title: Epilobium hirsutum alters xenobiotic metabolizing CYP1A1, CYP2E1, NQO1 and GPx activities, mRNA and protein levels in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Natural products have attracted increasing interests due to their use in flavoring, nutrition, cosmetics, pharmacy and medicine. Epilobium hirsutum L. (Onagraceae) is known for its analgesic, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activity. CYP1A1 and CYP2E1, xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, serve as a metabolic activation route yielding reactive metabolites that are eliminated by the action of NQO1 and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzymes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated in vivo effects of Epilobium hirsutum (EH) on CYP2E1, CYP1A1, NQO1 and GPx activities, protein and mRNA expressions in liver.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar Albino rats were injected with EH at a dose of 37.5 mg/kg i.p. daily for 9 d. CYP2E1, CYP1A1, NQO1 and GPx activities, protein and mRNA levels were determined by enzyme assays, Western blotting and qPCR, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CYP1A1 associated ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity of control and EH-treated animals were found as 6.54 ± 1.21 and 4.48 ± 1.67 nmol/min/mg, respectively. CYP2E1 associated aniline 4-hydroxylase of control and EH group were 0.537 ± 0.011 and 0.109 ± 0.01 nmol/min/mg, respectively. However, EH treatment increased the GPx and NQO1 activities from 0.069 ± 0.015 to 0.107 ± 0.026 nmol/min/mg and from 163.34 ± 92 to 588.3 ± 14 nmol/min/mg, respectively. Furthermore, protein and mRNA expression analysis revealed that CYP1A1 and CYP2E1 levels were decreased while those of NQO1 and GPx increased after EH treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our current data suggest that the metabolism of xenobiotics, including drugs, may be altered due to changes in the expression and activity of these proteins by EH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Joint Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey .
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karakurt
authors.forename: Aslı
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Semiz
authors.forename: Gurbet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Ayşe Mine
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gencler-Ozkan
authors.forename: Alaattin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Adali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D031666:Epilobium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015262:Xenobiotics; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); C507703:NQO1 protein, rat