Chemical Marker Profile and Biological Effects of Natural Products Containing Echinacea

Brian C. Foster, Office of Science, Therapeutic Products Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Cathy Drouin, Centre for Research in Biopharmaceuticals, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Anthony Krantis, Centre for Research in Biopharmaceuticals, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Mitra Panahi, Centre for Research in Biopharmaceuticals, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Aleksandra Franovic, University of Ottawa
Frank J. Burczynski, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Ping Yiang, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
John T. Arnason, Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
John Livesey, Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Robert Drobitch, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada;
Colin Briggs, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Abstract

Natural health products containing Echinacea have been used by many patient populations and although there are reports of adverse effects with products containing Echinacea, few clearly characterized the nature of the product with respect to constituent content, the nature of the products and the mechanism underlying the interaction. The objective of this study was to examine blended and single-entity Echinacea products containing ground plant material or extracts in commercial capsules, herbal teas, tablets, tinctures and soft gel liquid-filled capsule formulations in an attempt to correlate biomarker constituent content and effects on cellular and subcellular parameters of interest. HPLC analysis indicated significant variability in the major biomarker constituent content in extracts from these Echinacea products. These extracts were also examined for their potential to affect cytochrome P450 CYP1A1/2, 2C9*1, 2C9*2, 2C19, 2D6, 3A4, 3A5, 3A7, and flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3); CYP3A5-mediated metabolism, and expression of CYP3A4 and ABCB1. The extracts of some products were also examined for their effect cellular processes such as cell proliferation, nitric oxide formation as a marker of immunostimulatory capacity, and lactate dehydrogenase release as a marker for cell toxicity. The present study indicated that key Echinacea constituents varied widely within and between the products tested and that these levels did not correlate with the ability of these products to markedly affect the cellular processes studied.

Submitted: September 6, 2005 · Accepted: November 23, 2005 · Published: December 23, 2005

Recommended Citation

Foster, Brian C.; Drouin, Cathy; Krantis, Anthony; Panahi, Mitra; Franovic, Aleksandra; Burczynski, Frank J.; Yiang, Ping; Arnason, John T.; Livesey, John; Drobitch, Robert; and Briggs, Colin (2005) "Chemical Marker Profile and Biological Effects of Natural Products Containing Echinacea," Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine: Vol. 2 : Iss. 1, Article 11.
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/jcim/vol2/iss1/11

 
 
 
 

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