Effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Zingiber officinale on the antihypertensive activity and pharmacokinetic of losartan in hypertensive rats

Effect of eugenol on cytochrome P450 1A2, 2C9, 2D6, and 3A4 activity in human liver microsomes

This study aimed to provide an understanding of the influence of eugenol on CYP1A2, 2C9, 2D6, and 3A4 in human liver microsomes (HLM). Specific substrate for CYP1A2, 2C9, 2D6, and 3A4 were incubated in HLM with or without eugenol. The formation of their respective metabolites was assessed with HPLC analytical methods. Eugenol at 1, 10 and 100 µM levels inhibited the activity of CYP1A2 and CYP2C9 by 23.38 %, 23.57 %, 39.80 % and 62.82 %, 63.27 %, 67.70 % respectively. While, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 activity was decreased by 40.70 %, 45.88 %, 62.68 % and 37.41 %, 42.58 % and 67.86 % at 1, 10 and 100 µM eugenol level respectively. The IC50 value of eugenol for CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 was calculated as 11.09 ± 3.49 µM and 13.48 ± 3.86 µM respectively. Potential herb-drug interactions was noted when eugenol is administered simultaneously with medications metabolized by these enzymes, most notably CYP2C9, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4.

Cardiovascular Effects of Herbal Products and Their Interaction with Antihypertensive Drugs-Comprehensive Review

Hypertension is a highly prevalent population-level disease that represents an important risk factor for several cardiovascular complications and occupies a leading position in mortality statistics. Antihypertensive therapy includes a wide variety of drugs. Additionally, the potential antihypertensive and cardioprotective effects of several phytotherapy products have been evaluated, as these could also be a valuable therapeutic option for the prevention, improvement or treatment of hypertension and its complications. The present review includes an evaluation of the cardioprotective and antihypertensive effects of garlic, Aloe vera, green tea, Ginkgo biloba, berberine, ginseng, Nigella sativa, Apium graveolens, thyme, cinnamon and ginger, and their possible interactions with antihypertensive drugs. A literature search was undertaken via the PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase and Cochrane databases. Research articles, systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2010 and 2023, in the English, Hungarian, and Romanian languages were selected.

Bioactivity-Guided Isolation and Antihypertensive Activity of Citrullus colocynthis Polyphenols in Rats with Genetic Model of Hypertension

Background and Objectives: Citrullus colocynthis belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is a wild medicinal plant used in folk literature to treat various diseases. The purpose of the current study was to explore the antihypertensive and antioxidant potentials of Citrullus colocynthis (CC) polyphenol-rich fractions using a spontaneous hypertensive rat (SHR) model. Materials and Methods: The concentrated aqueous ethanol extract of CC fruit was successively fractioned using solvents of increasing polarity, i.e., hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The obtained extracts were analyzed for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and total flavonol content (TOF). Moreover, the CC extracts were further evaluated for radical scavenging capacity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays and antioxidant activity using inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation and determination of reducing potential protocols. The phytochemical components were characterized by HPLC-MWD-ESI-MS in positive ionization mode. Results: The results showed that ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) exhibited a higher content of phenolic compounds in term of TPC (289 mg/g), TFC (7.6 mg/g) and TOF (35.7 mg/g). EAF showed higher antioxidant and DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities with SC50 values of 6.2 and 79.5 µg/mL, respectively. LCMS analysis revealed that twenty polyphenol compounds were identified in the EAF, including phenolic acids and flavonoids, mainly myricetin and quercetin derivatives. The in vivo antihypertensive activity of EAF of CC on SHR revealed that it significantly decreased the mean arterial pressure (MAP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressures (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP) as compared to normal and hypertensive control groups. Moreover, EAF of CC significantly reduced the oxidative stress in the animals in a dose-dependent manner by normalizing the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NOx) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Furthermore, the treatment groups, especially the 500 mg of EAF per kg body weight (EA-500) group, significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved the electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern and pulse wave velocity (PWV). Conclusion: It was concluded that the EAF of CC is a rich source of polyphenols and showed the best antioxidant activity and antihypertensive potential in SHR.

