Pharmacometabolomics is the study of how metabolites which is the small molecules produced during metabolism influence an individual’s response to drugs. It is a key part of precision medicine, complementing genomics and proteomics.
By analyzing metabolic profiles from biological samples such as blood, urine or tissue, scientists can predict how a patient will respond to a specific drug, optimize dosing and minimize adverse effects.
Applications:
- Cancer Treatment: Metabolic profiling helps identify patients most likely to respond to chemotherapy or targeted therapies.
- Cardiovascular Diseases: Predicts patient responses to medications such as statins and antihypertensives.
- Neurology: Helps in understanding how patients react to antidepressants, anti-epileptics and treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.
- Drug Development: Guides researchers in designing safer and more effective medications tailored to individual metabolic pathways.
Unlike genomics, which indicates potential outcomes, pharmacometabolomics shows how the body is actually responding in real time?
MBH/AB