Effects of tetrahydroberberine and tetrahydropalmatine on hepatic cytochrome P450 expression and their toxicity in mice

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of tetrahydroberberine (THB) and tetrahydropalmatine (THP) on the expression of mouse liver cytochrome P450s, and evaluate their liver toxicity in mice. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot analyses were used to analyze the expression of major P450 isoforms. Liver toxicity was evaluated by measuring serum biochemical parameters and performing histopathological analysis. The real-time PCR results showed that THB induced Cyp1a2 (1.66 ± 0.34 fold, P Cyp3a11 (1.57 ± 0.24 fold, P Cyp2e1 (1.75 ± 0.97 fold, P Cyp1a2 (0.66 ± 0.12 fold, P