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Chapter 7: Problem 4

When might it be a disadvantage to inhibit a drugdestroying enzyme?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Inhibiting drug-destroying enzymes can cause increased drug toxicity, prolonged drug effects, and unexpected drug interactions due to higher and prolonged concentrations of the drug in the body.

Step by step solution

01

Consider the Role of Drug-Destroying Enzymes

Think about the primary functions of drug-destroying enzymes in the body. These enzymes are responsible for metabolizing drugs, which means breaking them down so that they can be removed from the body. This process is crucial for controlling the drug level in the body to ensure its effectiveness and minimize toxicity.
02

Understand the Effects of Inhibiting These Enzymes

Inhibiting these enzymes means that drugs won't be metabolized and eliminated as quickly as they should be. This can lead to higher levels of the drug in the body than intended. When drug levels rise above what is considered safe, it can result in toxic effects.
03

Understand Potential Disadvantages of Inhibition

Potential disadvantages of inhibiting drug-destroying enzymes are: 1. Increased drug toxicity because of higher drug concentrations in the body 2. Prolonged effect of the drug, which may lead to unwanted side effects 3. Unexpected drug interactions if the patient is taking multiple medications.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Resistance to your new potent antibacterial drug (1) was shown to be the result of a single-point genetic mutation in the target enzyme such that an important active site lysine residue was mutated to an aspartate residue. Suggest a simple way to proceed toward the design of a new antibacterial drug against the resistant strain.

Augmentin is a medicine that combines amoxicillin, a \(\beta\)-lactam antibiotic, with clavulanate, a \(\beta\)-lactamase inhibitor. Why is it important that the two compounds have similar pharmacokinetics (e.g., oral bioavailability and plasma half-life) in humans?

One mechanism of drug resistance is that the organism has a genetically altered enzyme. How does this lead to drug resistance?

If drug resistance to an antibacterial compound arises from expression of a new enzyme in the resistant organism that destroys the drug, what three approaches could you take to combat the resistance?
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