Identification of Human Cytochrome P450 Isoforms Involved in the Metabolism of Therapeutic Agents: Significance in Clinical Pharmacology and Drug Development.

Abstract

By the recent advance in the study of human cytochrome P450, the information on the role of individual isoform of human cytochrome P450 in the metabolism of therapeutic agents, has been accumulated. Consequently, even for a drug under development, it becomes possible to predict drug-drug interactions and whether genetics, aging, gender, and environmental factors may influence the metabolism of the drug or not, by determining which isoform of human cytochrome P450 is mainly responsible for the metabolism of the drug. This article reviews the characters of individual form of human cytochrome P450s, in vitro and in vivo methods to determine human P450 isoforms, and the significance of the human cytochrome P450 identification in the area of clinical pharmacology and new drug development.