediate conjugation of acetyl moiety of Acetyl-CoA to NAT substrates
Show genetic polymorphisms (slow vs. rapid metabolizers)
What are some factors that can impact the efficiency of metabolizing enzymes on PK?
- Drug-drug interactions (competitive enzyme binding)
- Interpatient variablility in enzyme efficiency
- Effect of Disease
What are some type of enzyme-related drug interactions?
Two types of enzyme-related drug interactions
- Direct competitive inhibition
- Induction of enzyme and/or transporter
What is direct competitive inhibition?
Victim vs. perpetrator drug
-Acute decrease in metabolism/transport of drug (victim drug) by simultaneously present drug (prepetrator drug)
- This caused by competitive binding by the perpetrator drug
- Consequence: Reduction in victim drug elimination, and its accumulation in the body to potentially toxic concentrations
What is enzyme induction?
- Net increase in enzyme/transporter upon exposure to drug
- Consequence: Increased metabolism of Drug A, such that plasma concentrations may fall below therapeutic window
What causes differences in enzyme efficiency?
Differences in enzyme efficiency can be caused by genetic, physiological, and environmental factors
Individuals in the population have a varied ability to metabolize certain compounds due to allelic diversity
ex. genetic polymorphisms