DRUG-INTERACTIONS WITH NEWER ANTIDEPRESSANTS - ROLE OF HUMAN CYTOCHROMES P450

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and related antidepressant com pounds have the secondary pharmacologic property of inhibiting the act ivity of human cytochrome P350 enzymes responsible for the oxidative m etabolism of many drugs. A number of clinically important pharmacokine tic drug interactions are a consequence of these cytochrome inhibiting effects. This review evaluates the clinical implications of the metab olic profiles of the newer antidepressants, the relative activities of various new antidepressants as inhibitors of human cytochrome P450, a nd the various in vivo and in vitro methodologies that can be used for identification and quantification of drug interactions.