• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.152-157
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• 2022

Schisandra chinensis and its fruits have been used as a traditional herbal medicine to treat liver dysfunction, fatigue, and chronic coughs. Several in vitro and in vivo studies suggested that dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans present in Schisandra fruits strongly inhibit CYP3A4 activity. However, reports on the inhibitory potential of dietary Schisandra supplements against CYP3A activity are limited despite their increasing consumption as dietary supplements. In this study, we evaluated the CYP3A-inhibitory potential of four dietary Schisandra supplements in human liver microsomes. At a concentration of 0.05 mg/mL, Schisandra supplements from Nature's Way, Swanson, Planetary Herbals, and Only Natural inhibited CYP3A activity by 93.9, 70.8, 33.6, and 24.8%, respectively. Nature's Way, which exhibited the strongest inhibition against CYP3A, had the highest contents of gomisin B and gomisin C, which potently inhibit CYP3A activity. The in vivo pharmacokinetics of this product should be examined to determine whether the clinical relevance of inhibiting CYP3A activity by dietary Schisandra supplementation.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.38-44
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• 2021

[Purpose] Exercise can prevent conditions such as atrophy and degenerative brain diseases. However, owing to individual differences in athletic ability, exercise supplements can be used to improve a person's exercise capacity. Schisandra chinensis (SC) is a natural product with various physiologically active effects. In this study, we analyzed SC using a pharmacological network and determined whether it could be used as an exercise supplement. [Methods] The active compounds of SC and target genes were identified using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). The active compound and target genes were selected based on pharmacokinetic (PK) conditions (oral bioavailability (OB) ≥ 30%, Caco-2 permeability (Caco-2) ≥ -0.4, and drug-likeness (DL) ≥ 0.18). Gene ontology (GO) was analyzed using the Cytoscape software. [Results] Eight active compounds were identified according to the PK conditions. Twenty-one target genes were identified after excluding duplicates in the eight active compounds. The top 10 GOs were analyzed using GO-biological process analysis. GO was subsequently divided into three representative categories: postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptor activity (53.85%), an intracellular steroid hormone receptor signaling pathway (36.46%), and endopeptidase activity (10%). SC is related to immune function. [Conclusion] According to the GO analysis, SC plays a role in immunity and inflammation, promotes liver metabolism, improves fatigue, and regulates the function of steroid receptors. Therefore, we suggest SC as an exercise supplement with nutritional and anti-fatigue benefits.