Exploring pharmacokinetics and herb-drug interactions of an herbal extract mixture derived from Poria cocos and Morus alba L.

초록

Purpose: Poria cocos and Morus alba L., recognized as traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), have gained attention for their diverse pharmacological effects. An herbal extract mixture (named as NB-02) combining these two botanicals has been developed for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). To ensure the efficacy and safety of NB-02, we aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile and herb-drug interaction potential of the major bioactive compounds, poricoic acid A (PAA) and quinic acid (QA), in NB-02. Methods: The plasma concentration profiles of PAA and QA were assessed in rats following oral administration of the extract mixture while evaluating the dose and sex-related pharmacokinetic characteristics. Also, potential herb-drug interactions of the extract mixture were evaluated through cytochrome P450 (CYP) and uridine 5'-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) inhibition assays. P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate and inhibitor prediction was conducted in silico. Results: A pharmacokinetic study revealed a dose-dependent increase in plasma levels of PAA and QA. PAA exhibited no sex-specificity, whereas QA demonstrated elevated plasma levels in female rats. Furthermore, NB-02 showed no significant inhibitory effects on the activities of both CYP and UGT enzymes. Also, PAA and QA were predicted to be P-gp non-inhibitors. Conclusion: The investigation of the pharmacokinetic properties and herb-drug interactions of the major bioactive compounds, PAA and QA, would provide valuable insights into the pharmacological effects and potential clinical application of NB-02. © 2024, The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Korean Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology.

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