Detoxication

The metabolism of (potentially) toxic compounds to yield less toxic derivatives which are more soluble in water and can be excreted in the urine or bile. A wide variety of ‘foreign compounds’ (i.e. compounds that are not normal metabolites in the body), sometimes referred to as xenobiotics, and some hormones and other normal body metabolites, are metabolized in the same way. See also phase I metabolism; phase II metabolism.

Detoxication and detoxification are used synonymously when referring to the process whereby toxins (poisons) are removed or toxic effects neutralized. Detoxification also refers to the withdrawal process for those who are addicted to alcohol and drugs such as opiates.

Natural foods often contain toxins. Wild potatoes, for example, contain glycoalkaloids that cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and nervous disorders (see solanine). Over thousands of years, we have evolved biological and cultural methods of avoiding toxicity, and metabolic reactions that reduce the toxicity of ingested compounds. We grow less toxic varieties of food and prepare them in ways that reduce their toxicity. We have learnt to avoid foods that make us ill, and to be attracted by those that do not. We also share with other primates the habit of nibbling at strange food and leaving it a while to see if there are any ill-effects. If these cultural and behavioural adaptations fail us and food toxins enter the bloodstream, our livers provide another line of defence. The liver produces a wide range of detoxication enzymes, the best known of which is alcohol dehydrogenase. The toxins are often converted to substances that can be eliminated in the bile or urine. This elimination is helped if the toxin makes us feel thirsty so that we drink plenty of water.

If, despite all our efforts, toxins accumulate in our bodies, we are likely to suffer from toxicity and feel ill. Some people believe that the risk of toxicity has increased because our food is becoming overloaded with artificial chemicals. Some of these chemicals may be fatsoluble toxins which are stored in adipose (fatty) tissue. They do not harm vital organs until they are released when the fat is broken down.

Several diets are designed to promote detoxication. Many claims made for ‘detox diets’, however, are exaggerated. They are based on the unfounded assumption that most normal foods are toxic in some way. There is little scientific support for such diets. Some of these diets are based on the belief that fruit, vegetables, and yoghurt are virtually free of toxins, while meat and fish are high in them. Although this may be the case for artificial toxins (it will depend on the source of the food and how it has been treated), there tends to be higher levels of natural toxins in plant products than in meat and fish. Some detox diets claim that they contain enzymes or other chemicals that act as detoxication agents. Again, there is little scientific support for these claims.

Most doctors believe that our bodies are usually quite capable of eliminating toxins from a normal, balanced diet without the need for extreme measures. Sensible eating of a variety of foods helps you avoid toxicity. A diet with sufficient vitamins and minerals enables your liver to function efficiently, and certain components in a well-balanced diet, such as water-soluble fibre found in oat bran, bind to some toxins helping the body to eliminate them.

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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into detoxification. (Discuss)

Detoxication products are the major metabolites formed from most drug metabolism. There are two common patterns observed:

1. A drug with potent pharmacological activity is converted to a major metabolite with markedly reduced or no pharmacological activity (e.g., Pentobarbital and Hydroxypentobarbital)
2. A drug is converted to a metabolite with roughly equivalent or slightly lower pharmacological activity.

Detoxication differs from detoxification. Detoxification is the process of removing toxins from the body, while detoxication is the process of preventing toxic entities from entering the body in the first place.

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