Effects of Curcuma comosa ethanolic extract on hepatic cytochrome P450 and clinical blood chemistry in rat

Abstract

Curcuma comosa Roxb. (Waan chak mod look) is a plant in family Zingiberaceae. Rhizome of this plant has been used traditionally for abnormal symptoms of uterus. In this study, rhizome of C. comosa was extracted with 95% ethanol and effects of the extract on rat hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) involving in drug metabolism and carcinogenic/mutagenic bioactivation such as CYP 1A1, CYP 1A2, CYP2B1/2B2, CYP 2E1 and CYP3A were examined. Effects of this extract n clinical blood chemistry and hematology were also determined. Forty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups of 10 rats each. Rats in the control group were given corn oil at 1 ml/kg/day whereas rats in the other three groups received C. comosa ethanolic extract (which was dissolved in corn oil) orally at dosages of 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg/day, respectively, for 30 consecutive days. At the end of the treatment period, rats were anesthesized. Blood samples were collected by heart puncture and were determined for hematology and clinical blood chemistry. Microsomes were prepared from livers for enzyme assays. The results showed that C. comosa ethanolic extract did not affect total CYP contents and the activities of CYP 1A1, CYP 1A2, CYP 2E1 and CYP3A. The activities of CYP2B1/2B2 were significantly dose-dependent increased by C. comosa administration at the dosages of 250 and 500 mg/kg/day. Serum alkaline phosphatase and potassium levels were significantly increased in rats receiving the extract at 500 mg/kg/day. Estradiol levels were significantly increased in rats receiving the extract at 250 and 500 mg/kg/day. Except indicated earlier, C. comosa ethanolic extract at all dosages used in this experiment did not affect these following hematology and clinical blood chemistry: hematocrit, hemoglobin, RBC count, RBC indice, RBC morphology, platelet count, WBC count, %differential WBC, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, globulin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and electrolytes (Na, K, Ca, Cl). Results from this study provided a possibility information of drug-drug interactions and the increase risks from bioactivation reactions of the drugs or compounds that are metabolized or bioactivated via CYP2B1/2B2.