Book excerpt: The essentials of drug metabolism vital to developing new therapeutic entities Information on the metabolism and disposition of candidate drugs is a critical part of all aspects of the drug discovery and development process. Drug metabolism, as practiced in the pharmaceutical industry today, is a complex, multidisciplinary field that requires knowledge of sophisticated analytical technologies and expertise in mechanistic and kinetic enzymology, organic reaction mechanism, pharmacokinetic analysis, animal physiology, basic chemical toxicology, preclinical pharmacology, and molecular biology. With chapters contributed by experts in their specific areas, this reference covers: * Basic concepts of drug metabolism * The role of drug metabolism in the pharmaceutical industry * Analytical techniques in drug metabolism * Common experimental approaches and protocols Drug Metabolism in Drug Design and Development emphasizes practical considerations such as the data needed, the experiments and analytical methods typically employed, and the interpretation and application of data. Chapters highlight facts, common protocols, detailed experimental designs, applications, and limitations of techniques. This is a comprehensive, hands-on reference for drug metabolism researchers as well as other professionals involved in pre-clinical drug discovery and development.