Puerariae Radix Research Articles

Puerariae Radix Prevents Anxiety and Cognitive Deficits in Mice Under Oligomeric Aβ-Induced Stress.

To evaluate the therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for Alzheimer's disease (AD), we evaluated five CHMs in oligomeric A-treated mouse primary hippocampal neuronal cultures. The aqueous extract from the root of Pueraria lobata (Puerariae Radix; PR) showed better neuroprotective effects than did the other four CHM aqueous extracts, including Gardenia jasminoides, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Rhodiola rosea, and Panax, in the primary culture treated with saline or oligomeric A. Furthermore, the neuroprotective effects of aqueous extract of PR were also better than its well-known active compound, puerarin, against the neurotoxicity of oligomeric A in a primary culture. For in vivo experiments, C57BL/6J male mice that received direct infusion of soluble oligomeric A into the bilateral hippocampal CA1 subregion were used as an alternative AD mouse model. The effects and molecular mechanisms of chronic systemic administration of PR aqueous extract were evaluated in the alternative AD model. PR aqueous extract prevented anxiety and cognitive impairment in mice associated with a decrease in the levels of A deposition, tau protein phosphorylation, inflammation, loss of noradrenergic, and serotonergic neurons and an increase in the levels of synaptophysin and insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) against the toxicity of oligomeric A. Furthermore, no obvious damage to the liver and kidney was detected after chronic systemic administration of PR aqueous extract. Therefore, using PR could be a safer, more effective therapeutic strategy than using its active compound puerarin to prevent both cognitive and noncognitive dysfunction and related pathological features of AD.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of major bioactive components from Puerariae Radix-Gastrodiae Rhizome extracts and their intestinal absorption in rats

Puerariae Radix (PR) and Gastrodiae Rhizome (GR) is frequently used in traditional herbal formulas to treat cardio-cerebral vascular diseases due to their synergistic effects. In this study, to elucidate the action mechanism of PR-GR in vivo, a simple and reliable ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous determination of nine bioactive ingredients from PR-GR in plasma was developed and applied to a comparative pharmacokinetic study following oral administration of PR, GR, and PR-GR aqueous extracts in rats. The effect of GR on the absorption of components of PR was also investigated by single-pass intestinal perfusion study. Results showed that comparing to the single herbs, PR-GR extract significantly increased the systemic exposure of puerarin, 3′-hydroxypuerarin, 3′-methoxypuerarin, 6″-O-xylosylpuerarin, daidzin, genistein, and gastrodin. Moreover, the intestinal absorption of puerarin and daidzin could be improved by GR extract and inhibitors of P-glycoprotein and multidrug resistanceassociated protein 2, respectively. These results indicate that the combination of PR and GR increases the levels of their bioactive ingredients exposed in the blood, and GR increases the absorption of ingredients of PR may by inhibition of the efflux mediated by P-glycoprotein and multidrug resistanceassociated protein 2. This is the first report for the pharmacokinetics and intestinal absorption of PR-GR, which may explain their synergetic effects in the treatment of circulatory systematic diseases and provide a meaningful insight for their clinical applications.

The effect of Puerariae Radix on ovariectomy-induced bone loss in C3H/HeN mice

Osteoporosis is a major worldwide public health problem that poses a great economic burden to society. Puerariae Radix, the dried root of Pueraria lobata (Wild.) Ohwi, has been widely used in Asia. This study investigated the effects of Puerariae Radix (PR) on bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. C3H/HeN mice (10 weeks old) were divided into sham and OVX groups. The OVX mice were treated with vehicle, 17β-estradiol (E2), PR (oral administration, 250 mg/kg/day) or PR (intraperitoneal administration, 50 mg/kg/every other day) for 6 weeks. Grip strength, uterus weight, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), estradiol concentration and osteoclast surface levels were measured. Tibiae were analyzed using microcomputed tomography. There were no significant differences in the degree of grip strength, body weight and uterine weight between OVX group and PR-treated group. As compared with the OVX group, the serum estradiol levels were significantly increased in the PR-treated group. PR (i.p.) significantly preserved trabecular bone volume, trabecular bone number, structure model index and bone mineral density of proximal tibiae metaphysic. The administration of PR lowered serum ALP and osteoclast surface levels in OVX mice, suggesting that PR can reduce the bone turnover rate in mice. The results indicate that the supply of PR can prevent OVX-induced bone loss in mice.

