A review of basic principles of fractals and their application to pharmacokinetics.
Pharmacokinetic models play a crucial role in analyzing and assessing the results of in vitro and in vivo studies. In this review, comparative analysis of pharmacokinetic models under homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions is performed, placing special focus on the role of fractal theory. The concept of fractals provides a new perspective from which processes occurring in heterogeneous, confined, or poorly mixed environments can be modeled. Following a brief theoretical overview, the applicability of fractals in characterizing anatomical structures and physiological processes as well as the transport and reaction of drugs within the body is discussed. There is significant evidence that drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion are often anomalous, that is to say their behavior deviates from classical theory, and possible reasons and appropriate models are considered.
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. rmarsh@mitacs.ca
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Marsh
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Riauka
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McQuarrie
D000818:Animals; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*; D004058:Diffusion; D019281:Dimerization; D015195:Drug Design; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D017709:Fractals; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*