Abstract: Genetic polymorphisms in drug-metabolizing enzymes, transporters, receptors, and other drug targets have been linked to interindividual differences in the efficacy and toxicity of many medications.Pharmacogenomics is to study of how genes affect the individual response to drugs.There are some evidences that in the future the use of pharmacogenomics could help to enhance the effects of drugs and reduce the adverse drug reactions (ADRs), as it aims to predict which patients are likely to respond to a particular drug and which patients are likely to have significant ADRs.Pharmacogenomics studies are rapidly elucidating the inherited nature of these differences in drug disposition and effects, thereby providing a strong scientific basis for optimizing drug therapy on the basis of each patient's genetic constitution.In this article some examples of genetic polymorphisms which affecting drug pharmacokinetics (in protein binding of drugs in plasma) and pharmacodynamics (correlated with antihypertensive drugs) are briefly illustrated.

Key words: pharmacogenomics, genetic polymorphism, individual difference, individualized therapy