Simultaneous screening and isolation of activated constituents from Puerariae Flos by ultrafiltration with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry combined with high-speed counter-current chromatography.

Puerariae Flos is the flower of Puerariae Radix, which is a common Chinese herb containing numerous isoflavones in all parts of the flower. Standard methods for screening and isolating isoflavones are typically labor intensive and time consuming. In this study, a new assay based on ultrafiltration with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry was developed for the rapid screening and identification of ligands for α-glucosidase, xanthine oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase in the extract of Puerariae Flos. Three isoflavones were identified as α-glucosidase inhibitors, three isoflavones were identified as lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors, and no specific binding ligands were identified for xanthine oxidase in the extract. Subsequently, specific binding ligands, puerarin, genistin, and tectorigenin (purities were 90, 60, 99, and 91.73%, respectively), were separated by high-speed counter-current chromatography. The partition coefficient values of the target compounds and resolutions of peaks were employed as indicators and the solvent system and mobile phase flow rate were optimized for two-stage separation. An optimized two-phase solvent system comprised of ethyl acetate/ethanol/water (4:0.5:3, v/v/v) was successfully used to isolate the three compounds from Puerariae Flos. The monomer compounds isolated, collected, and purified by high-speed counter-current chromatography were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography, resulting in the isolation of three targeted compounds. The chemical structures of all three targeted compounds were individually identified by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry. The results demonstrate that ultrafiltration with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry combined with high-speed counter-current chromatography is not only a powerful tool for screening and isolating α-glucosidase and lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors in complex samples, but also a useful platform for identifying bioactive compounds for preventing and treating diabetes and stroke.

Development of an Oral Compound Pickering Emulsion Composed of Nanocrystals of Poorly Soluble Ingredient and Volatile Oils from Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In this study, an oral drug nanocrystals self-stabilized Pickering emulsion (NSSPE), which used nanocrystals of a poorly soluble ingredient from Puerariae Radix called puerarin as solid particle stabilizers and Ligusticum chuanxiong essential oil since the main oil phase had been developed to improve the oral bioavailability of puerarin. The appearance of emulsions, size and zeta potential of droplets, and content of puerarin in emulsified layer during a storage of six months at 4, 25, and 40 °C were investigated. The centrifugation stability at 4000× g was also studied. The micro-structure of emulsion droplets was characterized by a scanning electron micrograph (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), a fluorescence microscope (FM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The in vivo oral bioavailability of puerarin NSSPE was investigated in rats. Results showed that appearances of puerarin NSSPE kept stable after centrifugation at 4000× g for 15 min or storage for six months at 4, 25, and 40 °C. SEM, CLSM, FM, and DSC showed that the puerarin NSSPE had a stable core-shell structure of emulsion droplets formed by the adsorption of puerarin nanocrystals on the surface of oil droplets of mixed oil of Ligusticum chuanxiong essential oil and Labrafil M 1944 CS (9:1, v/v). The relative bioavailability of puerarin NSSPE to puerarin coarse powder suspension, nanocrystal suspension, and surfactant emulsion were 262.43%, 155.92%, and 223.65%, respectively. All these results indicated that puerarin nanocrystals could stabilize Pickering emulsion of Ligusticum chuanxiong essential oil without any other stabilizers and Pickering emulsion could improve the oral bioavailability of puerarin, which suggests that the drug nanocrystal self-stabilized Pickering emulsion as a promising oral drug delivery system for Traditional Chinese Medicine containing poorly soluble ingredients and volatile oils.

