Planta Med 2008; 74 - SL76
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1083956

Effects of Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) and Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) enriched diet on xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in female rat livers

H Martin 2, H Figard-Fabre 3, N Chernine 1, A Berthelot 3, L Richert 2, C Girard 1
  • 1Pôles „Substances Naturelles“
  • 2„Dysfonction hépatique“
  • 3„Dysfonction endothéliale“, EA 4267 „Sciences Séparatives, Biologiques et Pharmaceutiques“, UFR Sciences Médicales et Pharmaceutiques, Université de Franche-Comté, Place Saint-Jacques, 25030 Besançon Cedex, France

Hop (Humulus lupulus L., Cannabaceae) and Sesame (Sesamum indicum, Pedaliaceae) are plants characterized by the presence of phytoestrogen type molecules: flavonoids and lignans respectively [1,2]. In order to explore the effects of a long-term consumption of Hop cones or Sesame seeds enriched diets on liver xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with a control (semi-synthetic diet) or a plant-supplemented (1% (w/w) powder) diet for 100 weeks. The effect on phase I (CYP1A1, 2B2 and 3A1) and phase II (UGT1A1 and 1A6) enzymes were evaluated at the mRNA, proteins and activity levels, by quantitative real-time RT-PCR, Western blots and by using specific substrates, respectively.

Our study reports that Hop, but not Sesam, supplementation leads to a significant increase of UGT1A1/1A6 and CYP 2B/3A1 isoforme activities, correlated with an increase of mRNAs expression, as compared to the control group.

Based on the modulation of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes by several natural occurring flavonoids [3], and on the abundance of flavonoids in Hop [4], we suppose that these molecules could be responsible for the biological effects observed with Hop in the present study.

References: 1. Zanoli, P. et al. (2008)J Ethnopharmacol 116:383–396.

2. Coulman, KD. et al. (2005) Nutr Cancer 52:156–165.

3. Moon, YJ. et al. (2006) Toxicol in vitro 20:187–210.

4. Chadwick, LR. et al. (2006) Phytomedicine 13:119–131.