Metabolism-mediated drug interaction potential of HS-23, a new herbal drug for the treatment of sepsis in human hepatocytes and liver microsomes

Arch Pharm Res. 2015 Feb;38(2):171-7. doi: 10.1007/s12272-014-0453-y. Epub 2014 Jul 24.

Abstract

HS-23, an extract of the dried flower buds of Lonicera japonica, is a new botanical drug currently being evaluated in a phase I clinical study in Korea for the treatment of sepsis. The in vitro induction and inhibition potentials of HS-23 on the drug-metabolizing enzymes using human hepatocytes and liver microsomes were assessed to evaluate herb-drug interaction according to botanical drug guideline and drug interaction guidance of FDA. HS-23 slightly inhibited CYP2A6, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4 enzyme activities in human liver microsomes with IC50 values of 80.6, 160.7, 169.5, 85.4, and 76.6 μg/mL, respectively. HS-23 showed negligible inhibition of CYP1A2, CYP2C8, CYP2D6, UGT1A1, UGT1A4, UGT1A9, and UGT2B7 activities in human liver microsomes. Based on these results, HS-23 may not inhibit the metabolism of CYP2A6, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4-catalyzed drugs in humans. HS-23 did not affect the mRNA expression of CYP1A2, CYP2B6, and CYP3A4 after 48 h treatment at three concentrations (0.5, 5, and 50 μg/mL) in three independent human hepatocytes, indicating that HS-23 has no effect on herb-drug interactions that up- or down-regulate CYP1A2, CYP2B6, and CYP3A4. These results indicate that the administration of HS-23 in human may not cause clinically relevant inhibition and induction of these cytochrome P450 (CYP) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes and HS-23 may be promising therapeutic agent for treatment of sepsis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / metabolism*
  • Glucuronosyltransferase / metabolism
  • Hepatocytes / drug effects
  • Hepatocytes / enzymology*
  • Herb-Drug Interactions*
  • Humans
  • Inactivation, Metabolic
  • Lonicera / chemistry
  • Microsomes, Liver / drug effects
  • Microsomes, Liver / enzymology*
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Sepsis / drug therapy*
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Plant Extracts
  • lonicerae flos
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
  • Glucuronosyltransferase