The effects of herbal extracts on CCl4-induced ROS accumulation and cell death in hepatocytes

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of herbal medicinal extracts against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced functional alteration and cell death in hepatocytes. HepG2 cells were treated with a frequently utilized herbal medicinal extract, and cell viability and antioxidative activity were subsequently measured with MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) assays and MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assays. Among the extracts from Alnus japonica (ILF-AJ), Angelica keiskei (ILF-AK), Allium tuberosum (ILF-AT), Eucommia ulmoides extract (ILF-E), and Puerariae radix (ILF-P), Rhus verniciflua extract (ILF-R), ILF-E and ILF-R more significantly increased hepatocyte viability in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Hepatic enzyme activities (AST and ALT), lipid peroxidation, and SOD levels were also significantly regulated in the presence of ILF-E and ILF-R. Next, to assess a synergistic effect between ILF-E and ILF-R, the combined ratio of these two extracts was analyzed. When ILF-E and ILF-R were combined in a 1:1 ratio at a concentration of 100 μg/mL, they more significantly regulated cell death, AST and ALT activity, MDA level, SOD level, and the oxidant capturing characteristic marker DPPH. Through this study, the combined 1:1 formulation of ILF-E and ILF-R is suggested to be a potentially therapeutic and preventive medicinal herb for the preservation of hepatic function and treatment of toxicity.

Screening potential mitochondria-targeting compounds from traditional Chinese medicines using a mitochondria-based centrifugal ultrafiltration/liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method

Mitochondria regulate numerous crucial cell processes, including energy production, apoptotic cell death, oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis and lipid metabolism. Here, we applied an efficient mitochondria-based centrifugal ultrafiltration/liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method, also known as screening method for mitochondria-targeted bioactive constituents (SM-MBC). This method allowed searching natural mitochondria-targeting compounds from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), including Puerariae Radix (PR) and Chuanxiong Radix (CR). A total of 23 active compounds were successfully discovered from the two TCMs extracts. Among these 23 hit compounds, 17 were identified by LC/MS, 12 of which were novel mitochondria-targeting compounds. Among these, 6 active compounds were analyzed in vitro for pharmacological tests and found able to affect mitochondrial functions. We also investigated the effects of the hit compounds on HepG2 cell proliferation and on loss of cardiomyocyte viability induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation injury. The results obtained are useful for in-depth understanding of mechanisms underlying TCMs therapeutic effects at mitochondria level and for developing novel potential drugs using TCMs as lead compounds. Finally, we showed that SM-MBC was an efficient protocol for the rapid screening of mitochondria-targeting constituents from complex samples such as PR and CR extracts.

Proteins isolated of Pueraria Radix possible to cause allergenic react with immunoglobulin E in human sera

Allergies occur when immunoglobulin E (IgE), which is part of the body’s immune system, binds to molecules. A protein in the foods, plants or pollen is usually the problem. This causes the release of inflammatory chemicals such as histamine. There are a few cases where allergies are cause by proteins derived from herbal medicine, but we do not know yet what protein causes the immune react to IgE. Here, we demonstrate to confirm if the Pueraria Radix at the proteomic level triggers IgE immunoreactivity. Finally, we present the molecules of the Pueraria Radix-derived protein that trigger the IgE immune response. To prove our hypothesis, we used proteomic tools and SDS-PAGE stained with Coomassie blue and identified proteins using LC-MS/ MS. Proteins were separated from Pueraria Radix and allergic reaction sera were selected. We found three positive sera that showed an immune response to Pueraria Radix protein. Positive sera demonstrated a similar pattern of IgE reactivity and mostly restricted to a 50-70 kDa band. Therefore, we have identified number of different IgE binding proteins. Therefore, IgE binding proteins were identified such as enolase, hypothetical protein, DING protein and glycosyl transferase. The results imply that Pueraria Radix can act as an allergen given the identification of IgE binding proteins among the isolated proteins of Pueraria Radix.

