The present study investigated the in vitro effect of Ginkgo biloba extracts and some of the individual constituents (ginkgolides, bilobalide, and flavonols such as kaempferol, quercetin, isorhamnetin, and their glycosides) on CYP1A-mediated 7-ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylation in hepatic microsomes isolated from rats induced with β-naphthoflavone. G. biloba extract competitively inhibited CYP1A activity, with an apparent Ki value of 1.6 ± 0.4 µg/mL (mean ± SE). At the concentrations present in the G. biloba extracts, ginkgolides A, B, C, and J and bilobalide did not affect CYP1A activity, whereas kaempferol (IC50 = 0.006 ± 0.001 µg/mL, mean ± SE), isorhamnetin (0.007 ± 0.001 µg/mL), and quercetin (0.050 ± 0.003 µg/mL) decreased this activity. The monoglycosides (1 and 10 µg/mL) and diglycosides (10 µg/mL) of kaempferol and quercetin but not those of isorhamnetin also inhibited CYP1A activity. The order of inhibitory potency was kaempferol ~ isorhamnetin > quercetin, and for each of these flavonols the order of potency was aglycone >> monoglycoside > diglycoside. In summary, G. biloba extract competitively inhibited rat hepatic microsomal CYP1A activity, but the effect was not due to ginkgolides A, B, C, or J, bilobalide, kaempferol, quercetin, isorhamnetin, or the respective flavonol monoglycosides or diglycosides.Key words: bilobalide, CYP1A, cytochrome P450, Ginkgo biloba, ginkgolide, flavonol.
