L20: Pharmacokinetics Flashcards
What is pharmacokinetics?
Right drug, right condition, right concentration
Maximise therapeutic benefit
Minimise risk of adverse events in patients
What happens to a drug in the body?
Drug in: -Absorption - Distribution Drug out (elimination): - Metabolism - Excretion
How can drugs get into the body?
OI! IT IS SIR! Oral Intravenous Intramuscular Transdermal Intranasal Subcutaneous Sublingual Inhalation Rectal
What is the difference between enteral and parenteral?
Enteral–> delivery into internal environment of body- GI tract (oral, sublingual, rectal)
Parenteral–> delivery via other routes- not the GI tract (intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular)
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the routes?
Oral–> ad- easy, safest; disad- limited absorption
Intravenous–> ad- immediate effects; disad- unsuitable for oily substances
Intramuscular–> ad- suitable for oily substances; disad- can be painful, affects lab tests
Transdermal–> ad- convenient and painless; disad- some patients allergic
Intranasal–>
Subcutaneous–> ad- suitable for slow release drugs; disad- pain or necrosis if drug is irritating
Sublingual–> ad- bypass destruction by stomach; disad- limited number of drugs
Inhalation–> ad- absorption is rapid; disad- most addictive (enters the brain quicker)
Rectal–> ad- bypass destruction by stomach acid; disad- irritate rectal mucosa, not well accepted route
How is the small intestine adapted for absorption?
6-7m in length
Internal diameter of 2.5cm
Epithelial villi and microvilli increase the surface area further (80-100 fold)
Dynamic environment–> chymes is mixed to increase digestion and contact with the epithelial surface for absorption
Transit time- 3-5 hours
pH is 6-7
What are the four methods of absorption into the vascular system?
Passive diffusion
Facilitated diffusion
Active transport
Pinocytosis
What are the four methods of absorption into the vascular system?
Passive diffusion
Facilitated diffusion
Active transport
Pinocytosis
What is passive diffusion?
Pass down concentration gradient through lipid bilayer
Small intestine highly vascularised
Maintains steep concentration gradient for diffusion
Anything that increases the blood flow (exercise, caffeine) increases the concentration gradient further
Which molecule are capable of passive diffusion?
Lipophilic drugs
Cross the lipid membrane
Small molecular weight <500D and weakly ionic
Which molecules are unable to use passive diffusion?
Ionised molecules
Weakly acidic or basic
Determined by the pKA or pKB of the acid or base (A- and AH or BH+ and B)
What is facilitated diffusion?
Passive process driven by electrochemical concentration gradients
Requires solute carrier transporters
What molecules are capable of facilitated diffusion?
Organic charged molecules up to 500Da
Low lipid solubility with net residual ionic charge
What are the solute carrier transporters (SCTs)?
Transdermal membrane proteins
Split into Organic Anion Transporters (OATs) and Organic Cation Transporters (OCTs)
Expressed throughout all body tissues
In GI, hepatic and renal tissue important for drug absorption and elimination
Give an example of a drug that is carried by an OAT and OCT?
OAT- methotrexate (cancer treatment)
OCT- metformin (diabetes)
OAT and OCT not designed to carry drugs but drugs with similar physicochemical structures ‘sneak past’
How does active transport work?
Uses ATP to move molecules against the concentration gradient
Transport of ionised drugs