Lecture 4 - Drug Metabolism Flashcards
Why do drugs get metabolized?
The body needs a process to remove potentially harmful foreign chemicals (ex: drugs)
How can drugs be metabolized and which is the most important way?
- Liver (most important)
- Secretion into bile and elimination in feces
- Kidneys elimination in urine
- Lungs
- Intestinal gut flora
- Skin and other organs
What is first pass metabolism?
When a drug gets destroyed by the liver before entering the bloodstream
How can the intestinal gut flora metabolize drugs?
Bacteria can metabolize/biotransform drugs
Very hydrophilic drugs will usually get excreted ____
Unchanged
How are very hydrophilic drugs usually excreted?
By kidneys
Are lipophilic drugs usually metabolized?
Yes
What happens to lipophilic drugs when they enter the body?
They bind to proteins and distribute in fatty tissue and tend to persist in the body longer than hydrophilic drugs
Are lipophilic drugs excreted?
Not usually
What is the general goal of drug metabolism?
- Chemically modify lipophilic drugs to increase their water solubility so that the metabolized drug can be excreted
- Excretion!
What can metabolism do to drug activity and potency?
- Can eliminate or decrease drug activity
- Can alter drug activity
- Can increase or decrease drug potency
What is it called when a drug is designed to undergo metabolism in order for it to be fully active?
Pro-drugs
What are the steps of phase 1 of drug metabolism?
Drug -> modified drug -> excretion
What are the steps of phase 2 of drug metabolism?
Modified drug -> modified drug-conjugate -> excretion
Do it always go phase 1 and then phase 2 for drug metabolism?
No, drugs can be eliminated by:
- excreted unchanged
- phase 1 only
- phase 1 then phase 2
- phase 2 only
- phase 1, phase 2, and back to phase 1
What are examples of reactions that take place in phase 1 of drug metabolism?
- Hydroxylation
- Dealkylation
- Oxide formation
- Desulfuration
- Dehalogenation
- Alcohol oxidation
- Deamination
- Reduction
What is the most important phase 1 family of enzymes?
CYP enzymes
What do CYP enzymes require to function?
Electrons from NADPH and oxygen
Why do CYP enzymes need oxygen?
The oxygen is reduced while the drug is oxidized
How is the CYP enzyme family grouped?
By relatedness measured by amino acid similarity
How many CYP enzymes are in the body and where are they mainly found?
- At least 30
- Mainly found in liver
What are the 2 groups of CYP enzymes and what are their functions?
1) CYP 1-4 are generally drug metabolizing
2) CYP 11, 17, 19, and 21 are generally the steroidogenic enzymes (but also participate in drug metabolism)
What are the most abundant CYPs in the liver?
CYP3A3, 3A4, and 3A5
What are the most important CYPs for drug metabolism?
CYP3A3, 3A4, and 3A5
What takes place during generalized CYP reactions?
Oxidation reactions
The chain must be at least __ carbons for aliphatic hydroxylation to occur
2
What determines the rate of aliphatic hydroxylation?
Length of chain; longer chain = higher rate
What is aliphatic hydroxylation?
A hydroxyl group is added to the penultimate (2nd last) carbon of an aliphatic chain
What is important to note about aliphatic hydroxylation of aromatic compounds?
The carbon directly attached to the aromatic group is more likely to be hydroxylated
What determines the position of hydroxylation of an aromatic compound?
The R group and its position on the ring
What do ED R groups tend to do to aromatic hydroxylation?
Tend to increase hydroxylation and favour para-hydroxylation
What do EW R groups tend to do to aromatic hydroxylation?
Decrease hydroxylation
How can you eliminate aromatic hydroxylation?
Addition of EW substituents or halogens in the para position to the R group
What occurs in hydroxylation of fused aromatic ring systems?
Only 1 ring will be hydroxylated (typically the ring w/ no EW groups)
Are halogenated rings typically hydroxylated?
No