Effects of Tao-Hong-Si-Wu decoction on acute blood stasis in rats based on a LC-Q/TOF-MS metabolomics and network approach

Mechanism of action of Taohong Siwu decoction in the alleviation of primary dysmenorrhea

Background

As one of the most common gynecological disorders, PD significantly impacts the quality of life for women. TSD, a well-known traditional Chinese medical prescription, has gained popularity for its use in treating gynecological cold coagulation and blood stasis syndromes such as PD. However, the lack of comprehensive data hinders our understanding of its molecular mechanism.

Purpose

The objective of the present study is to investigate the therapeutic effects of TSD on PD and elucidate its plausible mechanism.

Methods

HPLC was employed to confirm the presence of the principal metabolites of TSD. The rat model of PD was induced by OT exposure following IWM and EB pretreatment, and subsequently treated with TSD via gastric gavage. The effects and potential mechanisms of TSD on PD rats were explored, encompassing general behavior, morphological alterations in the uterus and ovaries, biochemical indicators in the uterus and serum, and levels of proteins related to the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Results

Gallic acid, hydroxysafflower yellow A, albiflorin, paeoniflorin, and ferulic acid were determined to be the primary active metabolites of TSD. The pharmacological studies yielded results indicating the successful establishment of the PD model in rats. Additionally, TSD demonstrated its ability to protect PD rats by ameliorating general behavior, mitigating pathological damage to uterine and ovarian tissues, and modulating the expression levels of correlated factors (PGE2, PGF2α, Ca2+, TXB2, IL-6, TNF-α, NO, and COX-2) as well as p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT proteins.

Conclusion

TSD exhibited protective effects against PD in rats through its interaction with multiple targets including P13K/AKT signaling pathway, indicating that TSD holds therapeutic potential for PD treatment and providing evidence supporting the rational utilization of TSD.

DIA-based serum proteomics revealed the protective effect of modified siwu decoction against hypobaric hypoxia

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Siwu decoction (SWD) is a common traditional formula for nourishing blood, and its derived formulas are also widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic. However, the protective effects of SWD and its derived formulas on blood deficiency and blood stasis caused by rushing to the plateau are rarely reported, and the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study explores the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of modified siwu decoction (MSWD) adding Persicae Semans (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) and Carthami Flos (Carthamus tinctorius L.) against hypobaric hypoxia (HH). The acute toxicity of MSWD was also evaluated to further validate the potential of MSWD as a therapeutic candidate for HH.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Hypoxic models of C57BL/6 J and KM male mice were used to evaluate the pharmacological effect of MSWD. 2 μL serum sample of C57BL/6 J mice was digested into peptide mixtures and analyzed with DIA mode on an Orbitrap Fusion Lumos mass spectrometer after LC separation. The peptide and protein identifications were limited to a 1% FDR. Screening of differential expressed proteins, correlation analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis, principal components analysis and Mfuzz analysis were all performed by R packages. The protein-protein interaction network was analyzed using the STRING website and constructed with Cytoscape software.

RESULTS

MSWD showed a protective effect against acute hypoxia exposure through increasing the number of red blood cells and improving hemodynamics indexes in mice. Meanwhile, the biochemical results showed that MSWD could reduce the inflammation and oxidative stress, reduce the content of organ injury biomarkers and significantly improve the high-intensity exercise ability of mice. Subsequently, serum DIA proteomic results revealed significant changes in proteomic characteristics after MSWD intervention. Specifically, proteins related to oxidative stress and ubiquitin-proteasome system, such as Sod1, Gstp1, Vcp and Usp14, were down-regulated after MSWD intervention, suggesting that the protective effect of MSWD involved the reduction of oxidative stress and energy expenditure. MSWD also intervened in energy metabolism and lipid metabolism processes by altering the expression levels of Eno1, Sphk1 and Apoa1 to ameliorate hypoxia-induced disorders. At the same time, MSWD acute toxicity test showed no obvious toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

MSWD has a good protective effect against HH by ameliorating hypoxia-induced disorders of energy and lipid metabolism, supporting MSWD as a safe drug candidate for the prevention and treatment of acute hypoxia fatigue.

Comparative Study on the Pharmacokinetics of Paeoniflorin, White Peony Root Water Extract, and Taohong Siwu Decoction After Oral Administration in Rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Taohong Siwu Decoction (TSD) is a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compound with pharmacological effects such as vasodilation and hypolipidemia. Paeoniflorin (PF) is one of the active ingredients of TSD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of PF in herbal extracts and their purified forms in rats.

METHOD

A sensitive and rapid high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS) method for the determination of PF in rat plasma was developed. Rats were divided into three groups, and given PF solution, water extract of white peony root (WPR), or TSD by gavage. At different predetermined timepoints after gavage, blood was collected from the orbital vein. The pharmacokinetic parameters of PF in the plasma of rats in the three groups was determined.

