Myocardial lipidomics profiling delineate the toxicity of traditional Chinese medicine Aconiti Lateralis radix praeparata

Omics analysis unveils changes in the metabolome and lipidome of Caenorhabditis elegans upon polydopamine exposure

Polydopamine (PDA) is an insoluble biopolymer with a dark brown-black color that forms through the autoxidation of dopamine. Because of its outstanding biocompatibility and durability, PDA holds enormous promise for various applications, both in the biomedical and non-medical domains. To ensure human safety, protect health, and minimize environmental impacts, the assessment of PDA toxicity is important. In this study, metabolomics and lipidomics assessed the impact of acute PDA exposure on Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The findings revealed a pronounced perturbation in the metabolome and lipidome of C. elegans at the L4 stage following 24 hours of exposure to 100 µg/mL PDA. The changes in lipid composition varied based on lipid classes. Increased lipid classes included lysophosphatidylethanolamine, triacylglycerides, and fatty acids, while decreased species involved in several sub-classes of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. Besides, we detected 37 significantly affected metabolites in the positive and 8 in the negative ion modes due to exposure to PDA in C. elegans. The metabolites most impacted by PDA exposure were associated with purine metabolism, biosynthesis of valine, leucine, and isoleucine; aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis; and cysteine and methionine metabolism, along with pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis; the citrate cycle (TCA cycle); and beta-alanine metabolism. In conclusion, PDA exposure may intricately influence the metabolome and lipidome of C. elegans. The combined application of metabolomics and lipidomics offers additional insights into the metabolic perturbations involved in PDA-induced biological effects and presents potential biomarkers for the assessment of PDA safety.

A review of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi) for kidney disease: phytochemistry, toxicology, herbal processing, and pharmacology

Background

Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata, commonly known as Fuzi in. traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is widely utilized in clinical practice despite its inherent toxicity. Since ancient times, TCM practitioners have explored various processing techniques to broaden its clinical applications and enhance its safety profile. This review aims to summarize the effects of processing on the chemical composition, toxicity, and pharmacological properties of Fuzi, as well as investigate potential underlying mechanisms.

Methods

Data on phytochemistry, toxicology, pharmacology, and processing methods of Fuzi were gathered from the literature of electronic databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, and CNKI.

Results

Fuzi contains over 100 kinds of chemical compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and polysaccharides, among which alkaloids are the main active compounds. Diester-diterpenoid alkaloids are the main contributors to Fuzi's toxicity and have side effects on some organs, such as the heart, liver, kidneys, nervous system, and reproductive system. The chemical composition of aconite, particularly its alkaloid content, was changed by hydrolysis or substitution reaction during processing to enhance its efficacy and reduce its toxicity. Salted aconite could enhance the therapeutic efficacy of Fuzi in treating kidney diseases and influence its pharmacokinetics.

Conclusion

Processing plays an important role in increasing the efficiency and decreasing toxicity of aconite. Further studies are needed to elucidate the changes of aconite before and after processing and the underlying mechanisms of these changes, thereby providing evidence for the clinical safety of drug use.

Pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of Fuqi Guben Gao in the treatment of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome: a randomized, double-blind phase I trial

Introduction: Fuqi Guben Gao (FQGBG) is a botanical drug formulation composed of FuZi (FZ; Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux [Ranunculaceae; Aconiti radix cocta]), Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L. [Solanaceae; Lycii fructus]), and Cinnamon (Neolitsea cassia (L.) Kosterm. [Lauraceae; Cinnamomi cortex]). It has been used to clinically treat nocturia caused by kidney-yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS) for over 30 years and warms kidney yang. However, the pharmacological mechanism and the safety of FQGBG in humans require further exploration and evaluation. Methods: We investigated the efficacy of FQGBG in reducing urination and improving immune organ damage in two kinds of KYDS model rats (hydrocortisone-induced model and natural aging model), and evaluated the safety of different oral FQGBG doses through pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters, metabonomics, and occurrence of adverse reactions in healthy Chinese participants in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose clinical trial. Forty-two participants were allocated to six cohorts with FQGBG doses of 12.5, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 g. The PKs of FQGBG in plasma were determined using a fully validated LC-MS/MS method. Results: FQGBG significantly and rapidly improved the symptoms of increased urination in both two KYDS model rats and significantly resisted the adrenal atrophy in hydrocortisone-induced KYDS model rats. No apparent increase in adverse events was observed with dose escalation. Major adverse drug reactions included toothache, thirst, heat sensation, gum pain, diarrhea, abdominal distension, T-wave changes, and elevated creatinine levels. The PK results showed a higher exposure level of benzoylhypaconine (BHA) than benzoylmesaconine (BMA) and a shorter half-life of BMA than BHA. Toxic diester alkaloids, aconitine, mesaconitine, and hypaconitine were below the lower quantitative limit. Drug-induced metabolite markers primarily included lysophosphatidylcholines, fatty acids, phenylalanine, and arginine metabolites; no safety-related metabolite changes were observed. Conclusion: Under the investigated dosing regimen, FQGBG was safe. The efficacy mechanism of FQGBG in treating nocturia caused by KYDS may be related to the improvement of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis function and increased energy metabolism. Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=26934, identifier ChiCTR1800015840.

