Gender-Differences in Mice Hypericin Plasma Levels Upon Long-Term Administration

ABSTRACT

Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) is a well known medicinal plant used in many pharmaceutical formulations and its main active compound is hypericin. The purpose of our study was to examine the plasma level of hypericin upon long term mice treatment with Hyperici herba extract. A reversible hyperthermia was recorded upon 2 hours of the extract administration, both in males and females. Hypericin plasma levels in mice were evaluated by HPLC analysis. In 1-month old mice, no significant gender differences in the hypericin plasma level were recorded. By contrast, at the age of 3-months, hypericin plasma levels are significantly more elevated in females (93 ± 7 ng/ml; n = 8, p < 0.05) than in males (32 ± 3 ng/ml; n = 9). In conclusion, gender specific precautions must be considered when Hypericum is prescribed in human patients.