RESULTS

The pharmacokinetic studies showed that the time to reach maximum concentration (T_max) of PF in the purified forms group was relatively high, while the half-lives (T_½) of PF in the TSD and WPR groups were longer. Among the three groups, PF in the purified forms group had the maximum area under the concentration-time curve (AUC_0-t = 732.997 µg/L·h) and the largest maximum concentration (C_max = 313.460 µg/L), which showed a significant difference compared with the TSD group (P < 0.05). Compared with the purified group, the clearance (CL_z/F = 86.004 L/h/kg) and the apparent volume of distribution (V_z/F = 254.787 L/kg) of PF in the TSD group increased significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A highly specific, sensitive, and rapid HPLC-MS-MS method was developed and applied for the determination of PF in rat plasma. It was found that TSD and WPR can prolong the action time of paeoniflorin in the body.

Established UPLC-MS/MS procedure for multicomponent quantitative analysis of rat plasma: Pharmacokinetics of Taohong Siwu Decoction in normal and acute blood stasis models

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

As one of China's 100 classic recipes, Taohong Siwu Decoction (THSWD) consists of Siwu Tang flavored peach kernel and safflower, and is used to nourish and activate blood. Accordingly, THSWD is mainly administered to treat blood deficiency and stasis syndrome. According to prior studies, THSWD induces antioxidant stress, inhibits inflammatory reactions, inhibits platelet aggregation, prevents fibrosis, reduces blood lipids, prolongs clotting time, prevents atherosclerosis and vascular pathology, improves hemorheological changes, and regulates related signaling pathways.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A sensitive analytical method was developed to detect the marker components of THSWD using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. A rapid and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS analytical method was developed and applied to detect 16 major bioactive components in normal and acute blood stasis (ABS) rats following oral administration of THSWD. The metabolic process of THSWD in vivo was evaluated and the differences in pharmacokinetic parameters between the normal and ABS rat metabolic processes were compared.

RESULTS

This method was fully validated based on its excellent linearity (r² < 0.99), satisfactory intra- and inter-day precisions (RSD <15%), and good accuracy (RE within ±14.83%). The stability, matrix effects, and extraction recoveries of the rat plasma samples were also within the acceptable limits (RSD <15%). Compared to normal rats, the pharmacokinetics of the major active constituents (except Senkyunolide G) were significantly different (P < 0.05) in the ABS model rats, indicating that the metabolism of the 16 compounds in vivo may change under disease conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, a sensitive UPLC-Q-TOF-MS method was established to analyze the main components of THSWD, and a UPLC-MS/MS analytical method was developed and applied for the pharmacokinetic parameter detection of the 16 main bioactive components in normal and ABS rats. Our findings lay the foundation for further studies on the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic correlation for THSWD.

Matrine alleviates depressive-like behaviors via modulating microbiota-gut-brain axis in CUMS-induced mice

BACKGROUND

The realization of the "microbiota-gut-brain" axis plays a critical role in neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly depression, is advancing rapidly. Matrine is a natural bioactive compound, which has been found to possess potential antidepressant effect. However, the underlying mechanisms of regulation of the "microbiota-gut-brain" axis in the treatment of depression by oral matrine remain elusive.

METHODS

Its antidepressant effects were initially evaluated by behavioral tests and relative levels of monoamine neurotransmitters, and matrine has been observed to attenuate the depression-like behavior and increase neurotransmitter content in CUMS-induced mice. Subsequently, studies from the "gut" to "brain" were conducted, including detection of the composition of gut microbiota by 16S rRNA sequencing; the metabolomics detection of gut metabolites and the analysis of differential metabolic pathways; the assessment of relative levels of diamine oxidase, lipopolysaccharide, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by ELISA kits or immunofluorescence.

RESULTS

Matrine could regulate the disturbance of gut microbiota and metabolites, restore intestinal permeability, and reduce intestinal inflammation, thereby reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood circulation and brain regions, and ultimately increase the levels of BDNF in brain.

CONCLUSION

Matrine may ameliorate CUMS-induced depression in mice by modulating the "microbiota-gut-brain" axis.

Probing the Potential Mechanism of Quercetin and Kaempferol against Heat Stress-Induced Sertoli Cell Injury: Through Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation

Quercetin and kaempferol are flavonoids widely present in fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants. They have attracted much attention due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, and neuroprotective properties. As the guarantee cells in direct contact with germ cells, Sertoli cells exert the role of support, nutrition, and protection in spermatogenesis. In the current study, network pharmacology was used to explore the targets and signaling pathways of quercetin and kaempferol in treating spermatogenic disorders. In vitro experiments were integrated to verify the results of quercetin and kaempferol against heat stress-induced Sertoli cell injury. The online platform was used to analyze the GO biological pathway and KEGG pathway. The results of the network pharmacology showed that quercetin and kaempferol intervention in spermatogenesis disorders were mostly targeting the oxidative response to oxidative stress, the ROS metabolic process and the NFκB pathway. The results of the cell experiment showed that Quercetin and kaempferol can prevent the decline of cell viability induced by heat stress, reduce the expression levels of HSP70 and ROS in Sertoli cells, reduce p-NF-κB-p65 and p-IκB levels, up-regulate the expression of occludin, vimentin and F-actin in Sertoli cells, and protect cell structure. Our research is the first to demonstrate that quercetin and kaempferol may exert effects in resisting the injury of cell viability and structure under heat stress.

