Background Hibiscus sabdariffa beverage (HSB) is widely consumed as a medicinal herb and sometimes used concomitantly with drugs. This study evaluated the in vitro inhibitory potential of the aqueous extract of H. sabdariffa calyces (AEHS) on selected cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes and the effect of HSB on the pharmacokinetics of caffeine in vivo. Methods In vitro inhibitions of eight major CYP isozymes by AEHS were estimated by monitoring CYP-specific model reactions of 10 CYP probe substrates using N-in-one assay method. Subsequently, an open, randomized, two-period crossover design was used to evaluate the effect of HSB on the pharmacokinetics of single-dose 200 mg caffeine in six healthy human volunteers. Blood samples were obtained at specific times over a 24 h period. Probe drugs and metabolites were analyzed in their respective matrices with ultra-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometer/mass spectrometer and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet detection. Results The H. sabdariffa aqueous extract weakly inhibited the selected CYP isozymes in vitro, with IC50 of >100 μgmL-1 in the order of CYP1A2 > CYP2C8 > CYP2B6 >> CYP2D6 > CYP2C19 > CYP3A4 > CYP2A6 > CYP2C9. HSB decreased terminal t1/2 and Tmax of caffeine by 13.6% and 13.0%, respectively, and increased Cmax by 10.3%. Point estimates of primary pharmacokinetic endpoints, Cmax = 1.142 (90% confidence interval (CI) = 0.882, 1.480) and AUC0-∞ = 0.992 (90% CI = 0.745, 1.320), were outside the 90% CI of 0.8-1.25 bioequivalence limits. Conclusion The aqueous extract of H. sabdariffa weakly inhibited eight CYP isozymes in vitro, but HSB modified the exposure to caffeine in human. Caution should be exercised in administering HSB with caffeine or similar substrates of CYP1A2 until more clinical data are available.

Abstract Background Increasing use of medicinal herbs as nutritional supplements and traditional medicines for the treatment of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and malaria fever with conventional drugs poses possibilities of herb–drug interactions (HDIs). The potential of nine selected widely used tropical medicinal herbs in inhibiting human cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes was investigated. Materials and methods In vitro inhibition of eight major CYP isoenzymes by aqueous extracts of Allium sativum, Gongronema latifolium, Moringa oleifera, Musa sapientum, Mangifera indica, Tetracarpidium conophorum, Alstonia boonei, Bauhinia monandra, and Picralima nitida was estimated in human liver microsomes by monitoring twelve probe metabolites of nine probe substrates with UPLC/MS‐MS using validated N‐in‐one assay method. Results Mangifera indica moderately inhibited CYP2C8, CYP2B6, CYP2D6, CYP1A2, and CYP2C9 with IC 50 values of 37.93, 57.83, 67.39, 54.83, and 107.48 μg/ml, respectively, and Alstonia boonei inhibited CYP2D6 (IC 50 = 77.19 μg/ml). Picralima nitida inhibited CYP3A4 (IC 50 = 45.58 μg/ml) and CYP2C19 (IC 50 = 73.06 μg/ml) moderately but strongly inhibited CYP2D6 (IC 50 = 1.19 μg/ml). Other aqueous extracts of Gongronema latifolium, Bauhinia monandra, and Moringa oleifera showed weak inhibitory activities against CYP1A2. Musa sapientum, Allium sativum, and Tetracarpidium conophorum did not inhibit the CYP isoenzymes investigated. Conclusion Potential for clinically important CYP‐metabolism‐mediated HDIs is possible for Alstonia boonei, Mangifera indica, and Picralima nitida with drugs metabolized by CYP 2C8, 2B6, 2D6, 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, and 3A4. Inhibition of CYP2D6 by Picralima nitida is of particular concern and needs immediate in vivo investigations.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate effects of the peripherally acting α2-adrenoceptor antagonist MK-467 on cardiopulmonary function in sheep sedated with medetomidine and ketamine. ANIMALS 9 healthy adult female sheep. PROCEDURES Each animal received an IM injection of a combination of medetomidine (30 μg/kg) and ketamine (1 mg/kg; Med-Ket) alone and Med-Ket and 3 doses of MK-467 (150, 300, and 600 μg/kg) in a randomized blinded 4-way crossover study. Atipamezole (150 μg/kg, IM) was administered 60 minutes later to reverse sedation. Cardiopulmonary variables and sedation scores were recorded, and drug concentrations in plasma were analyzed. Data were analyzed with a repeated-measures ANCOVA and 1-way ANOVA. Reference limits for the equivalence of sedation scores were set at 0.8 and 1.25. RESULTS Heart rate, cardiac output, and Pao2 decreased and mean arterial blood pressure, central venous pressure, and systemic vascular resistance increased after Med-Ket alone. Administration of MK-467 significantly alleviated these effects, except for the decrease in cardiac output. After sedation was reversed with atipamezole, no significant differences were detected in cardiopulmonary variables among the treatments. Administration of MK-467 did not significantly alter plasma concentrations of medetomidine, ketamine, norketamine, or atipamezole. Sedation as determined on the basis of overall sedation scores was similar among treatments. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Concurrent administration of MK-467 alleviated cardiopulmonary effects in sheep sedated with Med-Ket without affecting sedation or reversal with atipamezole.

