Simultaneous determination of the inhibitory potency of herbal extracts on the activity of six major cytochrome P450 enzymes using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and automated online extraction.

Here we describe a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method with automated online extraction (LC/LC/MS) to simultaneously determine the in vitro inhibitory potency of herbal extracts on six major human drug-metabolising cytochrome P450 enzymes. Substrates were incubated with a commercially available mixture of CYP1A2/2C8/2C9/2C19/2D6 and 3A4 from baculovirus-infected insect cells and the resulting metabolites were quantified with LC/LC/MS using electrospray ionisation in the selected ion monitoring mode. Consistent inhibitory activities were obtained for known inhibitors and plant extracts using the enzyme/substrate cocktail and the individual enzymes/substrates. Popular herbal remedies including devil's claw root (Harpagophytum procumbens), feverfew herb (Tanacetum parthenium), fo-ti root (Polygonum multiflorum), kava-kava root (Piper methysticum), peppermint oil (Mentha piperita), eucalyptus oil (Eucalyptus globulus), red clover blossom (Trifolium pratense) and grapefruit juice (GJ; Citrus paradisi) could be identified as inhibitors of the applied CYP enzymes with IC(50) values between 20 and 1000 microg/mL.