What is the Role of the Liver in Xenobiotic Metabolism?
The liver plays a crucial role in the metabolism of xenobiotics. It contains a wide array of enzymes, particularly those belonging to the cytochrome P450 family, which are responsible for the biotransformation of xenobiotics into more water-soluble compounds that can be easily excreted from the body. This process generally occurs in two phases: Phase I (functionalization reactions) and Phase II (conjugation reactions).
