tooluniverse-admet-prediction
ADMET Prediction & Drug Candidate Profiling
ADMET reasoning: a drug fails if it can't be absorbed, distributes to wrong tissues, isn't metabolized safely, or isn't excreted. Evaluate each property independently — good absorption doesn't compensate for liver toxicity. The ADME properties determine whether a compound reaches its target at therapeutic concentrations; toxicity determines whether it's safe to do so. Prioritize experimental data (T2) over computational predictions (T3) — ADMETAI predictions are screening tools, not definitive verdicts. When a FAIL is flagged in any toxicity category (hERG, AMES, DILI), treat it as program-limiting until wet-lab data refutes it.
LOOK UP DON'T GUESS: never assume SMILES, CID, or experimental LD50 values — always call PubChem to resolve compound identity before any ADMETAI or PubChemTox call.
Comprehensive pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiling integrating AI-based ADMET predictions, rule-based drug-likeness filters, and experimental benchmarks from curated databases.
When to Use This Skill
Triggers:
- "What are the ADMET properties of [compound]?"
- "Is [drug] likely to cross the blood-brain barrier?"
- "Predict the toxicity of this SMILES: ..."
- "Does [compound] violate Lipinski's rule of five?"
- "Assess the drug-likeness of [molecule]"
- "What are the CYP interactions for [drug]?"
- "Pharmacokinetic profile of [compound]"
- "Is [compound] orally bioavailable?"
- "What is the LD50 / hERG liability of [molecule]?"
Input: Drug name (e.g., "ibuprofen") OR SMILES string (e.g., "CC(C)Cc1ccc(cc1)C(C)C(=O)O")
COMPUTE, DON'T DESCRIBE
When analysis requires computation (statistics, data processing, scoring, enrichment), write and run Python code via Bash. Don't describe what you would do — execute it and report actual results. Use ToolUniverse tools to retrieve data, then Python (pandas, scipy, statsmodels, matplotlib) to analyze it.
KEY PRINCIPLES
- Resolve identity first - Always convert drug name to SMILES before calling ADMETAI tools
- ADMETAI tools require
tooluniverse[ml]- If import fails, skip to SwissADME/PubChemTox fallbacks - All ADMETAI tools take
smiles: list[str]- Always wrap in a list, even for one compound - SwissADME takes
smiles: str- Single string, NOT a list (SOAP-style withoperationparam) - PubChemTox tools accept
cidorcompound_name- Use CID when available for reliability - Evidence grading mandatory - Predictions (T3), experimental data (T2), regulatory (T1)
- Scorecard output - Every analysis must end with a pass/warn/fail scorecard
- Explain significance - State WHY each property matters for drug development
Evidence Grading
| Tier | Label | Source |
|---|---|---|
| T1 | Regulatory/Clinical | FDA labels, ChEMBL max clinical phase |
| T2 | Experimental | PubChemTox LD50/LC50, in vitro AMES, animal studies |
| T3 | Computational | ADMETAI predictions, SwissADME calculations |
| T4 | Annotation | Database cross-references, text-mined |
Workflow: 5-Phase ADMET Profiling
User Query (drug name or SMILES)
|
+-- PHASE 1: Compound Identity Resolution
| PubChem name->CID->SMILES, or validate input SMILES
|
+-- PHASE 2: Physicochemical & Drug-Likeness
| ADMETAI physicochemical + SwissADME druglikeness -> Lipinski/Veber
|
+-- PHASE 3: ADME Predictions
| BBB, bioavailability, CYP interactions, clearance, solubility
|
+-- PHASE 4: Toxicity Assessment
| ADMETAI tox + PubChemTox experimental + nuclear receptor + stress
|
+-- PHASE 5: Scorecard & Clinical Context
| ChEMBL max phase, aggregate pass/warn/fail, final recommendation
PHASE 1: Compound Identity Resolution
Goal: Obtain SMILES, PubChem CID, and basic identifiers for the query compound.
Steps:
-
If input is a drug name:
- Call
PubChem_get_CID_by_compound_name(name=<drug_name>)to get CID - Call
PubChem_get_compound_properties_by_CID(cid=<CID>)to get SMILES and MW - Extract
ConnectivitySMILESfrom the response (NOTCanonicalSMILES)
- Call
-
If input is a SMILES string:
- Call
PubChem_get_CID_by_SMILES(smiles=<SMILES>)to get CID - Call
PubChem_get_compound_properties_by_CID(cid=<CID>)for compound name and MW - Use the input SMILES for all subsequent ADMETAI calls
- Call
-
Record:
- Compound name, CID, SMILES, molecular formula, molecular weight, IUPAC name
- If CID lookup fails, proceed with SMILES only (ADMETAI does not need CID)
Why this matters: ADMETAI tools require SMILES input. PubChemTox tools work best with CID. Resolving both ensures all downstream tools can be called. PubChem is the authoritative source for SMILES canonicalization.
Fallback: If PubChem has no entry, the user must provide SMILES directly. Cannot proceed without SMILES.
PHASE 2: Physicochemical Properties & Drug-Likeness
Goal: Evaluate whether the compound has drug-like physicochemical properties.
Steps:
-
ADMETAI physicochemical (primary):
ADMETAI_predict_physicochemical_properties(smiles=["<SMILES>"])Returns: MW, logP, TPSA, HBD, HBA, rotatable bonds
-
SwissADME drug-likeness (complementary):
SwissADME_check_druglikeness(operation="check_druglikeness", smiles="<SMILES>") SwissADME_calculate_adme(operation="calculate_adme", smiles="<SMILES>")Returns: Lipinski, Veber, Ghose, Egan, Muegge rule compliance; PAINS alerts; Brenk alerts
-
ADMETAI solubility:
ADMETAI_predict_solubility_lipophilicity_hydration(smiles=["<SMILES>"])Returns: Aqueous solubility (LogS), lipophilicity, hydration free energy
Interpret & Score:
| Property | Ideal Range | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| MW | < 500 Da | Larger molecules have poor membrane permeability (Lipinski) |
| LogP | -0.4 to 5.6 | Too hydrophobic = poor solubility; too hydrophilic = poor permeability |
| HBD | <= 5 | Excess donors reduce membrane crossing (Lipinski) |
| HBA | <= 10 | Excess acceptors reduce membrane crossing (Lipinski) |
| TPSA | < 140 A^2 | High PSA correlates with poor oral absorption |
| Rotatable bonds | <= 10 | Molecular flexibility affects bioavailability (Veber) |
| LogS | > -6 | Below -6 = practically insoluble, formulation challenge |
| PAINS alerts | 0 | Pan-assay interference compounds give false positives in screens |
Verdict: PASS if Lipinski <= 1 violation and no PAINS alerts; WARN if 2 violations; FAIL if 3+ violations or PAINS+.
Fallback: If ADMETAI import fails (missing tooluniverse[ml]), rely on SwissADME alone. SwissADME provides all Lipinski descriptors independently.
PHASE 3: ADME Predictions
Goal: Predict absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion behavior.
Steps:
-
Blood-brain barrier penetration:
ADMETAI_predict_BBB_penetrance(smiles=["<SMILES>"])- BBB+ = compound can cross; BBB- = cannot
- Critical for CNS drugs (must cross) and peripherally-acting drugs (should NOT cross to avoid CNS side effects)
-
Oral bioavailability:
ADMETAI_predict_bioavailability(smiles=["<SMILES>"])- F20% = at least 20% oral bioavailability; F30% = at least 30%
- Low bioavailability means the drug is extensively metabolized or poorly absorbed
- F < 20% generally requires non-oral routes (IV, inhaled, topical)
-
CYP450 interactions:
ADMETAI_predict_CYP_interactions(smiles=["<SMILES>"])- Reports substrate/inhibitor status for CYP1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 3A4
- Why CYP matters: ~75% of drugs are metabolized by CYP enzymes. Inhibiting CYP3A4 (which metabolizes ~50% of drugs) causes dangerous drug-drug interactions (DDIs). CYP2D6 polymorphisms affect ~25% of drugs -- poor metabolizers accumulate toxic levels
- Substrate of CYP2D6 = pharmacogenomic risk (poor/ultra-rapid metabolizers)
- Inhibitor of CYP3A4 = high DDI risk (co-administered drugs accumulate)
-
Clearance and distribution:
ADMETAI_predict_clearance_distribution(smiles=["<SMILES>"])- VDss (volume of distribution): low (<0.7 L/kg) = confined to plasma; high (>1 L/kg) = distributed to tissues
- Clearance: high clearance = short half-life, frequent dosing needed
- Plasma protein binding (PPB): >95% bound = narrow therapeutic window, DDI risk from displacement
-
SwissADME pharmacokinetics (cross-validation):
- GI absorption (high/low), P-gp substrate status, skin permeation (logKp)
Key flags: BBB+ for non-CNS drug (WARN: CNS side effects); BBB- for CNS drug (FAIL: won't reach target); F < 20% (WARN: poor oral bioavailability); CYP3A4 inhibitor (WARN: high DDI); CYP2D6 substrate (WARN: pharmacogenomic variability); PPB > 99% (WARN: narrow window); high clearance + low bioavailability (FAIL).
Fallback: If ADMETAI unavailable, SwissADME provides GI absorption, BBB permeation (yes/no), P-gp substrate, and CYP inhibition predictions.
PHASE 4: Toxicity Assessment
Goal: Evaluate safety liabilities from both predicted and experimental sources.