Investigation of the differential effect of juice or water extract from Puerariae Radix on hair growth related-genes in dermal papilla cells

Investigation of the differential effect of juice or water extract from Puerariae Radix on hair growth related-genes in dermal papilla cells

인체 모유두세포의 증식에 미치는 갈근 에탄올추출물의 효과

In this study, we investigated the effect of Puerariae Radix ethanol extracts (EPR). The effect of the EPR on proliferation of human hair dermal papilla cells(HHDPCs) by MTT assay and observed Expression of mechanisms that regulate cell proliferation extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK) and Akt by western blot. The results showed EPR increased the proliferation of HHDPCs and up-regulation phosphorylation of ERK and Akt. ERK and Akt increased by EPR inhibited phosphorylation by PD98059 (ERK inhibitor) and LY294002 (Akt inhibitor), and cell proliferation was also inhibited. These results suggested EPR increases the proliferation of HHDPCs through phosphorylation of ERK and Akt, and therefore is a beneficial effect for the alopecia treatment.

Suppressive Effects of Puerariae Radix on the Breast Tumor Incidence in Rats Treated with DMBA

Puerariae Radix (PR) is the root of Pueraria lobata, an herb widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a food seasoning. Owing to its potential anti-oxidative ability, the effects of PR on the inhibition of breast tumors were investigated in this study using the 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-treated rat model. Thirty-two female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of four different treatment groups, with or without PR and/or DMBA administration. At the age of 177 days, all rats were sacrificed, the number and size of tumors were recorded, and blood and tissue samples were collected for assessment of hematological parameters, redox status, and tumorigenesis-related factors. We found that PR supplementation decreased tumor incidence and WBC count but increased the IgM levels, and significantly altered the redox status, elevated serum TGF-Beta levels, and reduced serum VEGF-C and ICAM-1 levels. The mechanism by which PR decreased the incidence of DMBA-induced rat breast tumors might include ameliorating immunity, enhancing the antioxidant status, increasing the hepatic excretion of carcinogenic metabolites of DMBA, and influencing the expression of tumorigenesis-related factors.

The Protective Effects of Pueraria Radix against Chronic Alcohol-induced Muscle Atrophy in Rats

The Protective Effects of <i>Pueraria Radix</i> against Chronic Alcohol-induced Muscle Atrophy in Rats

Synergetic Hepatoprotective Effects of Korean Red Ginseng andPueraria Radixon the Liver Damaged-Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4) in Mice

This study was designed to investigate the synergetic hepatoprotective effects from a mixture of Korean Red Ginseng and Pueraria Radix on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Liver toxicity was induced by intraperitoneal administration of CCl 4 (0.6 mg/kg) in 12 groups of ICR mice. The negative control group was given CCl 4 without test samples and the normal group was given no treatment. Among treatment groups, the RGAP treatment (Korean Red ginseng acetic acid extract : Pueraria radix water extract, w/w, 38.4:57.6) decreased CCl 4 -elevated ALT (101.60 IU/L), AST (833.89 IU/L), and LDH (365.02 IU/L) levels in the serum, and increased the SOD (11.03 unit/mg protein) and CAT (0.37 unit/mg protein) levels and the LPO levels (59.09 μM/g tissue) more than that in the mice group with CCl 4 -induced control group hepatotoxicity. These results suggest that administration of a mixture of Korean Red ginseng and Pueraria radix decreases CCl 4 -induced liver damage and enhances antioxidant activity in mice and imply that administration of the mixture in a certain ratio is more effective than single administration of either Korean Red ginseng or Pueraria radix alone.

Detection of a negative correlation between prescription of Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein or daidzein and risk of subsequent endometrial cancer among tamoxifen-treated female breast cancer survivors in Taiwan between 1998 and 2008: A population-based study

