Exploring the Interplay of Pharmaco-genomics, Metabolomics, and Microbiomics: As a novel Precision Medicine Approach for SSRIs in Qatari with Depression.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are usually prescribed as the first-line pharmacological treatment for a variety of anxiety and affective disorder. Although SSRIs are generally effective and well tolerated, a large proportion of patients show a risk of poor response or adverse drug reaction which is attributed to the inter-individual variability. Recent studies have highlighted the limitations of pharmacogenomics in multifactorial and chronic diseases, including depression disorder. With the increasing recognition of the gut microbiome as the second human genome and its importance on the physiology of the host, the concept of pharmacomicrobiomics has been now introduced as a natural expansion of pharmacogenomics. Moreover, it is well demonstrated that gut microbiota can directly influence an individual’s response to a specific drug by enzymatically transforming its structure and subsequently altering its bioavailability. Therefore, emerging evidence suggests that the integration of pharmacogenomics with pharmcometabolomics and pharmcomicrobiome can offer valuable insights and enhance our understanding of medication response variations and side effects. As well as, pharmacometabolomics plays a significant role in guiding pharmacogenomics by providing insights into the metabolic pathways influenced by drug treatment.

Qatar University