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Chauveau A, Treyer A, Geirnaert A, Bircher L, Babst A, Abegg VF, Simões-Wüst AP, Lacroix C, Potterat O, Hamburger M. Intestinal permeability and gut microbiota interactions of pharmacologically active compounds in valerian and St. John's wort. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 162:114652. [PMID: 37027987 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Phytomedicines such as valerian and St. John's wort are widely used for the treatment of sleeping disorders, anxiety and mild depression. They are perceived as safe alternatives to synthetic drugs, but limited information is available on the intestinal absorption and interaction with human intestinal microbiota of pharmacologically relevant constituents valerenic acid in valerian, and hyperforin and hypericin in St. John's wort. The intestinal permeability of these compounds and the antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs citalopram and diazepam was investigated in the Caco-2 cell model with bidirectional transport experiments. In addition, interaction of compounds and herbal extracts with intestinal microbiota was evaluated in artificial human gut microbiota. Microbiota-mediated metabolisation of compounds was assessed, and bacterial viability and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) production were measured in the presence of compounds or herbal extracts. Valerenic acid and hyperforin were highly permeable in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Hypericin showed low-to-moderate permeability. An active transport process was potentially involved in the transfer of valerenic acid. Hyperforin and hypericin were mainly transported through passive transcellular diffusion. All compounds were not metabolized over 24 h in the artificial gut microbiota. Microbial SCFA production and bacterial viability was not substantially impaired nor promoted by exposure to the compounds or herbal extracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Chauveau
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Treyer
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Annelies Geirnaert
- Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lea Bircher
- Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Angela Babst
- Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa Fabienne Abegg
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ana Paula Simões-Wüst
- Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Lacroix
- Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Potterat
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias Hamburger
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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Spiess D, Abegg VF, Chauveau A, Rath J, Treyer A, Reinehr M, Kuoni S, Oufir M, Potterat O, Hamburger M, Simões-Wüst AP. Transplacental passage of hyperforin, hypericin, and valerenic acid. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1123194. [PMID: 37063288 PMCID: PMC10103840 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1123194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Safe medications for mild mental diseases in pregnancy are needed. Phytomedicines from St. John’s wort and valerian are valid candidates, but safety data in pregnancy are lacking. The transplacental transport of hyperforin and hypericin (from St. John’s wort), and valerenic acid (from valerian) was evaluated using the ex vivo cotyledon perfusion model (4 h perfusions, term placentae) and, in part, the in vitro Transwell assay with BeWo b30 cells. Antipyrine was used for comparison in both models. U(H)PLC-MS/MS bioanalytical methods were developed to quantify the compounds. Perfusion data obtained with term placentae showed that only minor amounts of hyperforin passed into the fetal circuit, while hypericin did not cross the placental barrier and valerenic acid equilibrated between the maternal and fetal compartments. None of the investigated compounds affected metabolic, functional, and histopathological parameters of the placenta during the perfusion experiments. Data from the Transwell model suggested that valerenic acid does not cross the placental cell layer. Taken together, our data suggest that throughout the pregnancy the potential fetal exposure to hypericin and hyperforin – but not to valerenic acid – is likely to be minimal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Spiess
- Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa Fabienne Abegg
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Chauveau
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Joshua Rath
- Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Treyer
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Reinehr
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sabrina Kuoni
- Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mouhssin Oufir
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Potterat
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Hamburger
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Matthias Hamburger, ; Ana Paula Simões-Wüst,
| | - Ana Paula Simões-Wüst
- Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Matthias Hamburger, ; Ana Paula Simões-Wüst,
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Luescher S, Urmann C, Butterweck V. Effect of Hops Derived Prenylated Phenols on TNF-α Induced Barrier Dysfunction in Intestinal Epithelial Cells. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2017; 80:925-931. [PMID: 28234482 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
For the prenylated hops phenols 6- and 8-prenylnaringenin (1 and 2), xanthohumol (3), and isoxanthohumol (4), a variety of biological activities has been described. In the current study, a transwell based in vitro model using the human intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2 was developed to assess potential beneficial effects of compounds 1-4 on TNF-α-induced impairment of tight junction (TJ) permeability. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) was measured using the latest cellZScope online monitoring device. TNF-α treatment (25 ng/mL) induced a significant decrease in TEER values (204.71 ± 4.57 at 72 h) compared to that in control values (245.94 ± 1.68 at 72 h). To determine preventive effects on TNF-α-induced impairment of TJ permeability, 1-4 were added to the apical compartment of Caco-2 monolayers 1 h before TNF-α treatment; afterward, TNF-α was added to the basolateral compartment to induce TJ dysfunction and incubated for a further 72 h. Using this setting, only 1 and 2 prevented epithelial disruption induced by TNF-α. To evaluate restorative effects of 1-4, TNF-α was added to the basolateral compartment of Caco-2 cell monolayers. After 48 h of incubation, 1-4 were added to the apical side, and TEER values were monitored online for a further 72 h. Under these experimental conditions, only 2 restored TNF-α induced barrier dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Luescher
- Institute for Pharma Technology, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland , Gruendenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Corinna Urmann
- Hochschule Weihenstephan Triesdorf, University of Applied Sciences , Schulgasse 16, 94315 Straubing, Germany
| | - Veronika Butterweck
- Institute for Pharma Technology, School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland , Gruendenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
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