Mechanism-Driven and Clinically Focused Development of Botanical Foods as Multitarget Anticancer Medicine: Collective Perspectives and Insights from Preclinical Studies, IND Applications and Early-Phase Clinical Trials

Cancer progression and mortality remain challenging because of current obstacles and limitations in cancer treatment. Continuous efforts are being made to explore complementary and alternative approaches to alleviate the suffering of cancer patients. Epidemiological and nutritional studies have indicated that consuming botanical foods is linked to a lower risk of cancer incidence and/or improved cancer prognosis after diagnosis. From these observations, a variety of preclinical and clinical studies have been carried out to evaluate the potential of botanical food products as anticancer medicines. Unfortunately, many investigations have been poorly designed, and encouraging preclinical results have not been translated into clinical success. Botanical products contain a wide variety of chemicals, making them more difficult to study than traditional drugs. In this review, with the consideration of the regulatory framework of the USFDA, we share our collective experiences and lessons learned from 20 years of defining anticancer foods, focusing on the critical aspects of preclinical studies that are required for an IND application, as well as the checkpoints needed for early-phase clinical trials. We recommend a developmental pipeline that is based on mechanisms and clinical considerations.

Changes in Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Losartan in Experimental Diseased Rats Treated with Curcuma longa and Lepidium sativum

The current study investigated “pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics interactions” of losartan with Curcuma longa (CUR) and Lepidium sativum (LS) in hypertensive rats. Hypertension was induced by oral administration of L-NAME (40 mg/kg) for two weeks. Oral administration of CUR or LS shows some substantial antihypertensive activity. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) of hypertensive rats was decreased by 7.04% and 8.78% 12 h after treatment with CUR and LS, respectively, as compared to rats treated with L-NAME alone. LS and CUR display the ability to potentiate the blood pressure-lowering effects of losartan in hypertensive rats. A greater decrease in SBP, by 11.66% and 13.74%, was observed in hypertensive rats treated with CUR + losartan and LS + losartan, respectively. Further, both the investigated herbs, CUR and LS, caused an increase in plasma concentrations of losartan in hypertensive rats. The AUC0-t, AUC0-inf and AUMC0-inf of losartan were increased by 1.25-fold, 1.28-fold and 1.09-fold in hypertensive rats treated with CUR + losartan. A significant (p < 0.05) increase in AUC0-t (2.41-fold), AUC0-inf (3.86-fold) and AUMC0-inf (8.35-fold) of losartan was observed in hypertensive rats treated with LS + losartan. The present study affirms that interactions between CUR or LS with losartan alter both “pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics” of the drug. Concurrent administration of losartan with either CUR or LS would require dose adjustment and intermittent blood pressure monitoring for clinical use in hypertensive patients. Additional investigation is necessary to determine the importance of these interactions in humans and to elucidate the mechanisms of action behind these interactions.

Ginger for Healthy Ageing: A Systematic Review on Current Evidence of Its Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anticancer Properties

The world's population is ageing at an accelerated pace. Ageing is a natural, physiological but highly complex and multifactorial process that all species in the Tree of Life experience over time. Physical and mental disabilities, and age-related diseases, would increase along with the increasing life expectancy. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a plant that belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, native to Southeast Asia. For hundreds of years, ginger has been consumed in various ways by the natives of Asian countries, both as culinary and medicinal herb for the treatment of many diseases. Mounting evidence suggests that ginger can promote healthy ageing, reduce morbidity, and prolong healthy lifespan. Ginger, a well-known natural product, has been demonstrated to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties, as well as an outstanding antiviral activity due to a high concentration of antiviral compounds. In this review, the current evidence on the potential role of ginger and its active compounds in the prevention of ageing is discussed.

Evaluation of Potential Herb-Drug Interactions Between Shengmai Injection and Losartan Potassium in Rat and In Vitro

