Planta Med 2013; 79(03/04): 214-218
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1328090
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Alkamides from Echinacea angustifolia Interact with P-Glycoprotein of Primary Brain Capillary Endothelial Cells Isolated from Porcine Brain Blood Vessels

Anne Mahringer*
1   Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Pharmacology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
,
Karin Ardjomand-Woelkart*
2   Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacognosy, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Graz, Austria
,
Rudolf Bauer
2   Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacognosy, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Graz, Austria
,
Gert Fricker
1   Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Pharmacology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
,
Thomas Efferth
3   Institute of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 13 July 2012
revised 29 November 2012

accepted 04 December 2012

Publication Date:
15 January 2013 (online)

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Abstract

The blood-brain barrier prevents the passage of toxic compounds from blood circulation into brain tissue. Unfortunately, drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, brain tumors, and other diseases also do not cross the blood-brain barrier. In the present investigation, we used isolated porcine brain capillary endothelial cells and a flow cytometric calcein-AM assay to analyze inhibition of P-glycoprotein, a major constituent of the blood-brain barrier. We tested 8 alkamides isolated from Echinacea angustifolia and found that four of them inhibited P-glycoprotein-mediated calcein transport in porcine brain capillary endothelial cells.

* Both authors contributed equally to this work.