Steps:
-
ADMETAI toxicity predictions [T3]:
ADMETAI_predict_toxicity(smiles=["<SMILES>"])Key endpoints:
- AMES: Mutagenicity (bacterial reverse mutation test). Positive = potential carcinogen; regulatory agencies require AMES testing for all new drugs
- DILI: Drug-induced liver injury risk. Leading cause of drug withdrawal (e.g., troglitazone). Positive = hepatotoxicity concern requiring liver function monitoring
- hERG: hERG potassium channel inhibition. Causes QT prolongation and fatal cardiac arrhythmia. hERG+ = cardiotoxicity liability; multiple drugs withdrawn for this (e.g., terfenadine, cisapride)
- ClinTox: Clinical trial toxicity / FDA withdrawal risk. Trained on drugs that failed trials or were withdrawn for toxicity
- LD50_Zhu: Predicted lethal dose (mg/kg, rat oral). Lower = more acutely toxic
- Skin_Reaction: Dermal sensitization potential. Important for topical drugs
- Carcinogens_Lagunin: Carcinogenicity prediction
-
Nuclear receptor activity [T3]:
ADMETAI_predict_nuclear_receptor_activity(smiles=["<SMILES>"])- AR (androgen receptor), ER (estrogen receptor), AhR, PPAR-gamma activity
- Positive = potential endocrine disruption; critical for chronic-use drugs and environmental chemicals
-
Stress response pathways [T3]:
ADMETAI_predict_stress_response(smiles=["<SMILES>"])- p53 activation = DNA damage response (genotoxicity signal)
- MMP disruption = mitochondrial toxicity
- ATAD5 = DNA repair stress
- HSE = heat shock / protein misfolding stress
-
PubChemTox experimental data [T2] (call all in parallel):
PubChemTox_get_toxicity_values(cid=<CID>) PubChemTox_get_ghs_classification(cid=<CID>) PubChemTox_get_acute_effects(cid=<CID>) PubChemTox_get_carcinogen_classification(cid=<CID>) PubChemTox_get_target_organs(cid=<CID>) PubChemTox_get_toxicity_summary(cid=<CID>)- Real animal study data (LD50, LC50, NOAEL) anchors computational predictions
- GHS classification provides internationally harmonized hazard categories
- Carcinogen classification from IARC (Group 1/2A/2B), NTP, EPA
Key flags: AMES positive (FAIL: mutagenic); DILI positive (WARN: hepatotox); hERG positive (FAIL: cardiac, often program-killing); ClinTox positive (WARN); LD50 < 50 mg/kg (FAIL: GHS 1-2); LD50 50-300 mg/kg (WARN: GHS 3); NR-ER/AR active (WARN: endocrine disruption); p53 active (WARN: genotoxicity); IARC Group 1/2A (FAIL: known/probable carcinogen).
Fallback: If ADMETAI unavailable, PubChemTox provides experimental toxicity data for known compounds. For novel compounds without PubChem entries, flag as "no experimental toxicity data available -- computational predictions only."
PHASE 5: Scorecard Assembly & Clinical Context
Goal: Aggregate all findings into a structured ADMET scorecard with pass/warn/fail verdicts.
Steps:
-
ChEMBL clinical status [T1] (if drug has ChEMBL ID):
ChEMBL_get_molecule(chembl_id="<CHEMBL_ID>")- Max phase: 4 = approved, 3 = Phase III, 2 = Phase II, 1 = Phase I, 0 = preclinical
- Ro5 violations from ChEMBL (independent validation of Lipinski)
- First approval year, indication class, black box warning flag
-
Build the ADMET Scorecard: produce a table with 13 categories (Physicochemical, Solubility, Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, Tox: Mutagenicity/Hepatotoxicity/Cardiotoxicity/Carcinogenicity/Acute, Endocrine, Clinical Tox), each with PASS/WARN/FAIL verdict and key finding. Include compound identity header and overall verdict. Tag each finding with evidence tier [T1-T3].
-
Interpretation narrative: After the scorecard, provide a 3-5 sentence summary:
- Highlight the most critical findings (any FAILs or WARNs)
- State whether the compound is suitable for oral administration
- Note any DDI risks from CYP interactions
- Flag pharmacogenomic concerns (CYP2D6 substrate)
- Recommend next steps (e.g., "hERG patch clamp assay recommended to confirm computational prediction")
Completeness Checklist (MANDATORY before reporting)
Before delivering the final scorecard, verify:
- Compound identity resolved (name, CID, SMILES all present or explicitly noted as unavailable)
- Physicochemical properties reported with Lipinski verdict
- At least one source for each ADME property (ADMETAI or SwissADME)
- All 7 ADMETAI toxicity endpoints reported (or marked N/A with reason)
- PubChemTox experimental data checked (even if "no data found")
- Nuclear receptor and stress response checked (or marked N/A)
- Evidence tier tagged for every finding
- Scorecard table complete with verdicts for all 13 categories
- Overall verdict stated
- Interpretation narrative provided with actionable next steps