Aim: The present study aimed to explore the potential herb-drug interactions (HDI) between Shengmai injection (SMI) and losartan potassium (LOS) based on the expression profiles of cytochromes P450 (CYP450) and drug transporters in rat and in vitro. Methods: Different concentrations of SMI were used to explore the influence of SMI on the antihypertensive efficacy of LOS in the hypertension rat model established by N (omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) for 4 weeks. Subsequently, the serum concentration levels of LOS and losartan carboxylic acid (EXP3174) were determined by Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) and pharmacokinetic analysis. Human liver microsomes, human multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1/P-gp), and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) vesicles, human embryonic kidney 293 cell line with stable expression of the organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B1 (HEK293-OATP1B1 cells) and mock-transfected HEK293 (HEK293-MOCK) cells were used to verify the effects of SMI on CYP450 enzymes and drug transporters in vitro. Results: Low, medium, and high concentrations of SMI increased the antihypertensive efficacy of LOS to varying degrees. The high dose SMI increased the half-life (t _1/2 ), the maximum plasma concentration (C _max), the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) from time zero to the time of the last measurable plasma concentration (AUC _0-t ), AUC from time zero to infinity (AUC _0-∞ ), and mean residence time (MRT) values of LOS and decreased its apparent volume of distribution (Vd) and clearance (CL) values. The AUC _0-t , AUC _0-∞ , and MRT of LOS were increased, whereas the CL was decreased by the medium concentration of SMI. In addition, the high, medium, and low doses of SMI increased the relative bioavailability (Frel) of LOS. SMI exhibited no significant effects on the pharmacokinetics of EXP3174. In vitro, SMI exhibited different suppressive effects on the enzyme activity levels of CYP1A2 (6.12%), CYP2B6 (2.72%), CYP2C9 (14.31%), CYP2C19 (12.96%), CYP2D6 (12.26%), CYP3A4 (3.72%), CYP2C8 (10.00-30.00%), MDR1 (0.75%), OATP1B1(2.03%), and BCRP (0.15%). Conclusion: In conclusion, SMI improved the antihypertensive efficacy of LOS in the L-NAME-induced hypertension rat model by increasing the concentration of LOS, while leaving the concentration of EXP3174 intact. SMI affected the pharmacokinetic properties of LOS by decreasing the elimination of LOS. These effects might partly be attributed to the inhibition of the activities of CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and of the drug transporters (P-gp, BCRP, and OATP1B1) by SMI, which need further scrutiny.

Effects of garden cress, fenugreek and black seed on the pharmacodynamics of metoprolol: an herb-drug interaction study in rats with hypertension

CONTEXT

Garden cress (GC), fenugreek (FG), and black seed (BS) are traditional herbal medicine for managing hypertension.

OBJECTIVE

The effects of the three herbs on the pharmacodynamics of metoprolol tartrate (MT) in hypertensive rats were investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Wistar rats were divided in five groups (n = 6). Group I served as normal control group and Group II (hypertensive control group) had rats treated orally with N-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 40 mg/kg/day) only. Groups III, IV, and V rats were orally treated with L-NAME (40 mg/kg/day) + GC (300 mg/kg, once daily), L-NAME (40 mg/kg/day) + FG (300 mg/kg, once daily) and L-NAME (40 mg/kg/day) + BS (300 mg/kg, once daily), respectively, for 2 weeks, and on the 14th day, blood pressure and heart rate were recorded using a tail-cuff blood pressure-measuring system. On the 16th day, a single dose of MT (10 mg/kg) was orally administered, and the rats' blood pressure and heart rate were recorded.

RESULTS

GC, FG, and BS decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 8.7%, 8.5%, and 8.7%, respectively, in hypertensive rats. A greater decrease in SBP by 14.5%, 14.8%, and 16.1% was observed when hypertensive rats were treated with L-NAME + GC + MT, L-NAME + FG + MT, and L-NAME + BS + MT, respectively. Similarly, hypertensive rats treated with the combination of herbs and MT had significantly lower diastolic blood pressure (DBP) than those treated with herbs alone and those treated with L-NAME alone.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of investigated herbs and MT had a beneficial effect on hypertension. However, the concurrent administration of drugs, particularly those predominantly cleared through CYP450 2D6-catalyzed metabolism, with the three investigated herbs should be considered with caution.

Effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Zingiber officinale on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of amlodipine

OBJECTIVES

To study the effect of Zingiber officinale and Hibiscus sabdariffa on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of amlodipine.

METHODS

Hypertension was induced in rats (SBP 173.2 ± 1.7 mmHg, mean, 1-24 h). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean blood pressure (MBP) and heart rate (HR) of group-I (amlodipine treated), group-II (Z. officinale, and Z. officinale + amlodipine) and group-III (H. sabdariffa, and H. sabdariffa + amlodipine) animals were measured by "tail-cuff system". Pharmacokinetics of amlodipine with and without herbs (Z. officinale or H. sabdariffa) was also investigated.

