The effect of licorice drink, a widely used herb in the Middle East, on hepatic and intestinal cytochrome P3A6 (CYP3A6) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) gene transcription using rabbit as an animal model was assessed. This article reports that licorice treated groups showed a significant induction of hepatic CYP3A6 expression by 17.6-folds, and an inhibition of intestinal CYP3A6 expression by 7.6-folds. Licorice administration did not affect P-gp expression neither in hepatic nor in intestinal tissues. It is concluded that licorice can affect the metabolism of drugs that are CYP3A6 substrates, but it might not affect the transport of drugs dependent on P-gp.
Key words: Licorice, CYP3A4, CYP3A6, P-gp, rifampicin, transcription
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