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Xenobiotic Biotransformation
Published in Robert G. Meeks, Steadman D. Harrison, Richard J. Bull, Hepatotoxicology, 2020
Indolethylamine N-methyltransferases are enzymes, present in various tissues, that are both specific and nonspecific for N-methylation of amines. There is a broad substrate specificity for the methyl donor. Enzyme activity is generally assayed with tryptamine, N-methylserotonin, N-methyltryptamine, or β-phenylethylamine as a substrate. The enzymes are subject to end-product inhibition by N-methylated indoleamines. Substrates include endogenous biogenic amines, amine drugs such as amphetamine, and xenobiotic amines such as aniline.
Cimicifuga racemosa isopropanolic extract for menopausal symptoms: an observational prospective case–control study
Published in Gynecological Endocrinology, 2021
Maurizio Guida, Antonio Raffone, Antonio Travaglino, Daniele Neola, Sabrina Reppuccia, Maria Borgo, Clorinda Vitale, Andrea Limone, Pietro D’Alessandro, Giulia Massaro, Antonio Mollo
MHT (menopausal hormone therapy), with estrogens alone or estrogen–progestogen combinations, is the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms [6–7]. However, after concerns of the Women’s Health Initiative regarding the long-term use of MHT, a decreased use of MHT and simultaneously an increased use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies have been reported [8–9]. CAM was defined by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health as an approach to the Western conventional medicine in order to support or replace it [10]. There are several different CAM approaches for menopausal symptoms, among which dietary supplements with black cohosh holds a prominent role [11–12]. Black Cohosh is one of the common names of Cimicifuga Racemosa (binomial name Actaea racemosa) [13]. Many active chemical substances can be extracted from Cimicifuga Racemosa’s rhizomes and roots, such as triterpene glycosides, phenolic acids and N-methylserotonin [14–16]. Cimicifuga Racemosa mechanism of action on menopausal symptoms is still unclear, but it has been proposed a selective mechanism of estrogen modulation, with also serotoninergic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects [17]. However, Cimicifuga Racemosa extracts lack of significant clinical estrogen-like effects because they did not bind to estrogen receptors [18–19]. In fact, several studies showed the absence of systemic estrogenic effects on hormones secretion, breast, vagina and endometrium [19–20].