drug metabolism
Last reviewed 01/2018
Drug metabolism may have the following effects:
- prodrugs activated:
- improved absorption
- improved distribution - L-dopa vs dopamine
- avoiding adverse effect in gut
- active drug converted to other active compounds:
- diamorphine to morphine
- diazepam to desmethyliazepam
- lignocaine to toxic metabolites
- procainamide to n-acetylprocainamide - less toxic
- active drugs inactivated:
- phase I - oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis,
- phase II - conjugation - sulphatation, glucuronidation, methylation etc.
- factors which may alter metabolism include:
- genetic
- drugs
- hepatic blood flow
- liver disease - must be severe, but shunting is powerful
- age - reduced metabolic capacity in young and elderly