What type of drug interaction occurs when one drug enhances the effect of another drug?

The interaction characterized by one drug enhancing the effect of another is known as potentiation. This occurs when the presence of one drug increases the potency or effectiveness of another drug, often leading to a greater therapeutic effect than would be observed if each drug were administered separately. For instance, if drug A has a certain effect and drug B, when added, increases that effect, drug B is said to potentiate drug A.

In contrast, antagonism refers to a scenario where one drug counteracts or diminishes the effect of another, while synergism describes a situation where two drugs work together in a way that the combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects. Inhibition is typically used to describe the reduction of activity of a drug or biochemical pathway rather than enhancing it. Each of these interactions highlights different mechanisms by which drugs can affect each other's activity in the body, making the understanding of potentiation crucial for effective medication management.