Comprehensive insight into the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, detoxification and extraction of hypaconitine from Aconitum plants

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Hypaconitine (HA), a diterpenoid alkaloid, mainly derived from Aconitum plants such as Acoitum carmichaeli Debx. And Aconitum nagarum Stapf., has recently piqued significant interest among the scientific community given its multifaceted attributes including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, analgesic, and cardio-protective properties.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This review presents a comprehensive exploration of the research advancements regarding the traditional uses, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and toxicity reduction of HA. It aims to provide a thorough understanding of HA's multifaceted properties and its potential applications in various fields.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted using several prominent databases including PubMed, Web of Science, NCBI, and CNKI. The search was performed using specific keywords such as "hypaconitine," "heart failure," "anti-inflammatory," "aconite decoction," "pharmacological," "pharmacokinetics," "toxicity," "detoxification or toxicity reduction," and "extraction and isolation." The inclusion of these keywords ensured a comprehensive exploration of relevant studies and enabled the retrieval of valuable information pertaining to the various aspects of HA.

RESULTS

Existing research has firmly established that HA possesses a range of pharmacological effects, encompassing anti-cardiac failure, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-tumor properties. The therapeutic potential of HA is promising, with potential applications in heart failure, ulcerative colitis, cancer, and other diseases. Pharmacokinetic studies suggest that HA exhibits high absorption rates, broad distribution, and rapid metabolism. However, toxic effects of HA on the nerves, heart, and embryos have also been observed. To mitigate these risks, HA needs attenuation before use, with the most common detoxification methods being processing and combined use with other drugs. Extraction methods for HA most commonly include cold maceration, soxhlet reflux extraction, and ultrasonic-assisted extraction. Despite the potential therapeutic benefits of HA, further research is warranted to elucidate its anti-heart failure effects, particularly in vivo, exploring aspects such as in vivo metabolism, distribution, and metabolites. Additionally, the therapeutic effects of HA monomers on inflammation-induced diseases and tumors should be validated in a more diverse range of experimental models, while the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of HA should be investigated in greater detail.

CONCLUSION

This review serves to emphasize the therapeutic potential of HA and highlights the crucial need to address its toxicity concerns before considering clinical application. Further research is required to comprehensively investigate the pharmacological properties of HA, with particular emphasis on its anti-cardiac failure and anti-inflammatory activities. Such research endeavors have the potential to unveil novel treatment avenues for a broad spectrum of diseases.

Therapeutic Potentials of Aconite-like Alkaloids: Bioinformatics and Experimental Approaches

Compounds from plants that are used in traditional medicine may have medicinal properties. It is well known that plants belonging to the genus Aconitum are highly poisonous. Utilizing substances derived from Aconitum sp. has been linked to negative effects. In addition to their toxicity, the natural substances derived from Aconitum species may have a range of biological effects on humans, such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer characteristics. Multiple in silico, in vitro, and in vivo studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of their therapeutic effects. In this review, the clinical effects of natural compounds extracted from Aconitum sp., focusing on aconitelike alkaloids, are investigated particularly by bioinformatics tools, such as the quantitative structure- activity relationship method, molecular docking, and predicted pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. The experimental and bioinformatics aspects of aconitine's pharmacogenomic profile are discussed. Our review could help shed light on the molecular mechanisms of Aconitum sp. compounds. The effects of several aconite-like alkaloids, such as aconitine, methyllycacintine, or hypaconitine, on specific molecular targets, including voltage-gated sodium channels, CAMK2A and CAMK2G during anesthesia, or BCL2, BCL-XP, and PARP-1 receptors during cancer therapy, are evaluated. According to the reviewed literature, aconite and aconite derivatives have a high affinity for the PARP-1 receptor. The toxicity estimations for aconitine indicate hepatotoxicity and hERG II inhibitor activity; however, this compound is not predicted to be AMES toxic or an hERG I inhibitor. The efficacy of aconitine and its derivatives in treating many illnesses has been proven experimentally. Toxicity occurs as a result of the high ingested dose; however, the usage of this drug in future research is based on the small quantity of an active compound that fulfills a therapeutic role.

