DRUG METABOLISM

The termmetabolism, derived from the Greek language, simply means change or transformation. It relates to various processes within the body that convert food and other substances into energy and other metabolic byproducts used by the body. Drug metabolism is the body’s way of transforming drugs, so they can be excreted from the body. Many drugs arenot active until they have been metabolized in the body by enzymes that transform them. Most drugs are lipophilic, meaning they pass through membranes to reach their target site. Most drugs are treated by the body like foreign substances, also known as xenobiotics. Humans have evolved a complex system for xenobiotic metabolism.