Drug-Drug Interaction Potential, Cytotoxicity, and Reactive Oxygen Species Production of Cortex Extracts Using Human Hepatocyte-Like HepaRG Cells.

Herbal preparations of willow bark ( cortex) are available in many countries as non-prescription medicines for pain and inflammation, and also as dietary supplements. Currently only little information on toxicity and drug interaction potential of the extracts is available. This study now evaluated the effects of two cortex extracts on human hepatocyte-like HepaRG cells, in view of clinically relevant CYP450 enzyme activity modulation, cytotoxicity and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Allyl Isothiocyanate: A TAS2R38 Receptor-Dependent Immune Modulator at the Interface Between Personalized Medicine and Nutrition.

Understanding individual responses to nutrition and medicine is of growing interest and importance. There is evidence that differences in bitter taste receptor (TAS2R) genes which give rise to two frequent haplotypes, TAS2R38-PAV (functional) and TAS2R38-AVI (non-functional), may impact inter-individual differences in health status. We here analyzed the relevance of the TAS2R38 receptor in the regulation of the human immune response using the TAS2R38 agonist allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) from plants.