Ethnopharmacological relevanceTamoxifen users sometimes seek complementary and alternative medicine advice for treatment of a variety of illness and co-administer with phytoestrogen-containing herbs, resulting in an increasing concern of its influence in subsequent endometrial cancer risk. Our study aims to determine the prevalence of Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein, or daidzein and their association with subsequent endometrial cancer risk among tamoxifen-treated breast cancer survivors in Taiwan. MethodsWe selected all patients who were newly diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and received tamoxifen treatment between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2008, from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Among the 26,656 tamoxifen-treated breast cancer survivors, we evaluated the usage, frequency of service, and prescription of Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein, or daidzein. The logistic regression method was employed to calculate the odds ratios for utilization of those herbal products. Cox proportional hazard regression was set to calculate the hazard ratios of endometrial cancer associated with such usage. ResultsOf the patients surveyed, 36.2% (n=9652) of the tamoxifen-treated breast cancer survivors examined in the study had consumed Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein, or daidzein during the study period. Exposure to Ge Gen(Puerariae Radix) specifically was the most extensive. For it, the population consumed an average cumulative dose of above 180g. Compared to those who had never used Chinese herbal products, breast cancer survivors who had taken Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein, or daidzein concurrently with tamoxifen treatment did not have a higher hazard ratio for subsequent development of endometrial cancer. ConclusionAmong those tamoxifen-treated female breast cancer survivors in Taiwan, consumption of Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein, or daidzein is negatively correlated with subsequent endometrial cancer risk.

Inhibitory effect of Puerariae radix flavones on platelet-derived growth factor-BB-induced proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells via PI3K and ERK pathways.

Abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) results in intimal thickening of the aorta, which may lead to arteriosclerosis. Therefore, VSMC antiproliferative agents may be efficient in the prevention and treatment of arteriosclerosis. Puerariae radix (PR) is the dried root of Pueraria lobata Ohwi or Pueraria thomsonii Benth. Flavones are the main components of PR and have been shown to have a protective effect on vascular disorders in traditional Chinese medicine treatments. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of PR flavone (PRF) on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-induced VSMC proliferation. PDGF-BB (25 ng/ml) and different doses of PRF (10, 50, 100 and 200 ng/ml) were used to treat VSMCs. The results revealed that PRF notably inhibited the PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation and induced a cell cycle arrest at growth 1 phase of the cell cycle. In addition, cell cycle-associated proteins, including cyclin D1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cyclin-dependent kinase 4, were found to be downregulated. Furthermore, PRF inhibited the PDGF-BB-stimulated downregulation of VSMC markers, including α-smooth muscle actin, desmin and smoothelin. PDGF-BB upregulated the phosphorylation levels of phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which are associated with cell proliferation; however, these were decreased following PRF treatment. These observations indicated that PRF had a suppressive effect on PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation by inhibiting PI3K and ERK pathways.

갈근이 고지방·고탄수화물식이와 저용량 streptozotocin-유도 당뇨병 마우스에 미치는 효능 연구

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the effect of root extract of Pueraria thunbergiana Bentham (Puerariae Radix, PR) in diabetic mice as similar as emaciation-thirst disease in Oriental medicine. Methods : C57BL/6 mice were fed high fat (HF) and high sucrose (HS) for 8 weeks, and then administrated with 90 ㎎/㎏ body weight (bw) of streptozotocin (STZ) for induction of diabetes which is similar to the middle emaciation stage. After 5 days, blood glucose levels were measu red, and selected the mice with ranges above 250 ㎎/㎗. PR water extract was administrated orally once a day f or 4 weeks with high fat and high sucrose. The levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, γ glutamyl transpeptidase (γ GTP), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) were analysed in the serum. Also, observed their histological changes by hematoxylin and eosin (H &E) of different organs, lung, heart, pancreas, stomach, liver, and kidney. Results : PR extract significantly decreased the levels of serum glucose and insulin in diabetic mice. PR extract significantly increased the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, GOT and GPT in diabetic mice. In H&E stain, PR extract inhibited the histopathological changes of lung (as a channel of the upper emaciation stage in the channel-tropism theory), pancreas (as a channel of the middle emaciation stage) and kidney (as a channel of the lower emaciation stage) in diabetic damage. Conclusions : PR extract has an anti-diabetic effect in HF/HS and low-dose STZ-induced diabetic mice. This result suggests that PR follows the channel-tropism theory in t he emaciation-thirst disease through the protection of lung, pancreas and kidney.

