title: Metabonomics techniques and applications to pharmaceutical research & development.
abstract: In this review, the background to the approach known as metabonomics is provided, giving a brief historical perspective and summarizing the analytical and statistical techniques used. Some of the major applications of metabonomics relevant to pharmaceutical Research & Development are then reviewed including the study of various influences on metabolism, such as diet, lifestyle, and other environmental factors. The applications of metabonomics in drug safety studies are explained with special reference to the aims and achievements of the Consortium for Metabonomic Toxicology. Next, the role that metabonomics might have in disease diagnosis and therapy monitoring is provided with some examples, and the concept of pharmacometabonomics as a way of predicting an individual's response to treatment is highlighted. Some discussion is given on the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities of, and threats to metabonomics.
authors.affiliation: Biological Chemistry, Biomedical Sciences Division, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK. j.lindon@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lindon
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Jeremy K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001711:Biotransformation; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D010600:Pharmacology; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D040901:Proteomics; D049490:Systems Biology / Q000379:methods*; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations