Polydatin improves glucose and lipid metabolism in experimental diabetes through activating the Akt signaling pathway

A metabolomics approach to studying the effects of Jinxin oral liquid on RSV-infected mice using UPLC/LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Jinxin oral liquid (JOL) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula modified from ma-xing-shi-gan-tang, an ancient formula widely used in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma. In our previous studies, JOL was shown to safely and effectively treat viral pneumonia, especially that involving respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the mechanism of the effect of JOL in RSV infected mice, using a metabolomics approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC/LTQ-Orbitrap-MS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

BALB/c mice were divided into four groups, the control group (saline inoculation/no treatment), RSV group (RSV inoculation/saline treatment), RSV+JOL group (RSV inoculation/JOL treatment), and RSV+Riba group (RSV inoculation/ribavirin treatment). Plasma and lung tissue samples were collected 7 days after the inoculation/treatment protocols, and UPLC/LTQ-Orbitrap-MS method based on metabolomics was developed. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were utilized to identify biomarkers potentially associated with the anti-RSV activity of JOL.

RESULTS

JOL was associated with reduced inflammatory responses in RSV-infected lung tissue. The combination of PCA and OPLS-DA revealed deviations in 11 biomarkers in plasma, and 16 biomarkers in lung tissue induced by RSV that were corrected with JOL treatment. These biomarkers were primarily components of metabolic pathways involving glycerophosphocholines, sphingolipids, and glycerolipids. JOL was able to restore the abnormal levels of these biomarkers detected in the plasma and lung tissue of RSV-infected mice to approximately normal levels.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggested that JOL can treat RSV pneumonia effectively, partially by ameliorating the associated disturbances to lipid metabolism. The results provided insight into the anti-RSV mechanism of JOL, and also demonstrated that metabolomics is a valuable tool for investigating the efficacy of TCM treatment for RSV pneumonia, and the associated biomarkers involved.

Nephroprotective Effects of Polydatin against Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: A Role for the PI3K/Akt Signal Pathway

Oxidative stress and inflammation are involved in the pathogenesis in renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. It has been demonstrated that polydatin processed the antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and nephroprotective properties. However, whether it has beneficial effects and the possible mechanisms on renal I/R injury remain unclear. In our present study I/R models were simulated both in vitro and in vivo. Compared with vehicle control, the administration of polydatin significantly improved the renal function, accelerated the mitogenic response and reduced cell apoptosis in renal I/R injury models, strongly suppressed the I/R-induced upregulation of the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, prostaglandin E-2, and nitric oxide levels, and dramatically decreased contents of malondialdehyde, but it increased the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione transferase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase, and the level of glutathione. Further investigation showed that polydatin upregulated the phosphorylation of Akt in kidneys of I/R injury dose-dependently. However, all beneficial effects of polydatin mentioned above were counteracted when we inhibited PI3K/Akt pathway with its specific inhibitor, wortmannin. Taken together, the present findings provide the first evidence demonstrating that PD exhibited prominent nephroprotective effects against renal I/R injury by antioxidative stress and inflammation through PI3-K/Akt-dependent molecular mechanisms.