Effect of Epilobium angustifolium and Serenoa repens extracts on regulation of non-genomic signaling pathway of kinases.
OBJECTIVE
Changes of kinase activity of non-genomic cellular signaling pathway may influence the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy in case of hormone-dependent tumors. Our study investigated a possible interaction at the molecular level between an aqueous herbal extract of Epilobium angustifolium as well as a lipid-sterolic fruit extract of Serenoa repens and synthetic drugs used in the treatment of hormone-dependent cancers.


METHODS
E. angustifolium and Serenoa repens extracts were orally administered to testosterone-induced rats for 21 days. Changes of RafA/Mapk3/Mapk1 mRNA levels were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR using target specific primers.


RESULTS
The level of RafA mRNA slightly increased in rats receiving Epilobium angustifolium (p = 0.076) and Serenoa repens (p = 0.016) extracts. Administration of these extracts resulted in significantly elevated Mapk1 and Mapk3 transcripts in the investigated animals (p < 0.05 for each extract). The levels of Mapk1 and Mapk3 mRNA strongly increased (p < 0.05 for each extract) in animals receiving concomitantly testosterone and the extracts, while RafA transcription slightly decreased (p < 0.05), as compared to controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study may indicate a potential effect of S. repens and E. angustifolium extracts on the functioning of non-genomic cellular signaling kinases pathway. We investigated safety of these extracts to detect possible drug interactions between synthetic drugs used in the treatment of proliferative changes in hormone-dependent reproductive organs and herbal preparations.
Radosław
R
Kujawski
Anna
A
Bogacz
Joanna
J
Bartkowiak-Wieczorek
Monika
M
Karasiewicz
Przemysław Ł
PŁ
Mikołajczak
Beata
B
Mrozikiewicz-Rakowska
Hubert
H
Wolski
Bogusław
B
Czerny
Edmund
E
Grześkowiak
Przemysław M
PM
Mrozikiewicz
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000187:drug effects*; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000517:prevention & control; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D028024:Serenoa; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
D010936:Plant Extracts; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases