BPB : Vol. 27 (2004) , No. 12 2006

Studies on Interactions between Functional Foods or Dietary Supplements and Medicines. IV. Effects of Ginkgo biloba Leaf Extract on the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Nifedipine in Healthy Volunteers

Mutsunobu Yoshioka¹⁾, Noriaki Ohnishi²⁾, Tomokazu Koishi²⁾, Yukihisa Obata²⁾, Masato Nakagawa²⁾, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto²⁾, Kentaro Tagagi²⁾, Koji Takara²⁾, Tsuyoshi Ohkuni³⁾, Teruyoshi Yokoyama²⁾ and Kazuo Kuroda¹⁾

1) Department of Pharmacy, Takarazuka City Hospital
2) Department of Hospital Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University
3) Ohkuni Clinic

(Received June 4, 2004)
(Accepted September 9, 2004)

The effects of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (GBE), a widely used herbal dietary supplement in Japan, on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nifedipine (NFP), a calcium-channel blocker, were studied using 8 healthy volunteers. Simultaneous oral ingestion of GBE (240 mg) did not significantly affect any of the mean pharmacokinetic parameters of either NFP or dehydronifedipine, a major metabolite of NFP, after oral administration of NFP (10 mg). However, the maximal plasma NFP concentrations in 2 subjects were approximately doubled by GBE, and they had severer and longer-lasting headaches with GBE than without GBE, with dizziness or hot flushes in combination with GBE. The mean heart rate after oral administration of NFP with GBE tended to be faster than that without GBE at every time point. Accordingly, it was concluded that GBE and NFP should not be simultaneously ingested as much as possible, and careful monitoring is needed when administering NFP concomitantly with GBE to humans.

Key words

Ginkgo biloba leaf; nifedipine; healthy volunteer; pharmacokinetic interaction; P450; heart rate

	To cite this article:
	Mutsunobu Yoshioka, Noriaki Ohnishi, Tomokazu Koishi, Yukihisa Obata, Masato Nakagawa, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto, Kentaro Tagagi, Koji Takara, Tsuyoshi Ohkuni, Teruyoshi Yokoyama and Kazuo Kuroda, “Studies on Interactions between Functional Foods or Dietary Supplements and Medicines. IV. Effects of Ginkgo biloba Leaf Extract on the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Nifedipine in Healthy Volunteers”, Biol. Pharm. Bull., Vol. 27, 2006-2009 (2004) .

	doi:10.1248/bpb.27.2006
	JOI JST.JSTAGE/bpb/27.2006