IN VITRO EFFECT OF MITRAGYNINE (A MAJOR ALKALOID OF MITRAGYNA SPECIOSA KORTH) ON AMINOPYRINE METABOLISM IN RAT HEPATOCYTES

Mitragyna speciosa Korth. is a member of the Rubiaceae family. More than 25 alkaloids have been isolated from Mitragyna speciosa. Mitragynine is the major alkaloid of this plant and is responsible for antinociceptive action. No single study is available about the effect of mitragynine on aminopyrine N-demethylase activity in rat hepatocytes. Experiments were undertaken to evaluate the effect of mitragynine in different age groups (adult & old) of Sprague- Dawley (SD) male and female rat hepatocytes. In vitro this evaluation was assessed by different concentration of mitragynine (0.0025µM-250µM).Hepatocytes were prepared by collagenase perfusion technique. Aminopyrine N-demethylase activity was determined by measuring the quantity of formaldehyde formed. Results showed that a significant increase in aminopyrine N-demethylase activity was observed in the adult male, female and old female SD rat hepatocytes treated with 250µM mitragynine (p< 0.05). However, the old male rat did not show any significant change at any concentration of mitragynine. In conclusion this study indicates the induction of hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes by mitragynine is affected by the aging process in male but unaffected in female.