Hello;

I'm wondering if somebody can direct me to a book or website
(preferabbly a website) that can provide a basic introduction to
understanding how the body metabolizes drugs (legal medications, that
is). By this, I mean I'm hoping to gain a foundation for understanding
how different drugs do different things (e.g. why tricyclics relieve
depression, how Levodopa is converted to dopamine and why it only
affects the brain, etc.)

Hi seancassell,

   You won?t find one site covering all types of drug metabolism.
However, I?ve collected many sites that should cover the basics for
you!


How Drugs Move Through the Body
================================

Follow the arrows to follow the entire pathway.
http://science.kennesaw.edu/~mhermes/pheno/pheno14.htm

http://www.medicalbooks.com/drugs-circulations.html

http://www.aegis.com/pubs/nmap/419-drug-interactions.html

http://www.med.unc.edu/wrkunits/2depts/pharm/receptor/lesson1.htm

http://wiz2.pharm.wayne.edu/module/acidbase.html

http://chemcases.com/pheno/pheno13.htm

This a cached page, and may be a bit hard to read, but it?s worthwhile.
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:2O8S4_u_VikJ:web.sau.edu/psychology/devolder/psyc540/lectures/~NN8%2520Pharmacology.ppt+drug+absorption+system&hl=en


Very nice slide show from the University of Michigan
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~grosania/lecture5_CLASSVERSION.pdf


Drug Receptors
==============
http://www.mirecc.org/science-articles/how-neurons-communicate-archive.shtml

http://www.rps.psu.edu/dec94/drugs.html


Pharmacokinetics
================
http://www.4um.com/tutorial/science/pharmak.htm

http://www.phc.vcu.edu/Research/drugmet.html

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/docs/18BB2049-D17D-4615-A974-B3E6DFEDA3D8.asp

I know you are not interested in illicit drugs, but this site has some
wonderful animations from PBS, portraying drug uptake by brain
receptor cells. It?s worth viewing and applies to other classes of
drugs as well.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/closetohome/science/html/animations.html

Pharmacodynamics
================
http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section22/chapter300/300b.jsp

http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section22/chapter300/300c.jsp

http://www.fleshandbones.com/readingroom/pdf/503.pdf

This page has numerous slide shows on different aspects of drug metabolism.
http://cdds.georgetown.edu/programs/guphm/ligand/


Drugs and the Liver
===================
http://www.aegis.com/pubs/atdn/1998/ATR02802.html

http://www.uky.edu/Pharmacy/ps/porter/CPR.htm

http://www.anaesthetist.com/physiol/basics/metabol/cyp/cyp.htm

http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section22/chapter298/298b.jsp


Pharmacogenetics
================
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/pharmacogenetics.jsp


Other Information
=================
http://health.howstuffworks.com/athletic-drug-test.htm

Absorption of Levodopa, halfway down the page
http://www.chwframe.staywellsolutionsonline.com/modules/goldstandard/monograph.asp?cpnum=2797&name=Carbidopa;%20Levodopa;%20Entacapone

http://www.mcmanweb.com/article-87.htm

http://www.preskorn.com/books/ssri_s4.html

How Cipro Works
http://health.howstuffworks.com/cipro.htm

Anti-arythmic drugs
http://www.pharmgkb.org/search/pathway/antiarrhythmic/antiarrhythmic.jsp


=====
Books
=====
http://www.bestwebbuys.com/Basic_&_Clinical_Pharmacology-ISBN_0071410929.html?isrc=b-search

http://www.intl.elsevierhealth.com/pharmacology/default.cfm

http://www.chipsbooks.com/oraldrug.htm

http://www.amda.com/library/bibliography/books-pharmacology.htm

Another  answer that may interest you:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=456677

I hope this explains what you wanted to know! If this is not the
information you were seeking, please request an Answer Clarification,
before rating. I will be happy to respond as soon as possible.

Sincerely, Crabcakes




Search Terms
drug receptor sites + metabolism
Cytochrome p450 System
Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacodynamics
Drug metabolism

Answered quickly; answer was clear, easy to understand, and helpful.

Thank you seancassell, for the rating. Glad you found the answer useful!