Pretreatment of Shaoyao Gancao Decoction () alters pharmacokinetics of intravenous paclitaxel in rats

Herb-drug interaction between Shaoyao-Gancao-Fuzi decoction and tofacitinib via CYP450 enzymes

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE

Shaoyao-Gancao-Fuzi decoction (SGFD), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine formula, was originally described in "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" and has been extensively used to dispel wind, eliminate dampness and treat paralysis. It is widely used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in clinic. However, the effect of SGFD on the activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP450s) and the herb-drug interactions are rarely studied.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SGFD on the activity of CYP450s and evaluate the potential herb-drug interactions between SGFD and tofacitinib, commonly used disease-modifying antirheumatic drug in rheumatoid arthritis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The cocktail approach was employed to assess the effect of SGFD on the activity of CYP1A2, 3A4, 2A6, 2E1, and 2C9. The pharmacokinetic profile of oral administration of tofacitinib in rats after two weeks of treatment with SGFD was investigated. RT-qPCR and molecular docking were performed to unveil the underlying mechanism of the herb-drug interaction.

RESULTS

SGFD had no effect on the activities of CYP2E1 and 2C9, had a weak effect on CYP2A6, and had activatory effect on CYP1A2. However, it had a dramatically inhibitory effect on the activity of CYP3A4. Simultaneously, the values of C_max and AUC_0-∞ of tofacitinib were obviously increased after treatment with SGFD for 14 days. The mechanism study manifested that SGFD significantly reduced the gene transcription of CYP3A. Molecular docking work confirmed that the inhibitory activity of glycyrrhetinic acid, glycyrrhizic acid and liquiritin, the main ingredients of SGFD, occurred by occupying the active sites of CYP3A4 and by making favorable interactions with its key residues.

CONCLUSIONS

The system exposure of tofacitinib was increased by SGFD. SGFD could affect the activity and gene expression of the key metabolic enzyme CYP3A. These findings give a clear understanding to predict herb-drug interaction of SGFD for safe clinical use in future.

Shaoyao Gancao Decoction Ameliorates Paclitaxel-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy via Suppressing TRPV1 and TLR4 Signaling Expression in Rats

Purpose

Paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN) is increasingly becoming one of the most widespread adverse effects in the treatment of cancer patients, and further precipitate neuroinflammation in the nervous system. Interestingly, Shaoyao Gancao Decoction (SGD), a traditional Chinese analgesic prescription, has emerged as a primary adjuvant to chemotherapy in relieving side effects, especially in the case of PIPN. However, the underlying mechanism of SGD functioning in PIPN remains elusive. Accordingly, the current study set out to explore the potential axis implicated in the functioning of SGD in PIPN.

Methods

First, network pharmacology was adopted to predict the role of the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) protein in treating PIPN with SGD. Subsequently, the effects of SGD treatment on mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were evaluated in rat PIPN models. Based on the bioinformatics information and current literature, paclitaxel activates toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) induces the sensitization of TRPV1 mechanistically. Thereafter, TLR4-myeloid-differentiation response gene 88 (MyD88) signaling and TRPV1 expression patterns in dorsal root ganglias (DRGs) were measured by means of Western blotting, qPCR and immunofluorescence.

Results

Initial bioinformatics reared a total of 105 bioactive compounds and 1075 target genes from SGD. In addition, 40 target genes intersected with PIPN were considered as potential therapeutic genes. Based on the network analysis, SGD was found to exert its analgesic effect by reducing the expression of TRPV1. Further experimentation validated that SGD exerted an analgesic effect on thermal hyperalgesia in PIPN models, such that this protective effect was associated with the suppression of TRPV1 and TLR4-MyD88 Signaling over-expression.

Conclusion

Collectively, our findings indicated that SGD ameliorates PIPN by inhibiting the over-expression of TLR4-MyD88 Signaling and TRPV1, and further highlights the use of SGD as a potential alternative treatment for PIPN.

Herb-Drug Interaction Potential of Licorice Extract and Paclitaxel: A Pharmacokinetic Study in Rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Licorice is the dried roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch (Leguminosae), which is often used with paclitaxel to alleviate paclitaxel-induced pain in clinics. However, the herb-drug interaction between licorice and paclitaxel is still unknown. Our study evaluates the effects of oral licorice on the paclitaxel in rats via pharmacokinetic studies.

METHODS

A simple and rapid ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed to determine paclitaxel in rat. SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups of 6 animals each as follows: two groups of rats that were pretreated with a daily gavage of licorice (3 g/kg) for 1 or 14 successive days; Control group that was administered distilled water. All rats were then intravenously administered with paclitaxel (3 mg/kg).

RESULTS

The results showed that 14 days pretreatment of licorice could decrease the area under the curve (AUC_0-t) (from 7483.08 ± 528.78 to 6679.12 ± 266.56 mg/L × h) (P < 0.01), and increase the total clearance (CL) (from 0.36 ± 0.02 to 0.39 ± 0.02 L/h/kg) of paclitaxel (P < 0.01). However, a single co-administration of licorice did not significantly alter the pharmacokinetic parameters of paclitaxel, such as AUC_0-t (from 7483.08 ± 528.78 to 7201.24 ± 292.76 mg/L × h) (P > 0.05) and CL (from 0.36 ± 0.02 to 0.36 ± 0.01 L/h/kg) (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results will contribute to better use of licorice in the adjunctive therapy and provide information to study the interaction between herbs and chemotherapy.

