The inhibitory effects of β-caryophyllene, β-caryophyllene oxide and α-humulene on the activities of the main drug-metabolizing enzymes in rat and human liver in vitro.

Sesquiterpenes, the main components of plant essential oils, are often taken in the form of folk medicines and dietary supplements. Several sesquiterpenes possess interesting biological activities but they could interact with concurrently administered drugs via inhibition of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Therefore, the present study was designed to test the potential inhibitory effect of tree structurally relative sesquiterpenes β-caryophyllene (CAR), β-caryophyllene oxide (CAO) and α-humulene (HUM) on the activities of the main drug-metabolizing enzymes.

Nerolidol and Farnesol Inhibit Some Cytochrome P450 Activities but Did Not Affect Other Xenobiotic-Metabolizing Enzymes in Rat and Human Hepatic Subcellular Fractions.

Sesquiterpenes, 15-carbon compounds formed from three isoprenoid units, are the main components of plant essential oils. Sesquiterpenes occur in human food, but they are principally taken as components of many folk medicines and dietary supplements. The aim of our study was to test and compare the potential inhibitory effect of acyclic sesquiterpenes, -nerolidol, -nerolidol and farnesol, on the activities of the main xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in rat and human liver in vitro.