Research on the effects of processing Heishunpian from Aconiti lateralis radix praeparata on components and efficacy using the "step knockout" strategy

Heishunpian is obtained through complex processing of Aconiti lateralis radix praeparata. However, the impact of each processing step on chemical compositions and pharmacological activities is still unclear. The mechanism of the processing needs to be further studied. The samples were all prepared using the "step knockout" strategy for UPLC-QTOF-MS analysis, and analgesic and anti-inflammatory efficacy evaluation. Each sample was analyzed by UPLC-QTOF-MS to determine the component differences. The hot plate test and acetic acid writhing test were used to evaluate the analgesic effect. Anti-inflammatory efficacy was evaluated by xylene-induced ear edema test. The correlation between components and efficacies was studied to screen the effective components for further investigating the processing of Heishunpian. Mass spectrum analysis results showed that 49 components were identified, and it appeared that brine immersion and rinsing had a great influence on the components. In the hot plate test, ibuprofen and Heishunpian had the most significant effect, while ibuprofen and the sample without rinsing showed the best efficacy for the acetic acid writhing test. The sample without dyeing had the best effect on ear edema. The correlation analysis indicated that mesaconine, aconine, 3-deoxyaconine, delbruine, and asperglaucide were potentially considered effective analgesic components. It is not recommended to remove brine immersion and rinsing. Boiling and steaming are necessary processes that improve efficacy. Dyeing, which does not have a significant impact on components and efficacy, may be an unnecessary process. This research has been of great significance in identifying anti-inflammatory and analgesic components and optimizing processing for Heishunpian.

Untargeted metabolomics reveals the combination effects and mechanisms of Huangqi-fuzi herb-pair against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Qifu decoction (QFD) is a famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) composed of Astragali Radix (HuangQi) and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparaia (Fuzi), which can alleviate doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). However, its protective mechanism remains obscured.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study aimed to uncover the cardioprotective mechanism and the synergistic effect of QFD against DIC in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The cardioprotective activity of QFD against DIC was assessed by electrocardiogram, serum biochemical assays and histopathology. Mass spectrometry-based metabolomic approach was conducted to elucidate the preventive mechanisms of QFD, HuangQi decoction (HQD), and Fuzi decoction (FZD) against DIC. QFD, HQD, FZD-targeted metabolic pathways were identified and compared to investigate the synergistic mechanism of QFD by computational systems analysis. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was further employed to validate the key metabolic pathways at the level of the gene.

RESULTS

The electrocardiogram combined with the biochemical analysis and histopathology showed that the protection effects were sorted as QFD > HQD ≈ FZD. A total of 41 metabolites contributing to DIC were identified in the mice serum, among which 32, 12 and 10 metabolites were significantly reverted by QFD, HQD and FZD, respectively. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed that DOX perturbed 12 metabolic pathways, and QFD, HQD, and FZD-treated groups could significantly reverse 12, 7 and 6 metabolic pathways of these 12 metabolic pathways. Metabolic pathway and qRT-PCR revealed that QFD could protect DIC mainly by regulating energy metabolism, amino acids metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism, and HQD and FZD mutually reinforced each other.

CONCLUSION

These evidences revealed that QFD was a promising drug candidate for DIC by maintaining metabolic homeostasis. Meanwhile, this work provided a useful approach for evaluating the efficacy and the synergistic effects of TCMs against cardiomyopathy.

