Enzyme- and transporter-mediated beverage-drug interactions: An update on fruit juices and green tea.

Beverage-drug interactions have remained an active area of research and have been the subject of extensive investigations in the past 2 decades. The known mechanisms of clinically relevant beverage-drug interactions include modulation of the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A and organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP). For CYP3A-mediated beverage-drug interaction, the in vivo CYP3A inhibitory effect is limited to grapefruit juice (GFJ), which increases the bioavailability of several orally administered drugs that undergo extensive first-pass metabolism via enteric CYP3A. In contrast, clinically significant OATP-mediated beverage-drug interactions have been observed with not only GFJ but also orange juice, apple juice, and, most recently, green tea. Fruit juices and green tea are all a mixture of a large number of constituents. The investigation of specific constituent(s) responsible for the enzyme and/or transporter inhibition remains an active area of research, and many new findings have been obtained on this subject in the past several years. This review highlights the multiple mechanisms through which beverages can alter drug disposition and provides an update on the new findings of beverage-drug interactions, with a focus on fruit juices and green tea.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of purified flaxseed and associated mammalian lignans in male Wistar rats.

Consumption of flaxseed lignans is associated with various health benefits; however, little is known about the bioavailability of purified lignans in flaxseed. Data on their bioavailability and hence pharmacokinetics (PK) are necessary to better understand their role in putative health benefits. In the present study, we conducted a comparative PK analysis of the principal lignan of flaxseed, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), and its primary metabolites, secoisolariciresinol (SECO), enterodiol (ED) and enterolactone (EL) in rats. Purified lignans were intravenously or orally administered to each male Wistar rat. SDG and its primary metabolites SECO, ED and EL were administered orally at doses of 40, 40, 10 and 10 mg/kg, respectively, and intravenously at doses of 20, 20, 5 and 1 mg/kg, respectively. Blood samples were collected at 0 (pre-dose), 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 45 min, and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 h post-dosing, and serum samples were analysed. PK parameters and oral bioavailability of purified lignans were determined by non-compartmental methods. In general, administration of the flaxseed lignans SDG, SECO and ED demonstrated a high systemic clearance, a large volume of distribution and short half-lives, whereas administration of EL at the doses of 1 mg/kg (intravenously) and 10 mg/kg (orally administered) killed the rats within a few hours of dosing, precluding a PK analysis of this lignan. PK parameters of flaxseed lignans exhibited the following order: systemic clearance, SDG < SECO < ED; volume of distribution, SDG < SECO < ED; half-life, SDG < ED < SECO. The percentage of oral bioavailability was 0, 25 and < 1 % for SDG, SECO and ED, respectively.

HPLC method with fluorescence detection for the quantitative determination of flaxseed lignans.

We report a rapid and simple HPLC method with fluorescence detection for the quantification of the major flaxseed lignan, secoisolarisiresinol diglucoside (SDG) and its major metabolites. The method is specific for SDG, secoisolarisiresinol (SECO), enterodiol (ED) and entrolactone (EL) in rat serum. The assay procedure involves chromatographic separation using a Waters Symmetry C(18) reversed-phase column (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 µm) and mobile phase gradient conditions consisting of acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid) and water (0.1% formic acid). SDG extraction from serum requires the use of Centrifuge filters while SECO, ED and EL are extracted with diethyl ether. The organic layer is evaporated and reconstituted in 100 µL of mobile phase and 50 µL of reconstituted sample or filtrate is injected onto the column. Total run time is 25 min. Calibration curves are linear (r² ≥ 0.997) from 0.05 to 10 µg/mL for SDG and EL and 0.01-10 µg/mL for SECO and ED. Precision and accuracy are within USFDA specified limits. The stability of all lignans is established in auto-injector, bench-top, freeze-thaw and long-term stability at -80 °C for 30 days. The method's reasonable sensitivity and reliance on more widely available HPLC technology should allow for its straightforward application to pharmacokinetic evaluations of lignans in animal model systems such as the rat.