Basic Mechanisms at Work<\/span><\/h3>\nModern life is based on the use of chemicals. The current count of individual substances is now approaching 100 million, and humans and other species are exposed to a great number of them (R<\/a>).<\/p>\nOur bodies process and remove these foreign chemicals (xenobiotics<\/em>) thanks to our efficient detoxification mechanisms. These mechanisms also deal with metabolic products such as excess hormones (endobiotics<\/em>).<\/p>\nXenobiotic metabolism usually converts fat-soluble compounds into more water-soluble derivatives that can be easily eliminated from the body (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n\u201cEnzymes of detoxification\u201d are a big family of enzymes that participate in altering xenobiotics (i.e. foreign compounds), so as to make them either more readily excretable or less pharmacologically active (R<\/a>).<\/p>\nDetox Phases<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nThe detoxification process can be roughly divided into three phases (R<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n- Phase I is governed by transformation enzymes<\/em> – these enzymes oxidize, reduce and hydrolyze toxins\/drugs<\/li>\n
- Phase II is managed by conjugation enzymes<\/em> – these enzymes conjugate Phase I products<\/li>\n
- Phase III is carried out by transport proteins<\/em> – these proteins transport the final products from the cell<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"detoxification2\"](\"https:\/\/selfhacked.com\/app\/uploads\/2016\/10\/detoxification2-480x360.jpeg\")
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Phases I, II, and III must work in unison for the proper removal of unwanted toxins, drugs, and excess hormones.<\/p>\n
These enzymes have broad substrate ranges. They are relatively more concentrated at major points of entry to either the body (liver, lung, intestinal mucosa) or a specific organ (the choroid plexus for the brain). Many also appear to be inducible, i.e. the body responds to exposure to a certain toxin by producing more of the enzyme that degrades it (R<\/a>).<\/p>\nDetox Organs<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nThe liver is the primary detoxification organ, as it filters blood coming directly from the intestines and prepares toxins for excretion from the body (R<\/a>).<\/p>\nSignificant amounts of detoxification also occur in the intestine, kidney, lungs, and brain, with phase I, II, and III reactions occurring throughout the rest of the body to a lesser degree (R<\/a>).<\/p>\nThe enzymes of detoxification are slow compared to other enzymes, but they are present in very large amounts. For example, Phase II glutathione<\/a> transferases represent 10% of the total protein in the liver (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n![\"detox-enzymes\"](\"https:\/\/selfhacked.com\/app\/uploads\/2016\/10\/detox-enzymes-480x165.jpeg\")
https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3623606\/<\/a><\/p>\nPhase I Detoxification: The First Step<\/span><\/h2>\nEnzymatic Transformation Makes Toxins More Soluble<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nPhase I enzymes begin the detoxification process by chemically transforming fat-soluble compounds into water-soluble compounds. Water-soluble compounds can easily be excreted, while fat-soluble compounds can be stored in fat cells, where they are protected from the body\u2019s detoxification enzymes (R<\/a>).<\/p>\nPhase I reactions include oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis and cyclization (R<\/a>).<\/p>\nThese reactions are mediated by (R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n- The versatile cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes<\/li>\n
- The more selective flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs, responsible for the detoxification of nicotine<\/a> from cigarette smoke)<\/li>\n
- Monoamine oxidases (MAOs, which break down serotonin<\/a>, dopamine<\/a>, and epinephrine in neurons)<\/li>\n
- Alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases (which metabolize alcohol)<\/li>\n
- Epoxide hydrolases (EH), and<\/li>\n
- Other phase I enzymes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs)<\/span><\/h2>\n
Our bodies process and remove these foreign chemicals (xenobiotics<\/em>) thanks to our efficient detoxification mechanisms. These mechanisms also deal with metabolic products such as excess hormones (endobiotics<\/em>).<\/p>\n Xenobiotic metabolism usually converts fat-soluble compounds into more water-soluble derivatives that can be easily eliminated from the body (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n \u201cEnzymes of detoxification\u201d are a big family of enzymes that participate in altering xenobiotics (i.e. foreign compounds), so as to make them either more readily excretable or less pharmacologically active (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n The detoxification process can be roughly divided into three phases (R<\/a>):<\/p>\n Phases I, II, and III must work in unison for the proper removal of unwanted toxins, drugs, and excess hormones.<\/p>\n These enzymes have broad substrate ranges. They are relatively more concentrated at major points of entry to either the body (liver, lung, intestinal mucosa) or a specific organ (the choroid plexus for the brain). Many also appear to be inducible, i.e. the body responds to exposure to a certain toxin by producing more of the enzyme that degrades it (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n The liver is the primary detoxification organ, as it filters blood coming directly from the intestines and prepares toxins for excretion from the body (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Significant amounts of detoxification also occur in the intestine, kidney, lungs, and brain, with phase I, II, and III reactions occurring throughout the rest of the body to a lesser degree (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n The enzymes of detoxification are slow compared to other enzymes, but they are present in very large amounts. For example, Phase II glutathione<\/a> transferases represent 10% of the total protein in the liver (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Phase I enzymes begin the detoxification process by chemically transforming fat-soluble compounds into water-soluble compounds. Water-soluble compounds can easily be excreted, while fat-soluble compounds can be stored in fat cells, where they are protected from the body\u2019s detoxification enzymes (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Phase I reactions include oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis and cyclization (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n These reactions are mediated by (R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>):<\/p>\nDetox Phases<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nDetox Organs<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3623606\/<\/a><\/p>\nPhase I Detoxification: The First Step<\/span><\/h2>\n
Enzymatic Transformation Makes Toxins More Soluble<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs)<\/span><\/h2>\n