Safety evaluations of the processed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. And its hepatotoxicity mechanisms in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The processed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. is known as Fuzi, an extensively used Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat cardiovascular diseases, rheumatism arthritis, bronchitis, pains, and hypothyroidism, etc. Although Chinese Pharmacopeia regulates the safe clinical dosage of Fuzi at 3-15 g/person/day, such recommendation not only lacks bench evidence but also does not differentiate Fuzi with different processing types, such as Heishunpian and Paofupian.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The current study aimed to 1) determine No-Observed-Adverse-Effect-Levels of Heishunpian and Paofupian in rats and 2) investigate the related toxicity mechanisms for their safe clinical use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

After giving clinically relevant dosing regimen of Heishunpian/Paofupian to rats, we conducted toxicity assessments including ECG monitoring, histopathological changes and serum biomarkers to detect organ injury. Metabolomic study in the liver revealed changes in endogenous metabolite levels after two-week treatment of Fuzi preparations or its corresponding six toxic alkaloids mixtures.

RESULTS

The NOAEL for both bolus and two-week treatments of Heishunpian and Paofupian in rats was designated to be 7.5 g/kg and 15 g/kg, respectively. Corresponding recommended doses in humans were 7.5-25 g/person/day for Heishunpian and 15-50 g/person/day for Paofupian. Metabolic profiles revealed more significant alterations in endogenous substances from rats receiving the two Fuzi preparations than their corresponding toxic alkaloids mixtures. Upregulation of bile acid pathway could be responsible for Fuzi induced liver injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to the current maximum recommended dose, our suggested upper limit of guided dose for Heishunpian was comparable, whereas that for Paofupian could be further elevated. Both C₁₉-diterpenoid alkaloids and co-occurring components in Fuzi preparations contributed to their hepatotoxicity via upregulation of bile acid pathway.

Overall metabolic network analysis of urine in hyperlipidemic rats treated with Bidens bipinnata L

Hyperlipidemia has been highlighted as one of the most prominent and global chronic conditions nowadays. Bidens bipinnata L. (BBL), a folk medicine in contemporary China, has efficacy in the treatment of hyperlipidemia (HLP) in China. Although some physiological and pathological function parameters of hyperlipidemia have been investigated, little information about the changes in small metabolites in biofluids has been reported. In the present study, global metabolic profiling with high-performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap/Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-LTQ/Orbitrap MS) combined with a pattern recognition method was performed to discover the underlying lipid-regulating mechanisms of BBL on hyperlipidemic rats induced by high-fat diet (HFD). The total of four metabolites, up- or down-regulated (p < 0.05 or 0.01), were identified and contributed to the progression of hyperlipidemia. These promising identified biomarkers underpin the metabolic pathway, including glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, the TCA cycle, sphingolipid metabolism and purine metabolism. They are disturbed in hyperlipidemic rats, and are identified using pathway analysis with MetPA. The altered metabolite indices could be regulated closer to normal levels after BBL intervention. The results demonstrated that urinary metabolomics is a powerful tool in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of hyperlipidemia to provide information on changes in metabolite pathways.

Study on the Mechanism of Mesaconitine-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats Based on Metabonomics and Toxicology Network

Mesaconitine (MA), one of the main diterpenoid alkaloids in Aconitum, has a variety of pharmacological effects, such as analgesia, anti-inflammation and relaxation of rat aorta. However, MA is a highly toxic ingredient. At present, studies on its toxicity are mainly focused on the heart and central nervous system, and there are few reports on the hepatotoxic mechanism of MA. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of MA administration on liver. SD rats were randomly divided into a normal saline (NS) group, a low-dose MA group (0.8 mg/kg/day) and a high-dose MA group (1.2 mg/kg/day). After 6 days of administration, the toxicity of MA on the liver was observed. Metabolomic and network toxicology methods were combined to explore the effect of MA on the liver of SD rats and the mechanism of hepatotoxicity in this study. Through metabonomics study, the differential metabolites of MA, such as L-phenylalanine, retinyl ester, L-proline and 5-hydroxyindole acetaldehyde, were obtained, which involved amino acid metabolism, vitamin metabolism, glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism. Based on network toxicological analysis, MA can affect HIF-1 signal pathway, MAPK signal pathway, PI3K-Akt signal pathway and FoxO signal pathway by regulating ALB, AKT1, CASP3, IL2 and other targets. Western blot results showed that protein expression of HMOX1, IL2 and caspase-3 in liver significantly increased after MA administration (p < 0.05). Combined with the results of metabonomics and network toxicology, it is suggested that MA may induce hepatotoxicity by activating oxidative stress, initiating inflammatory reaction and inducing apoptosis.

