oxidation

n. a chemical reaction in which a substance combines with oxygen or in which electrons are lost. In drug metabolism, oxidation is a common mechanism of Phase I metabolism, in which drugs are made more polar (i.e., more water soluble) by the addition of an oxygen atom, often via the action of cytochrome P450 enzymes.

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Psychology term of the day

May 9th 2024

contraception

n. any method intended to prevent conception, that is, the natural fertilization of the female ovum by the male spermatozoa. See birth control. —contraceptive n., adj.