Analysis of the mechanisms of the drug-drug interaction from a view of pharmacogenomics]

A wide variety of transporters and enzymes are involved in the disposition and metabolism of therapeutic drugs. Any compounds interacting with these proteins may inhibit uptake, efflux and/or metabolism of drugs and therefore alter the bioavailability and/or clearance of them. Progress in pharmacogenomics throws light on the clarification of mechanisms on drug-drug interaction. Various mutation and polymorphisms in drug transporters and metabolic enzymes were identified and some of which alter function of the proteins. The steroid and xenobiotic receptor, SXR, coordinately regulated CYP3A4, a major drug metabolizing enzyme and P-glycoprotein, a broad-specificity efflux pump. Now we are in the face of new period of study on drug interaction. With the help of pharmacogenomics, it might be possible to someday predict, avoid or manipulate potential cause of drug-drug interactions.