Characteristic profiling of Aconiti Lateralis Radix for distinguishing it from compatible herbal pair using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS coupled with chemometrics

A method combining ultra-high-performance liquid chromatograph/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and chemometrics was established to evaluate the differences in chemical composition between Aconiti Lateralis Radix (Fuzi in Chinese) before and after combination with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao in Chinese). UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to characterize the chemical components before and after the combination of Fuzi with Gancao, and genetic algorithm selection variables were applied to extract important variables. Partial least square discriminant analysis was used to verify the reliability of the variables obtained by genetic algorithm selection in differentiating Fuzi and combinations with Gancao, and nine potential chemical markers were obtained. The changes in content of chemical markers in Fuzi before and after combination were visualized using a heat map and hierarchical cluster analysis. Based on the chemical markers, characteristic profiling of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS data was developed, then unsupervised principal components analysis and a supervised counter-propagation artificial neural network were used to validate the characteristic profiling approach and showed that it performed well in differentiating between Fuzi and combinations with Gancao.

Review of Traditional Chinese Medicines for Common Complications Related to Hemodialysis: An Evidence-Based Perspective

Renal replacement therapy is an important therapy for prolonging life in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) populations, and, in Taiwan, hemodialysis (HD) is the choice for most patients with ESRD. Although HD is effective for prolonging life, it is sometimes associated with complications that patients and doctors have to cope with every day, such as intradialytic hypotension, dialysis disequilibrium syndrome, and muscle cramps. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a complementary and alternative therapy that has been recognized for its efficacy in treating a variety of diseases by the World Health Organization. Nowadays, the clinical practice of TCM for HD-related complications has received attention for its effectiveness and safety. In this article, we summarize the TCM viewpoint and different TCM interventions for HD-related complications, such as Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, herbal acupoint therapy, auricular acupoints, and moxibustion. In the ESRD population, TCM is able to balance Yin and Yang, prevent cardiovascular accidents, control blood pressure, and relieve pain. More importantly, TCM may also improve common HD-related complications such as uremic symptoms, imbalance of electrolyte and fluid status, insomnia, and malnutrition. The mechanism of TCM is considered related to the regulation of autonomous functions and the activation of biologically active chemical substances. According to the studies noted in this review article, TCM has been proven effective for HD-related complications. However, more well-designed and rigorous research will be necessary to reveal the underlying mechanisms in the future.

The implications of mitochondria in doxorubicin treatment of cancer in the context of traditional and modern medicine

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an antibiotic anthracycline extensively used in the treatment of different malignancies, such as breast cancer, lymphomas and leukemias. The cardiotoxicity induced by DOX is one of the most important pathophysiological events that limit its clinical application. Accumulating evidence highlights mitochondria as a central role in this process. Modulation of mitochondrial functions as therapeutic strategy for DOX-induced cardiotoxicity has thus attracted much attention. In particular, emerging studies investigated the potential of natural mitochondria-targeting compounds from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as adjunct or alternative treatment for DOX-induced toxicity. This review summarizes studies about the mechanisms of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, evidencing the importance of mitochondria and presenting TCM treatment alternatives for DOX-induced cardiomyopathy.

Variations of microbial community in Aconitum carmichaeli Debx. rhizosphere soilin a short-term continuous cropping system

Aconitum carmichaeli Debx. (Ranunculaceae) is a potential source of an important herbal drug named "Fuzi", which is derived from the lateral root of the plant. Increased therapeutic usage resulted in the great demand for artificial cultivation of A. carmichaeli, however, the obstacles caused by continuous cropping is a serious problem. Continuous cropping has shown to affect the soil biological and non-biological factors. The current study attempted to discover the variations of microbial communities and soil properties in short-term continuous cropping of A. carmichaeli. An experimental procedure with A. carmichaeli planted two years continuously was established. The variation of the soil microbial community, disease incidence, soil properties, and the correlation between soil microbe and disease incidence were investigated. The disease incidence increased during the continuous cropping of A. carmichaeli. The PCoA and LefSe results indicated that fungal communities in rhizosphere soil were altered during the short-term continuous croppingand the bacterial community was disturbed by the cultivation of A. carmichaeli, however, in the following two years of continuous cropping period, the soil bacterial community has not changed obviously. Proportions of some fungal and bacterial genera were varied significantly (p < 0.05), and some genera of microflora showed a significant correlation with adisease incidence of A. carmichaeli. Microorganisms contributing to community composition discrepancy were also elucidated. Continuous cropping of A. carmichaeli disturbed the rhizosphere soil microbial community and altered the soil chemical parameters and soil pH. These variations in soil may be related to the occurrence of plant diseases. The current study will not only provide theoretical and experimental evidence for the A. carmichaeli continuous cropping obstacles but will also contribute to A. carmichaeli agricultural production and soil improvement.

