title: Importance of P-glycoprotein for drug disposition in humans.
abstract: The ATP-binding cassette transporter P-glycoprotein is now recognized as an important determinant for disposition of multiple drugs. The use of P-glycoprotein-expressing cell lines, the generation of P-glycoprotein knockout mice as well as studies in animals and humans contributed to a better understanding on the role of active transport processes for drug disposition. P-glycoprotein is located in tissues with excretory function such as intestine, liver and kidney. Moreover, due to its expression in important blood-tissue barriers (blood-brain and blood-testis barriers), in lymphocytes and in placenta it limits tissue penetration of its substrates. Induction and inhibition of P-glycoprotein have now been identified as important underlying mechanisms of drug interactions in humans. Using selected examples, this review summarizes currently available data on the impact of P-glycoprotein for bioavailability of drugs, drug interactions and drug effects.
authors.affiliation: Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany. martin.fromm@ikp-stuttgart.de
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Fromm
mesh_terms: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000502:physiology*; D001682:Biological Availability; D004347:Drug Interactions; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D015262:Xenobiotics