Glucose 6 Phosphate dehydrogenase is the enzyme for the metabolism of some drugs and some substances inside the red blood cells. The gene is on the X chromosome. The normal gene is dominant, but the abnormal gene is recessive and give rise to the disease.
The patient cannot metabolize normally and eliminate the drug, then, the drug would accumulate and cause the breakage of the red blood cells and the subsequent anaemia or kidney failure.
Reference :
(1)
(book)
Advanced level Biology for Hong Kong, Bk 2, by Y.K. Ho, Manhattan Press, pp. 215-216