Risk Compounds, Preclinical Toxicity Evaluation, and Potential Mechanisms of Chinese Materia Medica-Induced Cardiotoxicity

Chinese materia medica (CMM) has been applied for the prevention and treatment of diseases for thousands of years. However, arrhythmia, myocardial ischemia, heart failure, and other cardiac adverse reactions during CMM application were gradually reported. CMM-induced cardiotoxicity has aroused widespread attention. Our review aimed to summarize the risk compounds, preclinical toxicity evaluation, and potential mechanisms of CMM-induced cardiotoxicity. All relevant articles published on the PubMed, Embase, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases for the latest twenty years were searched and manually extracted. The risk substances of CMM-induced cardiotoxicity are relatively complex. A single CMM usually contains various risk compounds, and the same risk substance may exist in various CMM. The active and risk substances in CMM may be transformed into each other under different conditions, such as drug dosage, medication methods, and body status. Generally, the risk compounds of CMM-induced cardiotoxicity can be classified into alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, heavy metals, organic acids, toxic proteins, and peptides. Traditional evaluation methods of chemical drug-induced cardiotoxicity primarily include cardiac function monitoring, endomyocardial biopsy, myocardial zymogram, and biomarker determination. In the preclinical stage, CMM-induced cardiotoxicity should be systematically evaluated at the overall, tissue, cellular, and molecular levels, including cardiac function, histopathology, cytology, myocardial zymogram, and biomarkers. Thanks to the development of systematic biology, the higher specificity and sensitivity of biomarkers, such as genes, proteins, and metabolic small molecules, are gradually applied for evaluating CMM-induced cardiotoxicity. Previous studies on the mechanisms of CMM-induced cardiotoxicity focused on a single drug, monomer or components of CMM. The interaction among ion homeostasis (sodium, potassium, and calcium ions), oxidative damage, mitochondrial injury, apoptosis and autophagy, and metabolic disturbance is involved in CMM-induced cardiotoxicity. Clarification on the risk compounds, preclinical toxicity evaluation, and potential mechanisms of CMM-induced cardiotoxicity must be beneficial to guide new CMM development and post-marketed CMM reevaluation.

The mechanism underlying hypaconitine-mediated alleviation of pancreatitis-associated lung injury through up-regulating aquaporin-1/TNF-α

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury (APALI) is one of the most common and most dangerous form of extra-pancreatic organ damage in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). The treatment options for SAP were limited thus far; as a result, approximately 60%-80% of patients with SAP would die within a week. Hypaconitine (HC), one of the most important active ingredients in a Mongolian traditional medicine Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii has an excellent anti-inflammatory effect.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To ascertain whether HC has a protective effect against APALI, we investigated the therapeutic effects and the underlying mechanisms in vivo and in vitro and attempted to elucidate the mechanism in detail. In this study, APALI rats and human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells were treated with therapeutic doses of HC after establishing a model with sodium taurocholate and lipopolysaccharide, respectively.

RESULTS

Serum amylase and lipase activity, lung wet/dry weight ratio, lung myeloperoxidase activity, and pancreatic and lung histopathological changes showed that HC alleviated APALI in a dose-dependent way, which can be abolished by an aquaporin-1 (AQP-1) knockdown. The results of the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunohistochemical staining confirmed the expression of AQP-1, a kind of transmembrane protein that mainly distributed in the membranes of pulmonary cells and contributed to maintain water balance in the body by interacting with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), is negatively associated with APALI. On the contrary, HC treatment up-regulated AQP-1 expression and down-regulated the TNF-α expression as a consequence in APALI.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that HC has a good anti-inflammatory therapeutic effect on APALI with a possible underlying mechanism that affects the AQP-1/TNF-α pathway.

