A Chinese traditional medicine, sho-saiko-to (xiao-chaihu-tang), reduces the bioavailability of tolbutamide after oral administration in rats.

The effects of Sho-saiko-to on the pharmacokinetics of tolbutamide were investigated in rats. After intravenous administration of tolbutamide (5 mg/kg), no significant change in the pharmacokinetics of tolbutamide was observed in both groups of single and multiple (7 days) pre-administration of Sho-saiko-to (500 mg/kg). In the study of single oral administration of tolbutamide (50 mg/kg), co-administration of Sho-saiko-to tended to accelerate the initial absorption rate of tolbutamide. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve of tolbutamide after oral administration was significantly reduced by Sho-saiko-to. Subsequently, a significant decrease was observed in the oral bioavailability of this drug when Sho-saiko-to was given concomitantly. These findings suggest that Sho-saiko-to reduces the bioavailability of tolbutamide after oral administration in rats, and that this change is not related to hepatic metabolism.