Inhibitory effects of terpenoids on multidrug resistance-associated protein 2-and breast cancer resistance protein-mediated transport

The possibility of interactions between natural products/supplements and conventional prescription medicines is one of the most important issues in pharmacotherapeutic safety. Recently, we reported that some terpenoids such as (R)-(+)-citronellal and glycyrrhetic acid, which are present in herbal medicines, can act as inhibitors of P-glycoprotein (MDR1/ABCB1). In the present study, the effects of seven terpenoids on multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2/ABCC2) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2)-mediated transport were investigated in vitro. Membrane vesicles were prepared from MRP2 cDNA transfected Sf9 cells derived from pupal ovarian tissue of Spodoptera frugiperda, a fall armyworm, and BCRP cDNA transfected LLC-PK1 cells derived from porcine kidney. MRP2- or BCRP-mediated efflux transport was measured as ATP-dependent accumulation of [H-3] estradiol 17-beta-D-glucuronide (E(2)17 beta G) into membrane vesicles collected by a rapid filtration technique. The effects of (R)-(+)-citronellal, (S)-( -)-beta-citronellol, alpha-terpinene, terpinolene, (-)-beta-pinene, abietic acid, and glycyrrhetic acid on the intravesicular accumulation of [H-3]E(2)17 beta G were examined. Large decreases in the [H-3]E(2)17 beta G accumulation into vesicles from MRP2-overexpressing Sf9 cells were observed in the presence of glycyrrhetic acid and abietic acid, and their IC50 values were about 20 and 51 mu M, respectively. [H-3]E(2)17 beta G accumulation into vesicles from BCRP-overexpressing LLC-PK1 cells was suppressed by only glycyrrhetic acid, with an IC50 value of about 39 mu M. Other terpenoids used in this study did not alter the ATP-dependent accumulation of [H-3]E(2)17 beta G. These findings suggest that glycyrrhetic acid and abietic acid can potently inhibit MRP2- or BCRP-mediated membrane transport and may interact with their substrates in pharmacokinetic processes.