Acta Pharm. 64 (2014) 223-232
Original research paper
Screening for impact of popular herbs improving
mental abilities on the transcriptional level of brain transporters
PRZEMYSLAW
M. MROZIKIEWICZ, ANNA BOGACZ, JOANNA BARTKOWIAK-WIECZOREK, RADOSLAW KUJAWSKI, PRZEMYSLAW
L. MIKOLAJCZAK, MARCIN OZAROWSKI, BOGUSLAW CZERNY, BEATA MROZIKIEWICZ-RAKOWSKA
and EDMUND GRZESKOWIAK
aniabogacz23@o2.pl
1 Laboratory
of Experimental Pharmacogenetics, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and
Biopharmacy, University of Medical Sciences, 61-861 Poznan, Poland
2 Department
of Quality Control of Medicinal Products and Dietary Supplements, Institute of
Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants, 61-707 Poznan, Poland
3 Department
of Pharmacology, University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland
4 Departament
of Pharmaceutical Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Medical
Sciences, 61-861 Poznan, Poland
5 Department
of General Pharmacology and Pharmacoeconomics, Pomeranian Medical University,
70-204 Szczecin, Poland
6 Department
of Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw,
02-091 Warsaw, Poland
Accepted February 27, 2014
There are a number of compounds that can modify the activity of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) and solute carrier (SLC) transporters in the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of natural and synthetic substances on the expression level of genes encoding transporters present in the BBB (mdr1a, mdr1b, mrp1, mrp2, oatp1a4, oatp1a5 and oatp1c1). Our results showed that verapamil caused the greatest reduction in the mRNA level while other synthetic (piracetam, phenobarbital) and natural (codeine, cyclosporine A, quercetin) substances showed a selective inhibitory effect. Moreover, extract from roots of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer exhibited a decrease of transcription against selected transporters whereas extract from Ginkgo biloba L. leaves resulted in an increase of the expression level of tested genes except for mrp2. Extract from aerial parts of Hypericum perforatum L. was the only one to cause an increased mRNA level for mdr1 and oatp1c1. These findings suggest that herbs can play an important role in overcoming the BBB and multidrug resistance against pharmacotherapy of brain cancer and mental disorders, based on the activity of selected drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters located in the BBB.
Keywords: ABC proteins, P-glycoprotein, blood-brain barrier, expression level, herbal substances