The Important Role of TaohongSiwu Decoction in Gut Microbial Modulation in Response to High-Salt Diet-Induced Hypertensive Mice

TaohongSiwu decoction (THSWD), a traditional Chinese recipe, has been widely used to treat hypertension since ancient times. However, the mechanisms of its action are still unclear. Herein, we aimed to explore the gut microbial activity of THSWD in high-salt diet-induced hypertensive mice. Eight percent high-salt (NaCl) diet was used to induce hypertension for 4 weeks in a mouse model. Meanwhile, THSWD was used to intervene in the high-salt diet-induced mice, and the efficacy was evaluated by different parameters. Here, we found that THSWD significantly restored blood pressure compared with the model group. Moreover, THSWD effectively protected endothelial function by significantly upregulating the level of nitric oxide (NO) and downregulating the level of endothelin-1 (ET-1), angiotensin I (AngI), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in serum compared with the model group. Notably, THSWD significantly upregulated the relative abundance of Dubosiella and downregulated that of Cyanobium_PCC-6307 and DNF00809 at the genus level compared with the model group. The results of PCA and microbial distance calculation further exhibited that THSWD treatment resulted in significant regulation of the microbial community. Furthermore, compared with the model group, THSWD increased the level of vitamin k2 (VK2) in serum. These findings indicate that THSWD could protect blood pressure and endothelial function by regulating gut microbiota and promoting microbial metabolite VK2. These results show the important role of THSWD in regulating the gut microbiota in response to high-salt diet-induced mice.

The Application of UHPLC-HRMS for Quality Control of Traditional Chinese Medicine

UHPLC-HRMS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry) is a new technique that unifies the application of UHPLC with HRMS. Because of the high sensitivity and good separation ability of UHPLC and the sensitivity of HRMS, this technique has been widely used for structure identification, quantitative determination, fingerprint analysis, and elucidation of the mechanisms of action of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) in recent years. This review mainly outlines the advantages of using UHPLC-HRMS and provides a survey of the research advances on UHPLC-HRMS for the quality control of TCMs.

Influence of Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis in Cerebral Infarction on Coagulation Index and Thromboelastogram and Its Risk Factors

Cerebral infarction is a serious brain injury disease, which is mainly caused by the blockage of blood circulation in patients’ brains; thus, the patient’s brain appears ischemia and hypoxia state, and large-scale nerve cell death occurs immediately. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (LEDVT) on coagulation indexes and thromboelastogram (TEG) after cerebral infarction. Altogether, 67 patients with cerebral infarction complicated with LEDVT in our hospital from April 2017 to August 2019 were collected as the observation group (OG) and 58 patients with cerebral infarction without lower extremity deep venous thrombosis as the control group (CG). The R, K, angle, and MA values in PT, APTT, TT, FIB, and TEG indexes were compared between the two groups. The ROC curve was applied to analyze the diagnostic value of R value, K value, angle value, and MA value in the occurrence of LEDVT in patients with cerebral infarction. Logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the independent risk factors of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis in cerebral infarction. PT, APTT, and TT in the OG were evidently lower than those in the CG, while FIB in the OG was evidently higher than that in the CG, R value and K value of the OG were evidently lower than those of the CG, and angle and MA values were higher than those in the CG. The AUC of R value, K value, angle value, and MA value of the ROC curve of LEDVT in patients with cerebral infarction was 0.735, 0.713, 0.790, and 0.819. Multivariate analysis showed that high FIB, angle, and MA were risk factors, while R and K values were protective factors. PT, APTT, and TT are lower and FIB is higher in patients with cerebral infarction with LEDVT. TEG has a certain diagnostic value. FIB value, angle value, and MA value are independent risk factors of LEDVT in patients with cerebral infarction, while R value and K value are protective factors.

A study of the influence of lead pollution on the anticoagulant activity of Whitmania pigra based on pharmacodynamics and metabolomics research

Whitmania pigra Whitman (leech, also called Shuizhi in China, abbreviated as SZ), which has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of blood stasis syndrome (BSS) for a long time, is vulnerable to lead pollution in aquaculture environments. SZ has good anticoagulant activity. However, there are few studies on the influence of lead pollution on it. Therefore, we carried out the following researches to explore the influence of lead pollution on the anticoagulant activity of SZ and its mechanism. Firstly, the acute blood stasis model of rats was established by subcutaneous injection of adrenaline hydrochloride and ice water bath. Then unpolluted SZ (UPS) and lead-polluted SZ (LPS) were extracted. Next, the blood stasis model rats were administrated by gavage and the rats in normal control (NC) group and blood stasis model (BM) group were given the same amount of normal saline. Finally, the blood of the rats was collected to detect the coagulation function and hemorheology indexes. The metabolomics of rat plasma was studied by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Orbitrap-MS) technology. Principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and Hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) were used to perform metabolomics analysis. MetPA analysis was used to search for related metabolic pathways. The results of coagulation function and hemorheology showed that lead pollution could decrease the anticoagulant activity of SZ. The OPLS-DA score plots indicated that the plasma metabolites of rats in LPS group were close to BM group, while UPS group tended to be close to NC group both in the positive and negative ion mode. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) suggested that UPS group and NC group were clustered into a branch, while LPS group and BM group were clustered into a branch. To sum up, lead pollution will reduce the anticoagulant activity of SZ. And lead pollution reduces the anticoagulant activity of SZ probably by influencing the metabolic pathways such as sphingolipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and energy metabolism in rats.

Comparative Analysis of Compatibility Influence on Invigorating Blood Circulation for Combined Use of Panax Notoginseng Saponins and Aspirin Using Metabolomics Approach

The combined use of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS)–based drugs and aspirin (ASA) to combat vascular diseases has achieved good clinical results. In this study, the superior efficacy was observed via the combined use of PNS and ASA on acute blood stasis rats, and untargeted metabolomics was performed to holistically investigate the therapeutic effects of coupling application and its regulatory mechanisms. The combined use of PNS and ASA exhibited better improvement effects when reducing the evaluated hemorheological indicators (whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, platelet aggregation, and fibrinogen content) in the blood stasis rats vs. single use of PNS or ASA at the same dose. The combined use of both drugs was the most effective application method, as shown by the relative distance in partial least-squares discriminant analysis score plots. Twelve metabolites associated with blood stasis were screened as potential biomarkers and were mainly involved in amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and energy metabolism. After coherently treated with PNS and ASA, the altered metabolites could be partially adjusted to be closer to normal levels than single use. The collective results revealed that PNS could cooperate with ASA to treat blood stasis and provided a scientific explanation for the superior efficacy of their combined use.

Exploration of the potential mechanism of the Tao Hong Si Wu Decoction for the treatment of postpartum blood stasis based on network pharmacology and in vivo experimental verification

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Tao Hong Si Wu Decoction (THSWD) is a traditional prescription for blood management in traditional Chinese medicine, THSWD consists of Paeoniae Radix Alba (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.), Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata (Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC.), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels), Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Conioselinum anthriscoides 'Chuanxiong'), Persicae Seman (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) and Carthami Flos (Carthamus tinctorius L.) at a weight ratio of 3: 4: 3: 2: 3: 2. THSWD is a commonly used prescription in the treatment of postpartum blood stasis disease.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To explore the potential mechanism of THSWD for the treatment of postpartum blood stasis using network pharmacology and experimental research.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We extracted the active ingredients and targets in THSWD from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and constructed a herbs-ingredients-targets-disease-network, devised a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, performed GO enrichment analysis, and performed Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis to discover potential treatment mechanisms. A postpartum blood stasis model was established in rats, and the results of network pharmacology were verified by in vivo experiments.

RESULTS

The results showed that 69 potential active ingredients and 207 THSWD target genes for the treatment of postpartum blood stasis disease were obtained after ADME filtering analysis. The targets were enriched in multiple gene functions and different signaling pathways. By exploring various different signaling pathways, it was found that mitochondrial regulation of oxidative stress plays a potentially important role in the treatment of postpartum blood stasis with THSWD. Compared to model group, THSWD alleviated mitochondrial damage, decreased levels of oxidative stress in the rat model of postpartum blood stasis and reduced apoptosis in uterine cells.

CONCLUSION

The therapeutic effect of THSWD on postpartum blood stasis is likely related to mitochondrial regulation of oxidative stress, which paves the way for further research investigating its mechanisms.

Uterine Metabolomics Reveals Protection of Taohong Siwu Decoction Against Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

Incomplete abortion, a procedure for terminating pregnancy, will lead to abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), infections, and even death. Taohong Siwu decoction (TSD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, which has been developed to treat AUB for hundreds of years. However, the mechanism of the protective effect of TSD against AUB is not clear. We performed mass spectrometry (MS) of uterine samples to observe metabolic profile resulting from the treatment with TSD. An integrated gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based untargeted metabolomics approach combined with multivariate statistical analyses were used to investigate the metabolic profile of TSD against AUB. There was clear separation between pregnant and incomplete aborting rats as well as incomplete aborting and TSD administered rats. Based on random forest algorithm and receiver operator characteristic analysis, 12 biomarkers were optimized related to TSD administered. The effect of TSD on AUB are related to several pathways, such as AA metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. To our knowledge, this is the first uterine metabolomics study focusing on TSD on AUB and provide a new perspective for explaining the mechanism of TSD on AUB.

Non-Targeted Metabolomic Profiling of Coronary Heart Disease Patients With Taohong Siwu Decoction Treatment

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the complementary and alternative therapies to improve the prognosis of coronary heart disease (CHD). Taohong Siwu Decoction (THSWD), a classical traditional Chinese medication that promotes blood circulation, is clinically beneficial in CHD. However, the underlying mechanism of THSWD is still unclear. To comprehensively understand the material foundation of the “blood”, it is significantly important to study the differential metabolites involved in the treatment of CHD with Chinese medicinal herb promoting blood circulation in TCM theory. Hence, this study investigated the metabolic profiles of the serum in CHD patients to determine the differential metabolites between the THSWD group and the placebo group. Eleven CHD patients were recruited and divided into two groups randomly and double-blindly. Serum samples were determined by performing non-targeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to assess the association between identified metabolites and clinical serum indexes of CHD. Based on the result, a total of 513 metabolites were found in the serum of CHD patients, of which 27, involved in 29 metabolic pathways, were significantly different between the two groups. Among the differential metabolites, THSWD upregulated succinylcarnitine in fatty acid metabolism and 5′-methylthioadenosine in cysteine and methionine metabolism compared with the placebo group. However, THSWD downregulated pelargonic acid, involved in FA metabolism; succinate, involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle; gluconic acid, gluconolactone, and d-glucose, involved in pentose phosphate pathway; glycerophosphocholine, involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism; 8,9-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (8,9-DiHETrE), l-lysine, N-acetyl-l-aspartic acid, N-alpha-acetyl-l-asparagine, hippurate, indoxyl sulfate, and 3-ureidopropionate involved in amino acid metabolism compared with the placebo group. Moreover, succinylcarnitine, pelargonic acid, succinate, d-glucose, gluconic acid, l-lysine, N-alpha-acetyl-l-asparagine, 5′-methylthioadenosine, indoxyl sulfate, 8,9-DiHETrE, and 3-ureidopropionate were associated with total cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein. Succinylcarnitine, pelargonic acid, gluconolactone, N-acetyl-l-aspartic acid, N-alpha-acetyl-l-asparagine, hippurate, and 5′-methylthioadenosine were associated with activated partial thromboplastin time. Our findings indicated that glycerophosphocholine, 8,9-DiHETrE, 5′-methylthioadenosine, hippurate, indoxyl sulfate, and 3-ureidopropionate might constitute the partial material foundation of the “blood” in CHD patients treated with THSWD.

Deciphering the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Taohe-Chengqi Decoction Extract Against Renal Fibrosis Through Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation In Vitro and In Vivo

Taohe-Chengqi decoction (THCQ), a classical traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) formula, has been extensively used for treating chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the biological activity and mechanisms of action of its constituents against renal fibrosis have not yet been investigated thoroughly. This study was aimed at devising an integrated strategy for investigating the bioactivity constituents and possible pharmacological mechanisms of the n-butanol extract of THCQ (NE-THCQ) against renal fibrosis. The n-butanol extract of THCQ was prepared by the solvent extraction method. The components of NE-THCQ were analyzed using UPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS techniques and applied for screening the active components of NE-THCQ according to their oral bioavailability and drug-likeness index. Then, we speculated the potential molecular mechanisms of NE-THCQ against renal fibrosis through pharmacological network analysis. Based on data mining techniques and topological parameters, gene ontology, and pathway enrichment, we established compound-target (C-T), protein-protein interaction (PPI) and compound-target-pathway (C-T-P) networks by Cytoscape to identify the hub targets and pathways. Finally, the potential molecular mechanisms of NE-THCQ against renal fibrosis, as predicted by the network pharmacology analyses, were validated experimentally in renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) in vitro and against unilateral ureteral obstruction models in the rat in vivo. We identified 26 components in NE-THCQ and screened seven bioactive ingredients. A total of 118 consensus potential targets associated with renal fibrosis were identified by the network pharmacology approach. The experimental validation results demonstrated that NE-THCQ might inhibit the inflammatory processes, reduce ECM deposition and reverse EMT via PI3K/AKT/mTOR and HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathways to exert its effect against renal fibrosis. This study identified the potential ingredients of the NE-THCQ by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS and explained the possible mechanisms of NE-THCQ against renal fibrosis by integrating network pharmacology and experimental validation.

Deciphering the Active Compounds and Mechanisms of Qixuehe Capsule on Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis Syndrome: A Network Pharmacology Study

BACKGROUND

Qixuehe capsule (QXH), a Chinese patent medicine, has been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of menstrual disorders. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome (QS-BSS) is the main syndrome type of menstrual disorders. However, the pharmacodynamic effect of QXH in treating QS-BSS is not clear, and the main active compounds and underlying mechanisms remain unknown.

METHODS

A rat model of QS-BSS was established to evaluate the pharmacodynamic effect of QXH. Thereafter, a network pharmacology approach was performed to decipher the active compounds and underlying mechanisms of QXH.

RESULTS

QXH could significantly reduce the rising whole blood viscosity (WBV) and plasma viscosity (PV) but also normalize prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), and fibrinogen (FIB) content in QS-BSS rats. Based on partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), the low-dose QXH-intervened (QXH-L) and the high-dose QXH-intervened (QXH-H) groups seemed the most effective by calculating the relative distance to normality. Through network pharmacology, QXH may improve hemorheological abnormality mainly via 185 compounds-51 targets-28 pathways, whereas 184 compounds-68 targets-28 pathways were associated with QXH in improving coagulopathy. Subsequently, 25 active compounds of QXH were verified by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS. Furthermore, 174 active compounds of QXH were shared in improving hemorheological abnormality and coagulopathy in QS-BSS, each of which can act on multiple targets to be mainly involved in complement and coagulation cascades, leukocyte transendothelial migration, PPAR signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, and arachidonic acid metabolism. The attribution of active compounds indicated that Angelicae Sinensis Radix (DG), Paeoniae Radix Rubra (CS), Carthami Flos (HH), Persicae Semen (TR), and Corydalis Rhizoma (YHS) were the vital herbs of QXH in treating QS-BSS.

CONCLUSION

QXH can improve the hemorheology abnormality and coagulopathy of QS-BSS, which may result from the synergy of multiple compounds, targets, and pathways.

GC-MS based metabolomic profiling of lung tissue couple with network pharmacology revealed the possible protection mechanism of Pudilan Xiaoyan Oral Liquid in LPS-induced lung injury of mice

Pudilan Xiaoyan Oral Liquid (PDL) originated from "Pudilan" Classic Recipe of traditional Chinese medicine is one kind of anti-inflammatory Chinese patent medicine recorded in Chinese Pharmacopeia. PDL has been used clinically for treating inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract. However, due to the complex composition of PDL, its potential anti-inflammation and the mechanism remain unknown. To identify the mechanism of the PDL in the treatment of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury of mice. The mice models of lung injury were established and the changes of biochemical indices in serum and histopathology were detected to explore the effects of PDL. The approach of GC-MS metabolomics was used to find more significant metabolites, and the metabolic pathways were enriched through MetaboAnalyst. Then network analysis was applied to visualize the protein related to the important metabolites, merging into a protein-metabolite network via Cytoscape. The treatment of PDL could attenuate LPS-induced histopathological damage of lung tissues, followed by reducing pro-inflammation mediators including IL-10, TNF-a and NF-ĸB in serum. 11 potential metabolites were identified in lung tissue through metabolomics, which were significantly regulated to recover by PDL treatment. The correlated network was constructed by integrating potential metabolites and pathways. Aspartate and l-cysteine were selected as key metabolites and correlated proteins such as IL4I1 and ASPA were speculated as the potential target to treat LPS-induced lung injury using PDL. These results demonstrated that PDL might prevent the pathological process of lung injury through regulating the disturbed protein-metabolite network.

Integrated Plasma and Bile Metabolomics Based on an UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS and Network Pharmacology Approach to Explore the Potential Mechanism of Schisandra chinensis-Protection From Acute Alcoholic Liver Injury

Schisandra chinensis (SC) is a well-known important traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been used to treat liver disease in China for a long time. However, its overall effects and mechanism of action are unclear. The present study aimed to explore the potential mechanism of SC in protection against alcoholic liver injury (ALI). In this research, to enable a full assessment of metabolic changes in ALI in Sprague-Dawley rats and to increase our understanding of physiological changes in normal and pathological states, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS) was used to probe potential biomarkers to learn more about ALI and to evaluate the overall effect of SC for ALI in rats. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to investigate global metabolomic alterations and to evaluate the therapeutic effects of SC in rats. The component–target–pathway network of SC was then constructed on the basis of the network pharmacology, and the liver injury-relevant signaling pathways were thus dissected and validated. The results showed that SC has conspicuous therapeutic efficacy for ALI, as suggested by the results of the pathological section and biochemical index assays, such as those for Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (AKP), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT/GGT), Reactive oxygen species (ROS), and Malondialdehyde (MDA). Furthermore, 21 kinds of potential biomarkers were identified in plasma samples of ALI rats, and 20 kinds of potential biomarkers were identified in their bile samples. The biomarkers were mainly related to inflammation and dysfunctions of amino acids and energy metabolism. The recovery of these dysfunctions partly led to the curative effect of SC on ALI.

Integrated strategy for accurately screening biomarkers based on metabolomics coupled with network pharmacology

Screening diagnostic biomarkers can be challenging due to the complexity of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and ambiguous pharmacological mechanisms. In this study, we reported an integrated strategy for accurately screening diagnostic biomarkers based on metabolomics coupled with network pharmacology. First, a feasible pharmacological model was established through systems pharmacology and based on metabolomics-based techniques to explore diagnostic biomarkers. While the components satisfying the q-value < 0.05, fold change (FC) ≥ 1.2 or FC ≤ 0.8, coefficient of variance (CV) ≤ 30%(QC) and the variable importance in the project (VIP) value > 1 are considered to be diagnostic biomarkers. Second, the ingredients were retained only when oral bioavailability (OB), Caco-2 permeability, drug half-life, TPSA and drug likeness (DL) satisfied the criteria (OB ≥ 40%; Caco-2 ≥ -0.4; HL ≥ 4 h; TPSA˂140; DL ≥ 0.18) suggested by the TCMSP database. Moreover, ingredients that exhibit extensive biological activity in TCM are also retained. Third, the effect targets of TCM were screened using the TCMSP database, Swiss Target Prediction and STICH online software. Disease targets were gathered from the therapeutic target database (TTD), PharmGkb and TCMSP database. Hub genes were screened by potential protein-protein interaction (PPI) network pharmacology analysis. Finally, a metabolic network pathway is established between the diagnostic biomarker and the hub gene. In the network analysis of metabolic pathways, most of the genes involved in this pathway are the second-step-obtained hub genes, which can explain the accuracy of the identified biomarkers. The proposed integrated strategy was successfully applied to explore the mechanism of action of Pulsatilla decoction (PD) in the treatment of acute ulcerative colitis (UC). Based on this integrated strategy, 23 potential biomarkers of acute UC treated with PD were identified. In conclusion, the integrated strategy provides novel insights into network pharmacology and metabolomics as effective tools to illuminate the mechanism of action of TCM.

Therapeutic Effect and Mechanism Study of Rhodiola wallichiana var. cholaensis Injection to Acute Blood Stasis Using Metabolomics Based on UPLC-Q/TOF-MS

In traditional Chinese medicine theory, blood stasis syndrome (BSS), characterized by blood flow retardation and blood stagnation, is one of the main pathologic mechanisms and clinical syndromes of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Rhodiola wallichiana var. cholaensis injection (RWCI) is made from dry roots and stems of RWC via the processes of decoction, alcohol precipitation, filtration, and dilution. Studies indicated the extracts of RWC could alleviate CVDs; however, the mechanism had not been illustrated. In the present study, the acute blood stasis rat model was established to investigate the pathogenesis of BSS and the therapeutic mechanism of RWCI against BSS. Hemorheological parameters (whole blood viscosity and plasma viscosity) and inflammatory factors (TNF-α and IL-6) were used to evaluate the success of the BSS rat model and RWCI efficacy. 14 and 33 differential metabolites were identified from plasma and urine samples using the metabolomics approach based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The results of multivariate analysis displayed that there were significant separations among model, control, and treatment groups, but the high-dose RWCI treatment group was closer to the control group. 9 perturbed metabolic pathways were related to BSS's development and RWCI intervention. 5 metabolic pathways (arachidonic acid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, retinol metabolism, and steroid hormone biosynthesis) showed apparent correlations. These differential metabolites and perturbed metabolic pathways might provide a novel view to understand the pathogenesis of BSS and the pharmacological mechanism of RWCI.

Broad range metabolomics coupled with network analysis for explaining possible mechanisms of Er-Zhi-Wan in treating liver-kidney Yin deficiency syndrome of Traditional Chinese medicine

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Er-Zhi-Wan (EZW), a famous traditional Chinese formulation, is used to prevent, or to treat, various liver and kidney diseases for its actions of replenishing liver and kidney. However, the mechanisms of treating Liver-kidney Yin deficiency syndrome (LKYDS) of EZW have not been comprehensively investigated.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In this study, a broad range metabolomics strategy coupled with network analysis was established to investigate possible mechanisms of EZW in treating LKYDS.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

The rat models of LKYDS were established using the mixture of thyroxine and reserpine, and the changes of biochemical indices in serum and histopathology were detected to explore the effects of EZW. Next, a broad range metabolomics strategy based on RPLC-Q-TOF/MS and HILIC-Q-TOF/MS has been developed to find the possible significant metabolites in the serum and urine of LKYDS rats. Then, network analysis was applied to visualize the relationships between identified serum and urine metabolites and in detail to find hub metabolites, which might be responsible for the effect of EZW on rats of LKYDS. Furthermore, the shortest path of "disease gene-pathway protein-metabolite" was built to investigate the possible intervention path of EZW from the systematic perspective.

RESULTS

Five hub metabolites, namely, arachidonic acid, L-arginine, testosterone, taurine and oxoglutaric acid, were screened out and could be adjusted to recover by EZW. After that, the shortest path starting from disease genes and ending in metabolites were identified and disclosed, and the genes of aging such as CAV1 and ACO1 were selected to explain the pathological mechanism of LKYDS.

