One of the factors that influence pharmacokinetic properties of drug distribution is protein binding. Medications that enter the body interact with tissue and plasma proteins. These interactions determine how the drug product will be distributed. Protein binding can be classified as irreversible and reversible. There are also varying degrees and percentages to which medications can be bound. Irreversible protein binding occurs when the drug and protein molecule bind tightly via covalent bonds. Reversible protein binding, the more common of the two, occurs via weaker hydrogen bonding or Van der Waals forces.
Protein binding is of great importance in pharmacokinetics and drug dosing due to the fact that protein bound drug is therapeutically unavailable for its intended action. It is only the unbound portion of the drug that is pharmacologically active. Thus, medications that are highly protein bound have a lower free fraction; the inverse relationship exists for minimally protein bound drugs.
No comments:
Post a Comment