NMR-Based Metabolomics and Its Application in Drug Metabolism and Cancer Research

In this review, the contribution of NMR to the metabolomics field will be discussed—particularly as it relates to cancer and drug metabolism research. An overview of the typical NMR metabolomic experiment will be presented while emphasizing important caveats ranging from experimental design to data interpretation. Despite some of the drawbacks of NMR, including reduced sensitivity compared to mass spectrometry-based approaches, NMR-based metabolomic approaches have provided considerable insight into drug and cancer metabolism. Advances in flux analysis based on the strategic use of isotopes have generated unique perspectives of cancer from the cellular and tissue levels. Combined with other “omics” tools, including genomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics, metabolomic analysis completes the holistic view of metabolism. Many of these NMR-based approaches are likely to find their way into the clinic and become a common diagnostic tool.