Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice

Chronopharmacokinetics of drugs in toxicological aspects: A short review for pharmacy practitioners

Authors

. Pinar Erkekoglu
. Terken Baydar

Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract
A rough 24-hour cycle driven endogenously in biochemical, physiological or behavioral 
processes is called circadian rhythm. Chronobiology is the study of biological temporal 
rhythms. For decades, we know that the biological rhythm and the drug metabolism are also 
affected from daylight and chronopharmacology became recognized by scientists in the early 
1970s. Its lateral branch chronocopharmacokinetics is the study of rhythmic, predictablein-time differences in the pharmacokinetics of drugs. Chronopharmacokinetic studies are 
performed at every step of the biotransformation i.e., absorption, distribution, metabolism 
and excretion. Feeding schedules, sex and phenotype must be taken into consideration while 
applying pharmacotherapy to increase the efficiency and to decrease side effects. The impact 
of drugs on circadian rhythm should be not neglected. On the other hand, new special drug 
delivery systems can be used to synchronize drug concentrations according to circadian 
rhythms. “Chronopharmaceuticals” can identify the proper dosing time and this amelioration 
will lead to improved progress and diffusion of pharmacotherapy. Chronopharmaceuticals 
coupled with nanotechnology could be the future of drug delivery systems, and lead to 
safer and more efficient disease therapy in the future. In this review, we will discuss the 
pharmacokinetic effects of circadian rhythm and its toxicological outcomes. Besides, we will 
try to give some practical points for clinical pharmacist/pharmacy practitioners, concerning 
chronopharmacokinetics.

Keywords

Absorption
circadian rhythm
chronopharmacology
chronocokinetics
  distribution
excretion
metabolism
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Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice
Volume 1, Issue 1
August 2012
Pages 3-9

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