Hepatic safety and possible hepatotoxic action of the metabolites of some pharmaceutical drugs

Abstract

Liver is the principle organ for maintaining the body's internal environment. There is currently no way to reimburse for the absence of liver function. Its major influence is on the flow of nutrients and controls the metabolism of carbohydrate, protein and fats. Drugs are an important cause of liver injury. More than 900 drugs, toxins, and herbs have been reported to cause liver injury. Certain medicinal agents, when taken in overdoses and sometimes even when introduced within therapeutic ranges, may injure the organ. Various types of drug induced liver diseases are acute-dose dependent liver damage, acute fatty infiltration, cholestatic jaundice, liver granulomas, active chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver tumors etc. The ability to accurately predict the toxicity of drug candidates and their metabolites from their chemical structure is critical for guiding experimental drug discovery toward safer medicines. Considering the importance of drug induced hepatotoxicity as a major cause of liver damage, this article throws light on hepatic safety and possible hepatotoxic action of the metabolites of some pharmaceutical drugs by using in silico modelling. Scripta Scientifica Medica 2013; 45(2): 48-54.