CONCLUSION

Broad range metabolomics coupled with network analysis could provide another perspective on systematically investigating the molecular mechanism of EZW in treating LKYDS at metabolomics level. In addition, EZW might prevent the pathological process of LKYDS through regulating the disturbed metabolic pathway and the aging genes such as CAV1 and ACO1, which may be potential targets for EZW in the treatment of LKYDS.

Systems biology approaches in the study of Chinese herbal formulae

Systems biology is an academic field that attempts to integrate different levels of information to understand how biological systems function. It is the study of the composition of all components of a biological system and their interactions under specific conditions. The core of systems biology is holistic and systematic research, which is different from the manner of thinking and research of all other branches of biology to date. Chinese herbal formulae (CHF) are the main form of Chinese medicine and are composed of single Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) with pharmacological and pharmacodynamic compatibility. When single CHMs are combined into CHF, the result is different from the original effect of a single drug and can be better adapted to more diseases with complex symptoms. CHF represent a complex system with multiple components, targets and effects. Therefore, the use of systems biology is conducive to revealing the complex characteristics of CHF. With the rapid development of omics technologies, systems biology has been widely and increasingly applied to the study of the basis of the pharmacological substances, action targets and mechanisms of CHF. To meet the challenges of multiomics synthesis-intensive studies and system dynamics research in CHF, this paper reviews the common techniques of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and metagenomics and their applications in research on CHF.

Mechanism of Curcuma wenyujin Rhizoma on Acute Blood Stasis in Rats Based on a UPLC-Q/TOF-MS Metabolomics and Network Approach

Rhizome of Curcuma wenyujin, which is called EZhu in China, is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat blood stasis for many years. However, the underlying mechanism of EZhu is not clear at present. In this study, plasma metabolomics combined with network pharmacology were used to elucidate the therapeutic mechanism of EZhu in blood stasis from a metabolic perspective. The results showed that 26 potential metabolite markers of acute blood stasis were screened, and the levels were all reversed to different degrees by EZhu preadministration. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that the improvement of blood stasis by Curcuma wenyujin rhizome was mainly related to lipid metabolism (linoleic acid metabolism, ether lipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism) and amino acid metabolisms (tryptophan metabolism, lysine degradation). The component-target-pathway network showed that 68 target proteins were associated with 21 chemical components in EZhu. Five metabolic pathways of the network, including linoleic acid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and steroid hormone biosynthesis, were consistent with plasma metabolomics results. In conclusion, plasma metabolomics combined with network pharmacology can be helpful to clarify the mechanism of EZhu in improving blood stasis and to provide a literature basis for further research on the therapeutic mechanism of EZhu in clinical practice.

Aqueous Extract of Black Maca Prevents Metabolism Disorder via Regulating the Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis-TCA Cycle and PPARα Signaling Activation in Golden Hamsters Fed a High-Fat, High-Fructose Diet

Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walpers) has been used as a dietary supplement and ethnomedicine for centuries. Recently, maca has become a high profile functional food worldwide because of its multiple biological activities. This study is the first explorative research to investigate the prevention and amelioration capacity of the aqueous extract of black maca (AEM) on high-fat, high-fructose diet (HFD)-induced metabolism disorder in golden hamsters and to identify the potential mechanisms involved in these effects. For 20 weeks, 6-week-old male golden hamsters were fed the following respective diets: (1) a standard diet, (2) HFD, (3) HFD supplemented with metformin, or (4) HFD supplemented with three doses of AEM (300, 600, or 1,200 mg/kg). After 20 weeks, the golden hamsters that received daily AEM supplementation presented with the beneficial effects of improved hyperlipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis in vivo. Based on the hepatic metabolomic analysis results, alterations in metabolites associated with pathological changes were examined. A total of 194 identified metabolites were mapped to 46 relative metabolic pathways, including those of energy metabolism. In addition, via in silico profiling for secondary maca metabolites by a joint pharmacophore- and structure-based approach, a compound-target-disease network was established. The results revealed that 32 bioactive compounds in maca targeted 16 proteins involved in metabolism disorder. Considering the combined metabolomics and virtual screening results, we employed quantitative real-time PCR assays to verify the gene expression of key enzymes in the relevant pathways. AEM promoted glycolysis and inhibited gluconeogenesis via regulating the expression of key genes such as Gck and Pfkm. Moreover, AEM upregulated tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle flux by changing the concentrations of intermediates and increasing the mRNA levels of Aco2, Fh, and Mdh2. In addition, the lipid-lowering effects of AEM in boththe serum and liver may be partly related to PPARα signaling activation, including enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation and lipogenesis pathway inhibition. Together, our data demonstrated that AEM intervention significantly improved lipid and glucose metabolism disorder by regulating the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis-TCA cycle and by modulating gene expression levels involved in the PPARα signaling pathway.