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Research: GANZERA and others,
Listed in Issue 126
Abstract
GANZERA and others, Institute of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria, describe an inhibiting effect of chamomile essential oil on the detoxification system, cytochrome P-450.
Background
Chamomile extracts and tea are widely used herbal preparations for the treatment of minor illnesses (e.g. indigestion, inflammation). The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of chamomile essential oil and its major constituents on four selected human cytochrome P450 enzymes.
Methodology
In this in vitro study, increasing concentrations of the test compounds were incubated with individual, recombinant enzymes, and their effect on the conversion of surrogate substances was measured.
Results
Crude essential oil demonstrated inhibition of each of the enzymes. Three constituents of the oil, namely chamazulene (IC50 = 4.41 microM), cis-spiroether (IC50 = 2.01 microM) and trans-spiroether (IC50 = 0.47 microM) showed to be potent inhibitors of the isoforms CYP1A2 and CYP3A4. CYP2C9 and CYP2D6 were less inhibited, only chamazulene (IC50 = 1.06 microM) and alpha-bisabolol (IC50 = 2.18 microM) revealed a significant inhibition of the latter.
Conclusion
Chamomile preparations contain substances that inhibit the activities of major human drug metabolizing enzymes; interactions with drugs whose route of elimination is mainly via cytochrome P-450 are therefore possible.
References
Ganzera M, Schneider P, Stuppner H. Inhibitory effects of the essential oil of chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) and its major constituents on human cytochrome P450 enzymes. Life Sciences 78 (8): 856-861, Jan 18, 2006.
