WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants - travolekar.ru

<strong>WHO</strong> <strong>monographs</strong> on selected medicinal plants
Precautions
General
Use with caution in patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma
or a history of cardiovascular disease.
Drug interactions
Berberine is reported to upregulate the expression of the human multidrug
resistance gene coding for multidrug resistance transporter (PGP-
170); thus the treatment of tumours with berberine may result in reduced
retention of chemotherapeutic agents such as paclitaxel (71, 72). Berberine
has been reported to interact with cyclosporin in renal transplant patients
(73). Blood concentrations of cyclosporin were enhanced by 75% after
co-administration of berberine hydrochloride in renal transplant patients,
but this did not increase the toxicity of cyclosporin (73).
Drug and laboratory test interactions
None reported.
Carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, impairment of fertility
The genotoxic effects of berberine in prokaryotic cells were assessed in
the SOS chromotest in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (74). No genotoxic activity
with or without metabolic activation was observed, and no cytotoxic
or mutagenic effects were seen under nongrowth conditions. However, in
dividing cells, the alkaloid induced cytotoxic and cytostatic effects in proficient
and repair-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In dividing cells, the
induction of frameshift and mitochondrial mutations, as well as crossing
over, showed that the compound is not a potent mutagen (74).
Pregnancy: teratogenic effects
No information was found.
Pregnancy: non-teratogenic effects
Due to a lack of safety data, the use of the crude drug during pregnancy is
not recommended.
Nursing mothers
Due to a lack of safety data, the use of the crude drug during breastfeeding
is not recommended.
Paediatric use
Due to a lack of safety data, the use of the crude drug in children under
the age of 12 years is not recommended.
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