Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics

* When a chemical -- a drug, a toxin, or an environmental chemical - is absorbed by the human body, it is processed in several stages before being excreted. Key to this is metabolism where the chemical is broken down via a variety of biochemical pathways. The rate at which these processes occur - the pharmacokinetics - varies by mechanism and chemical. The understanding of the nature and speed of these processes is key to the study of drug action and toxicology. Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics presents the story of a drug's route through the body as a seamless journey from intake to removal. The biology and the chemistry of the mechanisms of metabolism are explained and linked to pharmacokinetics, leading to a holistic understanding of the processes involved. Each chapter contains learning outcomes, problem solving exercises (with solutions), and references for further reading. Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics is an essential introduction linking the related concepts of metabolism and pharmacokinetics for students of pharmacy and pharmacology, pharmaceutical sciences, medicinal chemistry, toxicology, biochemistry and other health-care related subjects.