Bacteria rely mainly on enzymes, glutathione and other low-molecular weight thiols to overcome oxidative stress. However, hydroxyl radicals are the most cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, and no known enzymatic system exists for their detoxification. We now show that methyl-esterified dimers and trimers of 3-hydroxybutyrate (ME-3HB), produced by bacteria capable of polyhydroxybutyrate biosynthesis, have 3-fold greater hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity than glutathione and 11-fold higher activity than vitamin C or the monomer 3-hydroxybutyric acid. We found that ME-3HB oligomers protect hypersensitive yeast deletion mutants lacking oxidative stress-response genes from hydroxyl radical stress. Our results show that phaC and phaZ, encoding polymerase and depolymerase, respectively, are activated and polyhydroxybutyrate reserves are degraded for production of ME-3HB oligomers in bacteria infecting plant cells and exposed to hydroxyl radical stress. We found that ME-3HB oligomer production is widespread, especially in bacteria adapted to stressful environments. We discuss how ME-3HB oligomers could provide opportunities for numerous applications in human health.

Three new epithiodiketopiperazine natural products [outovirin A (1), outovirin B (2), and outovirin C (3)] resembling the antifungal natural product gliovirin have been identified in extracts of Penicillium raciborskii, an endophytic fungus isolated from Rhododendron tomentosum. The compounds are unusual for their class in that they possess sulfide bridges between α- and β-carbons rather than the typical α-α bridging. To our knowledge, outovirin A represents the first reported naturally produced epimonothiodiketopiperazine, and antifungal outovirin C is the first reported trisulfide gliovirin-like compound. This report describes the identification and structural elucidation of the compounds by LC-MS/MS and NMR.

Covering up to the end of August 2013. Phenalenones are members of a unique class of natural polyketides exhibiting diverse biological potential. This is a comprehensive review of 72 phenalenones with diverse structural features originating from fungal sources. Their bioactive potential and structure elucidation are discussed along with a review of their biosynthetic pathways and the taxonomical relationship between the fungi producing these natural products.

The high-resolution radical scavenging profile of an extract of the endophytic fungus Penicillium namyslowskii was used to target analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry-solid-phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, i.e., HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR, for identification of anti-oxidative secondary metabolites. This revealed the two chromatographic peaks with the highest relative response in the radical scavenging profile to be griseophenone C and peniprequinolone. The HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR analysis was performed in the tube-transfer mode using a cryogenically cooled NMR probe designed for 1.7 mm NMR tubes. To further explore the potential of the above HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR platform for analysis of endophytic extracts, six peaks displaying no radical scavenging activity were also analyzed. This allowed unambiguous identification of six metabolites, i.e., dechlorogriseofulvin, dechlorodehydrogriseofulvin, griseofulvin, dehydrogriseofulvin, mevastatin acid, and mevastatin. The high mass sensitivity of the 1.7 mm cryogenically cooled NMR probe allowed for the first time acquisition of direct detected C-13 NMR spectra of fungal metabolites, i.e., dechlorogriseofulvin and griseofulvin, directly from crude extract via HPLC-HRmS-SPE-NMR. Dechlorodehydrogriseofulvin was reported for the first time from nature. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eighty-seven endophytic fungi were isolated from asymptomatic leaf tissues of Rhododendron tomentosum . Most of the isolates were non-sporulating and therefore difficult to identify exclusively based on morphological characters. Eighteen isolates that were morphologically distinct were selected for identification by sequencing the ITS region. For culture-independent analysis, the DNA was isolated from the surface-sterilized leaves of R. tomentosum and the ITS region was amplified using fungal specific primers ITS1F and ITS4, cloned, and 11 clones were randomly selected and sequenced. The phylogenetic analysis was performed with MEGA4 on a total of 49 sequences, including 18 endophytic isolates and 11 unculturables obtained in this study, and 20 sequences from Genbank, which were distributed in four clusters. The culturable and unculturable endophytes formed separate clades and were clearly distinguishable with no overlap within the groups. Endophytic fungi are a well-recognized source of bioactive compounds and therefore antibacterial and antioxidant activities of the isolates of R. tomentosum were studied. All isolates were grown in two different media, enriched (MEB) and depleted (DM), and screened for antibacterial and antioxidant activities. As a result, 10% produced antibacterials and 14% antioxidants, in total 24% of the isolates had biological activity. Antioxidant broth of TRT59 was partially purified using HPLC. The majority of antibacterial compounds were produced in DM media and antioxidants in MEB media. Therefore, it is advisable to test various media for production of antibacterials and antioxidants.

Production of extracellular siderophores is typical for many plant-associated microbes, both mutualistic and antagonistic. Various strains of mycorrhizal fungi produce siderophores, and siderophore production by pathogenic fungi is typically associated with virulence. We analyzed extracellular siderophore production along with production of antibacterial and antioxidant compounds in foliar endophytic fungi of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Labrador tea (Rhododendron tomentosum Harmaja). The siderophore produced in vitro was ferricrocin, quantities ranging between 7.9 and 17.6 μg/l. Only the fungi with antibacterial activity produced ferricrocin and any well-known siderophores were not detected in the broths of antioxidant-producing fungi. Therefore, production of ferricrocin is typical for some, but not all foliar endophytic fungi. Ferricrocin was detected in the leaves of Labrador tea, which suggests that ferricrocin may play a role in vivo in the interaction between the endophyte and plant host.