Effects of Fermented Pueraria radix by Lactobacillus acidophilus on Lipid and Bone Metabolism in Ovariectomized Rats

Effects of Fermented Pueraria radix by Lactobacillus acidophilus on Lipid and Bone Metabolism in Ovariectomized Rats

SIMULTANEOUS ANALYSIS OF MULTI-COMPONENTS IN KO-KENG-TANG PREPARATION BY HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY

To enhance the quality control of “Ko-Keng-Tang,” a simultaneous determination method on six marker substances including puerarin, daidzin, and daidzein (from Puerariae Radix), cinnamic acid (from Cinnamomi Ramulus), paeoniflorin (from Paeoniae Radix), and glycyrrhizin (from Glycyrrhizae Radix) was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Extracted samples were analyzed with a reverse-phase column (Inertsil 5 ODS-2, 4.6 I.D. × 250 mm.) at 30 °C and eluted ingredients with a mixture of 5%, 40%, and 90% acetonitrile (adjusted to pH 2.8 with phosphoric acid) aqueous solution in gradients at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, and a detected wavelength at 245 nm. Relative coefficients of variations of intra-day and inter-day analysis were less than 5% and the relative errors were below 3.9% and 3.7%, respectively. All recoveries were 90.3–119.5%. This method could be applied for the simultaneous determination of the seven marker substances in “Ko-Keng-Tang” and comparisons with commercial preparations.

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of the Effect of Puerarin on Hepatic Cytochrome P450-Mediated Drug Metabolism

Puerarin (8-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one) is a major pharmacological component of Puerariae Radix, the root of Pueraria lobata. We investigated the effect of puerarin on hepatic cytochrome P450-mediated drug metabolism in rats and humans. The in vitro cytochrome P450 inhibitory effect of puerarin in human and rat liver microsomes was evaluated using the following model cytochrome P450 substrates: phenacetin for CYP1A, diclofenac for CYP2C, dextromethorphan for CYP2D, and testosterone for CYP3A. The in vivo pharmacokinetics of intravenous and oral buspirone, a probe substrate for CYP3A, was studied with single simultaneous intravenous coadministration of puerarin in rats. In the in vitro cytochrome P450 inhibition study, the rate of disappearance of testosterone was significantly reduced in the presence of 10 µM PU, while that of other cytochrome P450 substrates was not significantly affected in both human and rat liver microsomes, suggesting that puerarin inhibits the in vitro hepatic CYP3A-mediated metabolism in the human and rat systems (IC50 = 15.5 ± 3.9 µM). After intravenous administration of buspirone with single simultaneous coadministration of intravenous puerarin at a dose of 10 mg/kg in rats, the total area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to time infinity was increased while time-averaged total body clearance decreased. When buspirone was orally administered in rats with the 10 mg/kg intravenous puerarin coadministration, both total area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to time infinity and the extent of absolute oral bioavailability were significantly increased. Therefore, results of the in vitro microsomal and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies suggest the possible inhibition of hepatic CYP3A-mediated drug metabolism by puerarin administration, potentially leading to metabolism-mediated herb-drug interactions with clinical significance.

Novel aerobic bacteria: isoflvones‐biotransformation of Pueraria radix extract (1034.8)

Background: Daidzen and puerarin are the most common dietary isoflavones in Pueraria radix. Equol is an isoflavandiol metabolized from daidzin and puerarin by bacterial flora in the intestines. The metabolites of isoflavones play a key role in the availability of these compounds in the intestine. Aim: This study was therefore to screen human intestinally derived bacteria for the ability to produce equol or its derivatives from daidzein in the root of P. lobata (Wild.) Ohwi. Methods: To compare the conversion abilities of selected bacteria by different concentrations of P. lobata, we cultured the bacteria for 24 h in the GAM supplemented to 2.0% P. lobata. Results: We selected a strictly aerobic bacterium from candidate which converted daidzin to equol as well as puerarin to equol. The isolate was able to convert the isoflavones, daidzein to equol, equol precursors and derivates. Conclusions: This study was conducted with producing equol using P. lobata, good sources that an abundant precursor of equol, fermented by the newly selected microbes. This study was carried out with the support of cooperative research program for Agricultural Science &amp; Technology Development (Project No. PJ008398022013), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.Grant Funding Source: This study was supported by cooperative research program for RDA (PJ008398022013)