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The physiological effects of the Stevia-derived compounds, rebaudioside A, stevioside and steviol have been the focus of several studies due to their use as sweeteners in food. Despite that, little is known about their potential food-drug interactions. In the present study, IPEC-J2 cells and primary hepatocytes were used to investigate the effect of rebaudioside A, stevioside and steviol on cytochrome p450 (CYP) mRNA expression. Moreover, hepatic microsomes were used to investigate direct interactions between the compounds and specific CYP activity. In IPEC-J2 no changes in mRNA expression of CYP1A1 or CYP3A29 were observed with the Stevia-derived compounds. In primary hepatocytes all three tested compounds induced a significant increase in CYP3A29 expression. The tested compounds had no direct effect on specific CYP activity. In conclusion, rebaudioside A, stevioside and steviol induce only minor or no changes to the CYP expression and activity, and are not likely to cause food-drug interactions.

A total of 96 entire male pigs were used to evaluate the effects of feeding raw potato starch (RPS) and live weight (LW; 90, 100 or 115 kg) on skatole, indole and androstenone levels in fat and plasma. Different methods to analyse the compounds were compared. Fat levels of skatole analysed by HPLC and colorimetric methods, and androstenone analysed by HPLC and ELISA, were highly correlated. However, androstenone values obtained by ELISA were overestimated. Feeding RPS reduced skatole levels in plasma and fat but did not affect indole levels. Androstenone levels in plasma measured by direct ELISA were not altered by diet, whereas the levels measured by ELISA with extraction were lower in the pigs fed RPS. Feeding RPS did not reduce androstenone levels in fat. Androstenone levels in fat were higher at 115 than at 90 kg, whereas skatole and indole levels were not affected by LW.