In commemoration of its 50th Anniversary, the journal Drug Metabolism and Disposition (DMD) has published a second installment of its special section titled “Perspective on Drug Metabolism and Disposition.” Part II features four articles contributed by DMD associate editors on significant subjects, including:
- “How CryoEM Has Expanded Our Understanding of Membrane Transporters,” contributed by Dr. John D. Schuetz and his colleagues from St. Jude Children’s Hospital, discusses recent studies on the structure and function of transporters using cryogenic electron microscopy.
- “Translating Kratom-Drug Interactions: From Bedside to Bench and Back,” authored by Dr. Mary F. Paine and her colleagues from Washington State University, overviews the legal status, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and potential drug interactions of kratom. This review article highlights the probability of inhibiting CYP2D6, CYP3A, and P-gp protein by kratom to alter the pharmacokinetics of co-administrated drugs in potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs).
- Authored by Dr. Robert S. Foti from Merck & Co., Inc, a review article entitled “Cytochrome P450 and Other Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes as Therapeutic Targets” highlights recent research to characterize these enzymes as therapeutic targets. The article discusses successful examples of marketed drugs targeting these enzymes and their impact on clinical outcomes.
- Dr. Yurong Lai from Gilead Sciences Inc., contributed “The Role of Coproporphyrins as Endogenous Biomarkers for Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide 1B Inhibition – Progress from 2016 to 2023.” It provides a historical overview of the development of coproporphyrins I and III as biomarkers of inhibition of OATP1B in humans.
Together with five articles in Part I, this special section provides perspectives on drug metabolism and disposition. All content in “Perspectives on Drug Metabolism and Disposition, Part II” published in DMD’s August 2023 issue (51/8), is freely accessible through February 28, 2024.