RESULTS

Z. officinale as well as H. sabdariffa decreased the SBP, DBP and MBP. Concurrent treatment with Z. officinale + amlodipine (SBP 129.4 ± 4.5) or H. sabdariffa + amlodipine (SBP 130.4 ± 3.9) showed higher decrease in BP (mean, 1-24h), than individually administered amlodipine (SBP 149.5 ± 2.4) or Z. officinale (SBP 150.2 ± 3.1) or H. sabdariffa (SBP 139.1 ± 1.2). These herbs also influenced the Cmax, AUC0-t, and Tmax of amlodipine. H. sabdariffa increased AUC0-t of amlodipine from 81.8 ± 14.7 to 125.0 ± 10.6 (ng h/mL).

CONCLUSION

Simultaneous administration of Z. officinale or H. sabdariffa with amlodipine, improves its pharmacodynamic response.

Immunomodulatory and Mechanistic Considerations of Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) in Dysfunctional Immune Responses: A Systematic Review

Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx (HS) water decoction extract is a commonly consumed beverage with various pharmacological properties. This systematic review examines the possible effect of HS intake on immune mediators. The Scopus and PUBMED databases were searched for all human and animal studies that investigated the effect of HS administration on immune related biomarkers. For each of the immune biomarkers, the mean, standard deviation and number of subjects were extracted for both the HS treated and untreated group. These values were used in the computation of standardized mean difference (SMD). Statistical analysis and forest plot were done with R statistical software (version 3.6.1). Twenty seven (27) studies met the eligibility criteria. Twenty two (22) of the studies were used for the meta-analysis which included a total of 1211 subjects. The meta-analysis showed that HS administration significantly lowered the levels of TNF-α (n=10; pooled SMD: -1.55; 95% CI: -2.43, -0.67; P < 0.01), IL-6 (n=11; pooled SMD:-1.09; 95% CI: -1.77, -0.40; P < 0.01), IL-1β (n=7; pooled SMD:-0.62; 95% CI: -1.25, 0.00; P = 0.05), Edema formation (n=4; pooled SMD: -2.29; 95% CI: -4.47, -0.11; P = 0.04), Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein -1 (n=4; pooled SMD: -1.17; 95% CI: -1.78, -0.57; P < 0.01) and Angiotensin converting enzyme cascade (n=6; pooled SMD: -0.91; 95% CI: -1.57, -0.25; P < 0.01). The levels of IL-10 (n=4; pooled SMD: -0.38; 95% CI: -1.67, 0.91; P = 0.56), Interleukin 8 (n=2; pooled SMD:-0.12; 95% CI: -0.76, 0.51; P = 0.71), iNOS (n=2; pooled SMD:-0.69; 95% CI: -1.60, 0.23 P = 0.14) and C- Reactive Protein (n=4; pooled SMD: 0.05; 95% CI: -0.26, 0.36; P = 0.75), were not significantly changed by HS administration. Some of the results had high statistical heterogeneity. HS may be promising in the management of disorders involving hyperactive immune system or chronic inflammation.

Potential pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions of Nigella Sativa and Trigonella Foenum-graecum with losartan in L-NAME induced hypertensive rats

The objective of this investigation was to study whether Nigella Sativa and Trigonella Foenum-graecum, could modulate the losartan pharmacodynamic (PD) and pharmacokinetic (PK) in experimental L-NAME induced hypertensive rats. For in vivo study, the systolic blood pressure (SBP) of rats was measured by the “tail-cuff system” after the treatment of rats with herb alone and herb + losartan in hypertensive rats. The SBP of rats treated with L-NAME + losartan also recorded. For the PK study, blood samples were obtained for up to 12 h to determine the concentrations of the drug, and various PK parameters were calculated. The data displayed that the SBP was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the rats when administered with L-NAME + N. Sativa or L-NAME + T. Foenum-graecum in contrast to the rats administered with L-NAME alone. A more prominent decline (p < 0.05) in SBP was detected in rats administered with L-NAME + N. Sativa + losartan and L-NAME + T. Foenum-graecum + losartan. In a PK study, higher losartan C_max and AUC_0-t were noted in rats treated with N. Sativa + losartan and T. Foenum-graecum + losartan, although the difference was not significant in contrast to the control group. This study proposed that the interaction between N. Sativa & losartan and T. Foenum-graecum & losartan could take place on concurrent administration; consequently, the dose of losartan may need to be accustomed when they are utilized simultaneously.