Prodrug
Prodrug is a type of drug that, after administration, is metabolized (i.e., converted within the body) into a pharmacologically active drug. Instead of administering a drug directly, a corresponding prodrug can be used to improve how a drug is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted (ADME).
Overview[edit | edit source]
Prodrugs are often designed to improve bioavailability when a drug itself is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. A prodrug may be used to improve how selectively the drug interacts with cells or processes that are not its intended target. This reduces adverse or unintended effects of a drug, especially important in treatments like chemotherapy, which can have severe unintended and undesirable side effects.
Mechanism of action[edit | edit source]
Prodrugs are typically designed to be safer or more effective than their active forms. The active compounds are often poorly absorbed, have a high first-pass metabolism rate, are quickly eliminated, or might be toxic. The prodrug form can be a way to overcome these problems.
Examples[edit | edit source]
Some examples of prodrugs and their active forms include:
- Codeine (prodrug), which is metabolized into morphine (active drug)
- Psilocybin (prodrug), which is metabolized into psilocin (active drug)
- Aspirin (prodrug), which is metabolized into salicylic acid (active drug)
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
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