Mechanism-based inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 by Indonesian medicinal plants

Thirty samples of Indonesian medicinal plants were tested for their mechanism-based inhibition on cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and CYP2D6 via erythromycin N-demethylation and dextromethorphan O-demethylation activities in human liver microsomes. From screening with 0 and 20 min preincubation at 0.5 mg/ml of methanol extracts, five plants (Cinnamomum burmani bark, Foeniculum vulgare seed, Strychnos ligustrina wood, Tinospora crispa stem, and Zingiber cassumunar rhizome) showed more than 30% increase of CYP3A4 inhibition, while three (Alpinia galanga rhizome, Melaleuca leucadendron leaf, and Piper nigrum fruit) showed more than 30% increase of CYP2D6 inhibition. In these eight plants, Foeniculum vulgare seed, Cinnamomum burmani bark, and Strychnos ligustrina wood showed time-dependent inhibition on CYP3A4 and Piper nigrum fruit and Melaleuca leucadendron leaf on CYP2D6. Among these, four plants other than Melaleuca leucadendron revealed NADPH-dependent inhibition. Thus, Foeniculum vulgare, Cinnamomum burmani, and Strychnos ligustrina should contain mechanism-based inhibitors on CYP3A4 and Piper nigrum contain that on CYP2D6.