BIOL 1550 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Active Metabolite, Prodrug, Cytochrome P450
Document Summary
Enzymatic alteration of drug molecule goal = to increase polarity (charge) or size commonly called metabolism (of drugs) Metabolism in order to enhance excretion of drug. Enzyme is a protein that makes a process happen more quickly by binding to a drug and changing it: product = metabolite. Main organ liver (liver function is very important, associate with drug metabolism: good hepatic function. Secondary organs: kidney, gi, lung, skin. Usually carried out by enzymes: drug metabolizing enzyme (dme) One dme = one specific reaction (one specific enzyme carries out one specific reaction: based on chemical structure of drug role of enzymes, protect body against foreign compounds. Make drugs more likely to be excreted role of dmes: change drug to increase excretion. Make drug large and/or charged to increase removal from body. Variety of different dme systems: most common = hepatic microsomal enzyme system, cytochrome p450 system. Cyp family: 12 related families of dmes.
