Abstract
BackgroundThe investigation of food-drug and plant-drug interactions has become increasingly important. In case of antibiotics, it is essential to achieve and maintain a plasma concentration sufficient for the antimicrobial action. Although, on theoretical basis, the interaction of polyphenols and antibiotics may be hypothesized, experimental data are lacking to assess its clinical relevance. The aim of our study was to assess the interaction between one of the most widely used antibiotics, amoxicillin, and green tea, the most frequently consumed drink with high polyphenol content.MethodsThe effects of green tea on the plasma level of amoxicillin was studied in an in vivo experiment in rats. The plasma level of amoxicillin was monitored by LC-MS/MS for 240 min after oral administration. The polyphenol content of green tea was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method.ResultsThe peak plasma concentration of amoxicillin significantly decreased upon its co-administration with green tea, although the AUC0–240 of the antibiotic did not decrease significantly in the group treated with amoxicillin suspended in green tea.ConclusionsOur results suggest a potentially relevant interaction between green tea and amoxicillin, worth being further studied in humans.
Highlights
The investigation of food-drug and plant-drug interactions has become increasingly important
The plasma concentration of amoxicillin was monitored by LC-MS/MS measurements in 30–60-min-intervals for 240 min
The highest plasma level of amoxicillin was significantly lower in the Amoxicillin + green tea (AMG) group, which suggests an interaction between green tea polyphenols and the antibiotic
Summary
The investigation of food-drug and plant-drug interactions has become increasingly important. The aim of our study was to assess the interaction between one of the most widely used antibiotics, amoxicillin, and green tea, the most frequently consumed drink with high polyphenol content. The excessive use of antibiotics, including overuse and inappropriate application (including using suboptimal doses) of antimicrobial agents fosters bacterial resistance, recognized as one of the most urgent global public health threats, and being the main reason for nosocomial infections [1]. The two most important family of compounds that may potentially affect the pharmacokinetics of antibiotics include fibres and polyphenols, which most frequently occur in commonly used plants. These compounds may affect the absorption of different drugs via chemical or physical interactions.
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