International Journal of Clinical Case Reports 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 55-62 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/ijccr 56 metabolic pathways of drugs, researchers can lower the potential for adverse reactions, improve therapeutic outcomes, and thereby create more competitive drugs. This not only contributes to enhancing the patient's treatment experience but also drives progress in the field of medicine. This study aims to investigate how drug-metabolizing enzyme gene polymorphism affects drug responses and explore its potential applications in personalized medicine. By presenting some clinical case studies demonstrating the impact of genetic polymorphism on actual treatments, we hope to contribute to the advancement of the medical field, ultimately providing patients with safer and more effective treatment options. 1 Drug-Metabolizing Enzyme Gene Polymorphism 1.1 Role of drug-metabolizing enzymes Drug-metabolizing enzymes constitute a specific class of proteins that play a crucial role in the human body. Their primary function is to convert exogenous compounds, particularly drugs, into metabolites that are more easily excreted. This intricate biochemical process occurs in various organs, including the liver, small intestine, kidneys, and lungs. Drug-metabolizing enzymes have a direct impact on the efficacy, toxicity, and duration of drugs within the body (Pe et al., 2020). Due to genetic and phenotypic differences among individuals, the activity and efficiency of drug-metabolizing enzymes may vary. These individual variances are one of the reasons why people may respond differently to the same drug. Therefore, understanding the function of drug-metabolizing enzymes and individual differences is crucial for the rational use of drugs, minimizing adverse reactions, and formulating personalized treatment plans. Drug-metabolizing enzymes initially break down drugs into simpler molecules, typically metabolites, through a series of biochemical reactions. This helps to reduce the concentration of drugs in the body and maintain the duration of drugs within the effective range of treatment. Drug-metabolizing enzymes also have the ability to convert certain drugs into their active forms, contributing to therapeutic effects. This implies that some drugs may not possess inherent activity but need to be metabolized into active metabolites within the body to exert therapeutic efficacy. On the other hand, drug-metabolizing enzymes also have the capability to convert drugs or their metabolites into harmless or low-toxicity substances, reducing their harmful impact on the body. This contributes to lowering the overall toxicity of drugs. Enzymes not only break down drugs but also further metabolize the resulting products in preparation for excretion. This is a crucial step in ensuring that metabolites do not accumulate in the body, preventing potential toxicity. Drug-metabolizing enzymes also play a significant role in drug interactions. Some drugs can influence the activity of these enzymes, subsequently affecting the metabolic rate of other drugs and potentially leading to drug interactions. 1.2 Definition of genetic polymorphism Genetic polymorphism, as a crucial concept in the field of genetics, describes the phenomenon of having multiple different alleles at a specific gene locus within human or other biological populations. These diverse alleles represent variants of DNA sequences at a particular gene locus, and they can result in genetic variations among individuals. Genetic polymorphism is a significant manifestation of biological diversity, playing a critical role in natural selection and evolution. The key feature of genetic polymorphism lies in the fact that a specific gene locus can possess two or more different alleles. This implies that distinct individuals may have different genetic sequences at the same gene locus. This genetic variation is often caused by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or other genetic alterations at the gene locus. These diverse alleles can be passed down to offspring through genetic inheritance, thereby maintaining and increasing the genetic diversity within populations (Li et al., 2021). Genetic polymorphism is not exclusive to humans but is widespread among various biological species. The frequency of different alleles may vary across different populations, suggesting that a particular allele might be
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