Effect of Panax ginseng on Carbamazepine Pharmacokinetics in Rabbits.

OBJECTIVES

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a well-known drug prescribed to treat epilepsy and the preferred drug for trigeminal neuralgia. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Panax ginseng extract (PGE) on the disposition of CBZ, a CYP3A4 substrate, in rabbits.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

An in vivo randomized parallel design was used to examine herb-drug interactions in 12 male rabbits distributed into 2 groups. In the 1st group (control group), 6 rabbits (control group) were administered orally with CBZ suspension (30 mg/kg/day) as a single daily dose for 10 days. In the 2nd group (test group), 6 rabbits was treated concomitantly with CBZ and a dose of PGE (2.5 mg/kg/day) at the same time as in the 1st group. Blood samples were withdrawn from the marginal ear vein of the rabbits at intervals of 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, 6.0, 12.0, and 24.0 h.

RESULTS

CBZ had no significantly different pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters, namely, Cmax, tmax, AUC0-24, AUC0-∞, t½, and Ke, when it was given alone or concurrently with PGE (p≥0.05).

CONCLUSION

PGE may unlikely interfere with the PK of CBZ when it is co-administered with CBZ. Therefore, PGE can be used safely without precautions or dose monitoring.