[Population pharmacology and ethnopharmacokinetics in 3 Amerindian groups from Panama: Cuna, Ngawbe Guaymi and Teribe].

We report on studies of the oxidative routes associated with the polymorphic metabolism of debrisoquine, sparteine and mephenytoin, as well as on the pathway catalyzed by N-acetyl-transferase. Normal, healthy non-related subjects were studied: 250 Cuna, 285 Ngawbé Guaymí and 20 Teribe. These studies were aimed at establishing differences or similarities among Amerindian tribes and between them and Caucasians, since certain abnormal or non-expected results in clinical response to drugs could be due to racial differences. In those cases, it was considered necessary to evaluate the degree of toxicity and danger of drugs administration, and their effective therapeutic actions.