The Bioenhancing Properties of Piper guineense Using Microbiological Assay Method

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Improving the bioavailability of drugs with the use of compounds with bioenhancing properties are currently on the increase. Bioenhancers modulate the activities of drug metabolising enzymes and P-glycoproteins leading to alterations in drugs’ pharmacokinetic properties. The ease of development of resistance to most antibiotics is of serious concern in most parts of the world. This may be attributed to low bioavailability of some of these drugs in vivo resulting in sub-therapeutic concentrations of the drugs reaching the organisms and subsequently resistance development.OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine the bioenhancing properties of Piper guineense leaves extract and determine its effect on the pharmacokinetic properties of pefloxacin using animal model.METHOD: In vivo studies using microbiological assay method and clinical isolates of E. Coli samples from hospitalized patients were used.RESULT: There was a significant change (p<0.05) in the area under curve (AUC) of pefloxacin when co-administered with Piper guineense showing about 107.83 % increase from 41.50 µg/hr/ml to 86.25 µg/hr/ml. Similarly, maximal pefloxacin concentration (Cmax) increased from 0.9867.33 µg/ml when pefloxacin was administered alone to 10.00 µg/ml when administered in the presence of the extract with a significant change (p<0.05) in the time to attain maximal concentration. Half life (t1/2) and volume of distribution (Vd) of pefloxacin showed a non-significant increase and decrease respectively, in the presence of the extract.CONCLUSION: The co-administration of pefloxacin and extract of Piper guineense leaves altered the bioavailability of the drug and could be used to improve the pharmacotherapy of this agent.