Extracts and constituents of Hypericum perforatum inhibit the binding of various ligands to recombinant receptors expressed with the Semliki Forest virus system.

Extracts, fractions and constituents of Hypericum perforatum were studied for in vitro receptor binding with various ligands to recombinant CNS receptors expressed with the Semliki Forest virus expression system. For this purpose we have prepared membranes of CHO cells with high density of several opioid, serotonin, estrogen, histamine, GABAA, neurokinin and metabotropic glutamate receptors, respectively. A lipophilic Hypericum fraction revealed relatively potent inhibition to the binding of the mu-, delta- and kappa-opioid and the 5-HT6 and 5-HT7 receptors. Moreover, Hypericum constituents such as the naphthodianthrones, hypericin and pseudohypericin, and the phloroglucinole hyperforin inhibited both binding to the opioid and serotonin receptors in the lower micromolar range. Estrogen binding was 50% inhibited by the biflavonoid I3,II8-biapigenin at micromolar concentration. The lipophilic Hypericum fraction provided a less potent inhibition of the neurokinin-1 receptor binding compared to the opioid and serotonin receptors. A total ethanolic Hypericum extract potently inhibited GABAA binding at approximately 3 micrograms/ml. This inhibition is however not specific to Hypericum, since extracts of plants like Valeriana officinalis and Passiflora incarnata showed similar inhibitions. Binding to neither histamine nor metabotropic glutamate receptors was affected by Hypericum extracts. These results support the hypothesis that several active constituents of Hypericum might in a synergistic way contribute to its antidepressant effect in the central nervous system.