A history of the roles of cytochrome P450 enzymes in the toxicity of drugs.

ABSTRACT: The history of drug metabolism began in the 19th Century and developed slowly. In the mid-20th Century the relationship between drug metabolism and toxicity became appreciated, and the roles of cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes began to be defined in the 1960s. Today we understand much about the metabolism of drugs and many aspects of safety assessment in the context of a relatively small number of human P450s. P450s affect drug toxicity mainly by either reducing exposure to the parent molecule or, in some cases, by converting the drug into a toxic entity. Some of the factors involved are enzyme induction, enzyme inhibition (both reversible and irreversible), and pharmacogenetics. Issues related to drug toxicity include drug-drug interactions, drug-food interactions, and the roles of chemical

SUBMITTER: Guengerich FP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7431904 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature