Assessment of pharmacokinetic interaction of spirulina with glitazone in a type 2 diabetes rat model.

The objective of the current study was to assess the possible pharmacokinetic interactions of spirulina with glitazones in an insulin resistance rat model. Wistar male albino rats were equally divided into five groups: insulin resistant rats+spirulina (500 mg/kg)+pioglitazone (10 mg/kg), insulin resistant rats+pioglitazone (10 mg/kg), insulin resistant rats+spirulina (500 mg/kg)+rosiglitazone (10 mg/kg), insulin resistant rats+rosiglitazone (10 mg/kg), and insulin resistant rats+spirulina (500 mg/kg). Described doses of pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, or spirulina were per orally administered and the plasma drug concentrations were determined. The pharmacokinetic parameters such as Tmax, Cmax, AUC(0-α), t1/2, and Kel were determined by plotting the drug concentration as a function of time. The data observed in this acute study indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in any of the pharmacokinetic parameters (Tmax, Cmax, AUC(0-α), t1/2, and Kel) of glitazones (pioglitazone, rosiglitazone) or spirulina, when they were coadministered. Given the promising results, this study concludes that the coadministration of spirulina does not influence the pharmacokinetics of glitazones in a type 2 diabetes rat model. Further chronic in vivo studies are recommended to assess the real time effect.