Planta Med 2008; 74(6): 651-656
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1034284
Workshop - Echinacea: update on current research
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Pharmacokinetics of the Main Alkamides after Administration of three Different Echinacea purpurea Preparations in Humans

Karin Woelkart1 , Peter Dittrich2 , Eckhard Beubler3 , Fritz Pinl4 , Roland Schoop5 , Andy Suter5 , Rudolf Bauer1
  • 1Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacognosy, Karl-Franzens-University, Graz, Austria
  • 2Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Karl-Franzens-University, Graz, Austria
  • 3Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
  • 4Sanatorium Hansa, Graz, Austria
  • 5A. Vogel Bioforce AG, Roggwil, Switzerland
Further Information

Publication History

Received: October 9, 2007 Revised: December 10, 2007

Accepted: December 10, 2007

Publication Date:
31 January 2008 (online)

Abstract

Establishing the pharmacological basis for efficacy of herbal medicinal products (HMPs) is a continuous challenge. In this context, also the question of bioavailability, the elucidation of metabolic pathways and their pharmacokinetics is of major interest. These data are relevant to link results from pharmacological in vitro assays and clinical studies. A better understanding of the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of phytopharmaceuticals can also help in designing rational dosage regimes. The preparations used in the present pharmacokinetic single-dose study are different Echinacea purpurea formulations (EchinaforceTM) with various excipients. The concentrations of the active compounds (alkamides) in the administered products have been in the low mg range per dose. Due to the expected necessary detection of ng ranges, a sensitive and selective LC-ESI-MS-based method that is capable of monitoring plasma levels of traces of active constituents in humans was developed and validated. The resulting maximum concentrations (mean ± standard deviation) of dodeca-2E,4E,8Z, 10E/Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamides in plasma were 0.22 ± 0.07 ng/mL after administration of EchinaforceTM tablets, 0.22 ± 0.15 ng/mL after taking Echinaforce Junior tablets and 0.23 ± 0.16 ng/mL after administration of an Echinacea sore throat spray. The areas under the curve were 0.22 ng/mL × h, 0.20 ng/mL × h and 0.23 ng/mL × h, respectively.

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Univ.-Prof. Dr. Rudolf Bauer

Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacognosy

Karl-Franzens-University Graz

Universitätsplatz 4

8010 Graz

Austria

Phone: +43-316-380-8700

Fax: +43-316-380-9860

Email: rudolf.bauer@uni-graz.at