Biological half-life
Biological half-life (pronounced: /baɪˈɒlədʒɪkəl ˈhæf laɪf/) is a term used in pharmacology and toxicology to describe the time it takes for the quantity of a substance in a living organism to decrease by half. The biological half-life of a substance is different from its physical half-life and can be influenced by factors such as metabolism, excretion, and drug interactions.
Etymology
The term "biological half-life" is derived from the Greek word "bios" meaning "life" and the Old English word "healf" meaning "half". The concept of half-life originated in nuclear physics, but has since been applied to various fields including pharmacology and toxicology.
Factors Influencing Biological Half-Life
The biological half-life of a substance can be influenced by several factors. These include:
- Metabolism: The rate at which a substance is metabolized can affect its biological half-life. Substances that are metabolized quickly have a shorter biological half-life than those that are metabolized slowly.
- Excretion: The rate at which a substance is excreted from the body can also affect its biological half-life. Substances that are excreted quickly have a shorter biological half-life than those that are excreted slowly.
- Drug interactions: The presence of other substances in the body can affect the biological half-life of a substance. For example, certain drugs can increase or decrease the rate of metabolism or excretion of other drugs, thereby affecting their biological half-life.
Related Terms
- Elimination half-life: This is the time required for the concentration of a substance in the body to decrease by half due to elimination processes such as metabolism and excretion.
- Plasma half-life: This is the time required for the concentration of a substance in the plasma to decrease by half.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Biological half-life
- Wikipedia's article - Biological half-life
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