Xenobiotic metabolism in Australian marsupials

The Australian marsupials are significant and unique Australian fauna. Xeno biotic metabolism is the process of enzymatic modification of xenobiotics, which include the chemicals, such as agricultural chemicals and natural die tary toxins, that these animals may be exposed to. Very little is known abo ut the enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism in this unique group of an imals. Folivore marsupials such as the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus and th e brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula) represent unique adaptation which has only been relatively superficially examined to date. We provide an ove rview of our current knowledge of marsupial xenobiotic matabolism. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.