The influence of bile acids homeostasis by cryptotanshinone-containing herbs.

BACKGROUND Herbs might affect the homeostasis of bile acids through influence of multiple metabolic pathways of bile acids. OBJECTIVE To investigate the inhibition of cryptotanshinone towards the glucuronidation of LCA, trying to indicate the possible influence of cryptotanshinone-containing herbs towards the homeostasis of bile acids. METHODS The LCA-3-glucuronidation and LCA-24-glucuronidation reaction was monitored by LC-MS. RESULTS Initial screening showed that 100 µM of cryptotanshinone inhibited LCA-24-glucuronidation and LCA-3-glucuronidation reaction activity by 82.6% and 79.1%, respectively. This kind of inhibition behaviour exerted cryptotanshinone concentrations-dependent and LCA concentrations-independent inhibition behaviour. CONCLUSION All these data indicated the possibility of cryptotanshinone's influence towards bile acids metabolism and homeostasis of bile acids.