Background: Ethnopharmacology relates to the study of substances used medicinally by different ethnic or cultural groups or handling of, drugs-based ethnicity or pharmacogenetics.
Aims: To review the key aspects of ethnopharmacology.
Method: This lecture gives an overview of the relationship between geography, culture, pharmacogenomics and prescribing.
Results: Although the majority of antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood-stabilisers are widely and cheaply available in generic forms, prescription rates can vary. Clozapine is one such example with prescribing-rates ranging from less than 10 patients per 100,000 people to nearly 180 patients/100,000 people. Pharmacogenetic studies of antipsychotics and antidepressants concern gene polymorphisms that may affect both, pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic properties. Considerable genetic and ethnic variability has been seen for the P450 microsomal enzymes CYP 2D6 and 1A2.
Conclusions: With accelerated global mobility and increased understanding of medicinal substances at molecular level, understanding of ethnopharmacology will become increasingly important in routine clinical practice.
Keywords: CYP; Ethnopharmacology; antidepressants; antipsychotics; pharmacogenomics.