Does our gut microbiome influence the medications we receive?
Pharmacogenomics is a discipline that studies drug response in relation to an individual's specific genetic background. Pharmacomicrobiology, on the other hand, studies the effect of variations in the gut microbiome on drug disposition, action, and toxicity. Pharmacomicrobiology has emerged as a new way to increase the therapeutic efficacy of medications and reduce their adverse effects by modifying the gut microbiota.
For a long time, research has focused on the different individual responses to medications. These differences are considered a public health problem that can lead to drug ineffectiveness or toxicity, thus impacting patient health. Pharmacogenomics has been dedicated to studying this adverse effect caused by individual genetic predispositions, yielding valuable data that can help predict variations in therapeutic responses or the toxicity of certain medications.
Recent evidence has shown a significant role for the patient's gut microbiome in their individual response to different medications. This has sparked researchers' interest in studying the composition of the human microbiome and its influence on drug bioavailability, as this modifiable factor could serve as a novel tool to increase the therapeutic efficacy of medications and reduce their adverse effects.
Recent research indicates that a therapeutic approach that includes knowledge of pharmacogenomics and pharmacomicrobiome can lead to a transcendental and novel advance in personalized medicine.
Dr. Lucia M. Gonçalves Jardim
Internal Medicine Physician.
Specialist in Endocrinology and Metabolism
Email: luciamgoncalvesj@gmail.com
Telephone: +351 939 056 458
Reference
Doestzada M, Vila AV, Zhernakova A, Koonen DPY, Weersma RK, Touw DJ, Kuipers F, Wijmenga C, Fu J. Pharmacomicrobiomics: a novel route towards personalized medicine? Protein Cell . 2018 May;9(5):432-445. doi:10.1007/s13238-018-0547-2. Epub 2018 Apr 28. PMID: 29705929; PMCID: PMC5960471