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? asked in Science & MathematicsBiology · 9 years ago

Why do drugs need to be hydrophobic to pass through cell membranes?

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  • 9 years ago
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    Most of the cell membrane is lipid, so lipid soluble drugs can pass through easily, even if they have a high molecular weight.

    Some drugs are small enough that they fit through the channels, pores lined with protein, if the molecule is much bigger than urea it gets more difficult.

    But some drugs hitch a ride on a transporter protein, like if they are similiar to aminoacids or sugars.

    Source(s): retired pharmacist, see a pharmacology or pharmacokinetics text
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