Study on the pharmacokinetics of deoxyschizandrin and schizandrin in combination with epigallocatechin gallate, a component of green tea, in rats

Abstract

1. Green tea is commonly used worldwide due to its potential positive health benefits. We have examined the effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the most abundant catechin in green tea, on the pharmacokinetics of deoxyschizandrin (DSD) and schizandrin (SD), which are the representative lignans in popular traditional Chinese medicines Fructus schisandrae, in rats.

2. The effects on the transport in Caco-2 cells and metabolism in human liver microsomes (HLMs) of DSD and SD by EGCG were determined to analyze their interactions thoroughly.

3. In pharmacokinetic studies, rats were divided into four groups. Each group was orally treated with DSD alone (Group 1), DSD combined with EGCG (Group 2), SD alone (Group 3) and SD combined with EGCG (Group 4). The pharmacokinetic parameters of DSD and SD in rats were determined by UPLC-MS/MS.

4. The in vivo results indicated that EGCG had no significant influence on the pharmacokinetic behaviors of DSD or SD in rats, which were in accordance with the in vitro transport and metabolism studies. However, there were marked differences between male and female rats among C_max, AUC_0–t, AUC_0–∞ of DSD and SD. This disparity suggested that gender differences might exist in the pharmacokinetic processes of DSD or SD in rats.

Keywords:

• Deoxyschizandrin
• epigallocatechin gallate
• interaction
• pharmacokinetics
• schizandrin

Declaration of interest

All studies reported here were supported and conducted by Shenyang Pharmaceutical University. The authors have declared no conflict of interest.