[Lotus]

Enzymes

Dedicated to the NBE team: Understanding these enzymes will unlock a huge NBE potential, good luck!

♦ The level of an enzyme presence in a particular body tissue determines the extent to which the hormone conversion will take place - The amount of a certain hormone in particular areas is a critical factor affecting hormonally related health concerns.



Pharmacokinetics describes how the body affects a specific drug after administration through the mechanisms of absorption and distribution, as well as the chemical changes of the substance in the body (e.g. by metabolic enzymes such as cytochrome P450 or glucuronosyltransferase enzymes), and the effects and routes of excretion of the metabolites of the drug.


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1) Aromatase enzyme CYP19-

• There's an enzyme in the bodies of both men and women called aromatase. Its primary action is to produce female sex hormones, or estrogens. It produces them from male sex hormones (androgens) such as testosterone and their precursors.
  

• Aromatase also converts androstenedione (a sex hormone precursor) to the female hormone estrone, another estrogen, although weaker than estradiol.
  

• If you increase the activity of aromatase, you can increase levels of female sex hormones (estradiol, estrone).
  

• If you decrease the activity of aromatase, you can decrease levels of female sex hormones, while increasing relative levels of male sex hormones, e.g. testosterone.
  

• Men's bodies normally contain some level of estrogens, in addition to testosterone and their kind. Likewise, women's bodies contain some level of male androgens including testosterone.
  

• The ratio of male-to-female hormones contributes to our masculinity or femininity. Aromatase is one chemical that can tweak that ratio. It operates the same in both men and women, although an array of compounds can affect its activity.
  

Herbs that convert aromatase-White Peony, Liorice root, Genistein (PM), BO

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2) 5 alpha-reductase-(enzyme)

Inhibition of 5α-reductase results in decreased conversion of testosterone to DHT, leading to increased testosterone and estradiol. Other enzymes compensate to a degree for the absent conversion, spec voifically with local expression at the skin of reductive 17b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, oxidative 3a-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and 3b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes. Inhibition of the enzyme can be classified into two categories: steroidal, which are irreversible, and nonsteroidal. 5-α reductase 2 is the one we're interested in, there's more but it gets extremely complicated so I'll spare you the gory details.

Herbs that help block 5 ar, licorice, WP, Reishi, SP, pygeum, nettle root, BO (not an herb), Chinese Skullcap, progesterone cream is a strong 5 ar, linolenic acid, green tea
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3) P450 C17-20 enzyme-Cytochrome (17α-hydroxylase)

-P450 enzymes are present in most tissues of the body, and play important roles in hormone synthesis and breakdown (including estrogen and testosterone synthesis and metabolism), cholesterol synthesis, and vitamin D metabolism

Grapefruit juice and herbs that inhibit CYP enzyme system can result in much higher levels of drugs in the bloodstream, and longer persistence of the drugs.

CYPs metabolize thousands of endogenous and exogenous chemicals. Some CYPs metabolize only one (or a very few) substrates, such as CYP19 (aromatase),

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The next two I'll explain later:


4) 17ß-HSD-(17ß-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase)


5) 3ß-HSD (3ß-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase)



Although not an enzyme, Saponins are equally important:

6) Saponins- Saponins are basically phyto-chemicals which are found in most of the vegetables, beans and herbs. The well known sources of saponins are soybeans, peas.

Saponins may improve absorption and elimination of drugs, altering the blood levels and rate of change of drug levels; strongly acid or alkaline herbs may alter absorption of drugs.

[Lotus]

Ok,

This must be just a bit more complex, seriously though, you have to admit that your NBE IQ has doubled hasn't it?. But, if you can understand Aromatase, certainly you can understand the basis of these other enzymes. I know I know, it's a pain Lotus!, or your a "PAiN Lotus!.

I have defo shared my marbles with you fellow NBE'ers, what I know you know. So don't hold back now, increase that IQ, Affect The Change.......

If I was a NBE coach, I'd be yelling at ya, come on, come on, "one more!!, one more!!, one more IQ point"

[peggy]

Lotus, not sure if my NBE IQ has doubled. I had to read your post at least three times until I understood it. Maybe it is because english is not my first language and it is written very complex or maybe it is just because I am blonde, lol. But I think i got it now.

I would like to ask you if you could edit your post and add to point 1) which herbs are PRO AROMATASE herbs, like white peony root + licorice root or if there are other ways how to increase the activity of aromatase (with food maybe??).

Please add to point 2) which herbs inhibit 5α-reductase, like pygeum, chinese skullcap, reishi, white peony and licorice.

Thanks. :-)

[Lotus]

Lotus, not sure if my NBE IQ has doubled. I had to read your post at least three times until I understood it. Maybe it is because english is not my first language and it is written very complex or maybe it is just because I am blonde, lol. But I think i got it now.

I would like to ask you if you could edit your post and add to point 1) which herbs are PRO AROMATASE herbs, like white peony root + licorice root or if there are other ways how to increase the activity of aromatase (with food maybe??).

Please add to point 2) which herbs inhibit 5α-reductase, like pygeum, chinese skullcap, reishi, white peony and licorice.

Thanks. :-)

That's a great idea Peggy and yes, I will edit and add those items. Btw, you're doing great, I'm only including the basic description so trust me, I had to read multiple times myself. The important thing is that we're learning what happens when we put things in our bodies and the reactions that occur.


Here's one thing to consider about enzymes,-some household products use enzymes to speed up biochemical reactions (e.g., enzymes in biological washing powders break down protein or fat stains on clothes; enzymes in meat tenderizers break down proteins into smaller molecules, making the meat easier to chew).

Next, I will attach a diagram about digestive enzymes that will be easier to understand.

[Lotus]

Digestive enzymes at a glance-
   

[peggy]

Thanks for this cool diagram. It is cleary understandable.

[Lotus]

Thanks for this cool diagram. It is cleary understandable.

Sure, it'll be a great reference, have you ever heard of 1st and 2nd pass metabolism?

[peggy]

No, I cannot remember.

[Lotus]

No, I cannot remember.

Ok, follow me I you will please......

So you take a supplement and it gets gobbled up in your liver, aka (1st pass).

Drug metabolism whereby the concentration of a drug is greatly reduced before it reaches the systemic circulation.

[Lotus]

No, I cannot remember.

Ok, follow me I you will please......

So you take a supplement and it gets gobbled up in your liver, aka (1st pass).

Drug metabolism whereby the concentration of a drug is greatly reduced before it reaches the systemic circulation.

This next part was posted sometime ago but keep it in mind:

Ok, understanding how your herbals diffuse might help explain why some may have a harder time with absorption. We mentioned before a few things about ways to affect the absorption, without getting too technical lets try to explain a few basics.

1) First is A.D.M.E.,

• Absorption - the process of a substance entering the blood circulation.
  
• Distribution - the dispersion or dissemination of substances throughout the fluids and tissues of the body.
  
• Metabolization (or biotransformation, or inactivation) – the recognition by the organism that a foreign substance is present and the irreversible transformation of parent compounds into daughter metabolites.
  
• Excretion - the removal of the substances from the body. In rare cases, some drugs irreversibly accumulate in body tissue.
  

The four criteria all influence the drug levels and kinetics of drug exposure to the tissues and hence influence the performance and pharmacological activity of the compound as a drug. (Obviously it herbs)