Hong Kong Med J 2012;18(Suppl 6):S34-6
Interaction between oseltamivir and herbal medicines used for treating avian influenza
MS Yang, FCP Law, RNS Wong, NK Mak, XY Wei
Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
1. In vitro studies were used to investigate the effect of various herbal medicines on the activity of drug-metabolising enzymes, whereas a PBPK model was used to study the interaction between oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and herbal medicines.
2. The biochemical and molecular biological basis of drug-herb interactions were studied by determining the effect of herbal extracts on cellular redox states and gene expression profiles.
3. Herbal extracts may affect oseltamivir treatment in rats. The drug-herb interaction may be related either to the metabolism or uptake of the drug by different tissues. Further studies are necessary to determine whether such interactions also occur in humans.
2. The biochemical and molecular biological basis of drug-herb interactions were studied by determining the effect of herbal extracts on cellular redox states and gene expression profiles.
3. Herbal extracts may affect oseltamivir treatment in rats. The drug-herb interaction may be related either to the metabolism or uptake of the drug by different tissues. Further studies are necessary to determine whether such interactions also occur in humans.