title: [Herb-drug enzyme-mediated interactions and the associated experimental methods: a review].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the interactions between herbs and widely used drugs and summarize the associated experimental methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Definite herb-drug interactions were obtained by searching PubMed, other large overseas databases and summarizing new researches from China. We summarize some methods to assess the interaction between herbs and drugs involving microsomal, cell culture and animal experiments, and clinical trials, classifying this method as single ingredient herbs, crude herb extracts, and herbal formulae.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Many herbs interact with drugs through a complex cytochrome P450 and/or P-glycoprotein mechanism. Herb-induced enzyme inhibition and/or induction may result in enhanced and/or decreased plasma, tissue, urine and bile drug concentrations, leading to a change in a drug's pharmacokinetic parameters and resulting in the improper treatment of patients and potentially severe side effects. Use of an appropriate method for comprehensively assessing herb-drug interactions can minimize clinical risks. Different methods were used by researchers to assess the pharmacological changes of drugs in vivo and in vitro and the mechanisms of the interactions from microsomal, cell culture and animal experiments, and clinical trials are discussed in this review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Co-medication with herbs can result in changes in pharmacological effects of many drugs. This review describes the assessment of single-ingredient herbs, crude herb extracts, and herbal formulae. When choosing a research method to investigate herb-drug interactions, the properties of the drugs and herbs should be considered.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Baosheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mingmin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Beiran
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lüe
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Huaqiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D041743:Herb-Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004798:Enzymes; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations