Pharmacology 2060A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Biotransformation, Bilirubin, Morphine
20 Apr 2021
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Document Summary
Metabolism is the enzyme mediated alteration of a drug"s structure: during drug metabolism, enzymes alter drugs structure in out body. Metabolism is also referred to as biotransformation. Sites of drug metabolism include: liver, intestines stomach, kidney, intestinal bacteria. Drug metabolism is important in humans to protect us from a number of environmental toxins as well as synthesize essential endogenous molecules. A summary of common exogenous toxins that drug metabolism protects us from are summarized below. Similarly, essential endogenous molecules synthesized by drug metabolizing enzymes are shown. Note that even things like vegetables considered to be healthy would by toxic if we didn"t have enzymes to process them! Endogenous processes are: vitamin d synthesis, bile acid synthesis, cholesterol metabolism, steroid hormones, bilirubin. Drug metabolism can have several di erent consequences. Therapeutic consequences of drug metabolism are summarized below: In most clinical situations the concentration of drug is much lower than the metabolic capacity of the body.