Shaoyao-Gancao Decoction Relieves Visceral Hyperalgesia in TNBS-Induced Postinflammatory Irritable Bowel Syndrome via Inactivating Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type 1 and Reducing Serotonin Synthesis

Postinflammatory irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder, which is characterized by abdominal pain, low-grade inflammation, and visceral hypersensitivity. Shaoyao-Gancao decoction (SGD) has been used to improve the clinical symptoms of abdominal spasmodic pain accompanying acute gastroenteritis, but the underlying therapeutic mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, a rat model of PI-IBS was established via rectal administration of TNBS. Rats were scored daily for 28 days using disease activity index (DAI). Abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) was used to measure the pain threshold. After SGD (6.25, 12.5, and 25 g/kg/d) treatment for 14 days, rat colonic tissue was collected for histopathological grading, enterochromaffin (EC) cell count, and 5-HT content measurement. RT-qPCR and western blot analyses were employed to detect the gene and protein level of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT), and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). To further validate the effect of SGD on TRPV1, another experiment was performed in cells. The results revealed that visceral hyperalgesia, reflected by increased DAI, AWR, pathological injury score, 5-HT content, and EC cell count in PI-IBS rats, was significantly ameliorated by SGD. In cells, SGD markedly inhibited the expression and function of TRPV1. Moreover, the expression levels of TPH were also repressed by SGD. The findings of the present study indicated that the therapeutic effect of SGD on visceral hyperalgesia may be closely associated with the regulatory role of TRPV1 and 5-HT signaling pathways.

Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix) provides the main contribution to Shaoyao-Gancao decoction on enhancements of CYP3A4 and MDR1 expression via pregnane X receptor pathway in vitro

BACKGROUND

Chinese herbal formula Shaoyao Gancao decoction (SGD) is often used as an adjuvant with chemotherapeutic agents to treat cancer. Due to the herb-drug interactions, the alternations of drug metabolic enzyme and drug transporters induced by SGD deserve to be explored. We aimed to investigate the effect of SGD on the pregnane X receptor (PXR)-mediated transcriptional regulation of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and drug transporter multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) in vitro. Besides, we assessed the contribution of constituent herbs to SGD on the regulation of CYP3A4 and MDR1.

METHODS

The dual luciferase reporter gene system containing the hPXR expression plasmid and the reporter gene plasmid of CYP3A4 or MDR1 was co-transfected to HepG2 and Caco2 cells. Luciferase activities were determined using a Dual-luciferase reporter assay kit. The gene expression of CYP3A4 and MDR1 in the hPXR-transfected LS174T cells were assessed by real-time qPCR. Finally, the contribution of constituent herbs from SGD was evaluated.

RESULTS

SGD, Shaoyao and Gancao concentration-dependently increased promoter activities of CYP3A4 and MDR1 in vitro. Moreover, SGD, Shaoyao and Gancao up-regulated CYP3A4 and MDR1 mRNA in hPXR-transfected LS174T cells. As the herbal constituent of SGD, Gancao possesses significantly higher levels of metabolic enzyme and drug transporters compared with Shaoyao.

CONCLUSION

SGD tends to enhance CYP3A4 and MDR1 expression via PXR pathway, especially Gancao provides the main contribution. This study highlights a potential in vitro mechanism for SGD on the regulation of drug metabolic enzymes and drug transporters.

Synovial tissue quantitative proteomics analysis reveals paeoniflorin decreases LIFR and ASPN proteins in experimental rheumatoid arthritis

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common worldwide public health problem, which causes a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder of synovial joints. Paeoniflorin (PA) has achieved positive results to some extent for the treatment of RA.

Purpose

This study aimed to reveal the potential druggable targets of PA in an experimental RA model using quantitative proteomics analysis.

Study design and methods

Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group, model group and PA group. PA (1 mg/kg) was used to treat collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats for 42 days. We used isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation-based quantitative proteomics to analyze the synovial tissue of rats. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) software was applied to process the data. The proteins that were targeted via IPA software were verified by Western blots.

Results

We found that PA caused 86 differentially expressed proteins (≥1.2-fold or ≤0.84-fold) compared with the CIA group. Of these varied proteins, 20 significantly changed (p<0.05) proteins referred to 41 CIA-relative top pathways after IPA pathway analysis. Thirteen of the PA-regulated pathways were anchored, which intervened in 24 biological functions. Next, network analysis revealed that leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) and asporin (ASPN), which participate in two significant networks, contributed the most to the efficacy of PA treatment. Additionally, Western blots confirmed the aforementioned druggable targets of PA for the treatment of RA.

Conclusion

The results reveal that PA may treat RA by decreasing two key proteins, LIFR and ASPN. Our research helps to identify potential agents for RA treatment.