CYP2D6 gene variation results improper drug metabolism among schizophrenia of Karachi population

What is it about?

CYP2D6 is an enzyme family which is found in the liver and responsible to metabolize/digest antipsychotic drugs and producing drug response. It has been found that changes in CYP2D6 gene produce different forms of enzymes which do not produce therapeutic effect in schizophrenic patients because they unable to metabolize drugs properly and un cure the disease as a result they live with mental issues and unhealthy life. We designed a study to evaluate the CYP2D6 gene which is very prevalent in Asian countries including Pakistan and show improper drug digestion ability that affect therapeutic responses. We determined CYP2D6 gene changes in schizophrenic patients and compared them with normal people from a sub-set of Karachi population. For conducting this research DNA was separated from patient’s blood and run on PCR machine to visualize the CYP2D6 gene changes between schizophrenic patients and normal people. Results were meaningful and clearly showed the differences between patients and normal with respect to anti-psychotic drugs responding ability and indicating why patients poorly respond drugs and suffering from schizophrenia. Because drug metabolism or drug digestion is a complex phenomenon that is dependent on genetic and environmental factors. CYP2D6 gene changes may alter the anti-psychotic drugs metabolism. Therefore, gene testing system need to be established that may help doctors for analyzing maximum patient’s gene profile and to prescribe right amount of anti-psychotic drugs dosage for minimizing the rate of schizophrenia.

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Photo by Natasha Connell on Unsplash

Photo by Natasha Connell on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Differences in drug metabolism process among schizophrenic patients impact on their treatment strategy and their therapeutic response as a consequence their curability rate is low. Therefore clinicians need to introduce CYP2D6 gene profiling procedure on routine testing so increase the curability rate of Schizophrenia.

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