HPLC-MS/MS Analysis of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata and Its Combination with Red Ginseng Effect on Rat CYP450 Activities Using the Cocktail Approach

Red ginseng is often combined with Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata to reduce alkaloids-related toxicity of the latter. Such herb-pairing also results in better therapeutic effect in heart failure, as compared to the singular use of either herb. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata and its combination with red ginseng on the activities of CYP450 enzymes in rats. A sensitive and reliable HPLC-MS/MS method was established and validated for the simultaneous determination of eight probe drugs, phenacetin (CYP1A2), tolbutamide (CYP2C9), omeprazole (CYP2C19), dextromethorphan (CYP2D6), dapsone (CYP3A4), 7-hydroxycoumarin (CYP2A6), bupropion (CYP2B6), and amodiaquine (CYP2C8), in rat plasma using diazepam as internal standard (IS). The chromatographic separation was performed on a Waters XBridge™ C18 column (2.1 mm × 100 mm, 3.5 μm) using a gradient elution with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and water (containing 0.1% formic acid) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The method was successfully applied in evaluating the effect of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata and red ginseng on the activities of CYP450 enzymes. The pharmacokinetic results of the eight probe drugs suggested that Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata may inhibit the activity of CYP2A6, CYP2C19, CYP2B6, CYP1A2, CYP3A4, and CYP2C9 enzymes in rats. Comparison between the two groups, Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata combined with red ginseng and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata, indicated that red ginseng may inhibit the activity of CYP2D6 and CYP2B6 enzymes while inducing the activity of CYP1A2, CYP3A4, and CYP2C9 enzymes.

UPLC-HDMS-based on serum metabolomics reveals the toxicity of arecae semen

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Arecae semen has been used as vermifuge and digestant in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for more than one thousand years. However, the toxicity effect of areca semen and its underlying mechanism are still unclear.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY

This study was aimed to investigate the toxicity of arecae semen and to explore its mechanisms by serum metabolomics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The male Wistar rats were divided into the control group and treated group (n = 6 in each group), which were given by gavage with distill water or arecae semen aqueous extract (ASAE) once a day for 30 days, respectively. Serum samples were collected from all the rats after treatment of 7-day, 14-day and 30-day for metabolomics analysis. Moreover, biochemistry analysis and histopathological examination were performed at the end of study.

RESULTS

The phenomenon of diarrhea, less physical activity, tremors and body curl up were observed in the treated group. Additionally, the body weights of treated rats were significantly decreased compared with control rats from the 8th day after oral administration. Except the level of creatinekinase (CK) in the treated group significantly increased compared with the control group, there were no differences on biochemistry parameters and histopathological test in the two groups. Combined with the methods of principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal projection to latent structure-discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) and available databases, the treated and control rats were clearly distinguished from each other and 19 metabolites were identified as the potential biomarkers in the arecae semen treated rats. The identified biomarkers indicated that there were perturbations of the phospholipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and fat acid metabolism in the treated group.

CONCLUSIONS

This indicated that arecae semen possessed certain cardiotoxicity and inhibited the normal growth in Wistar male rats. In addition, the metabolomics approach is a useful tool to study the toxicity in TCM.

Application of metabolomics for unveiling the therapeutic role of traditional Chinese medicine in metabolic diseases

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Traditional medicine has been practiced for thousands of years in China and some Asian countries. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is characterized as multi-component and multiple targets in disease therapy, and it is a great challenge for elucidating the mechanisms of TCM.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

Comprehensively summarize the application of metabolomics in biomarker discovery, stratification of TCM syndromes, and mechanism underlying TCM therapy on metabolic diseases.

METHODS

This review systemically searched the publications with key words such as metabolomics, traditional Chinese medicine, metabolic diseases, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus in "Title OR Abstract" in major databases including PubMed, the Web of Science, Google Scholar, Science Direct, CNKI from 2010 to 2019.

RESULTS

A total of 135 papers was searched and included in this review. An overview of articles indicated that metabolic characteristics may be a hallmark of different syndromes/models of metabolic diseases, which provides a new perspective for disease diagnosis and therapeutic optimization. Moreover, TCM treatment has significantly altered the metabolic perturbations associated with metabolic diseases, which may be an important mechanism for the therapeutic effect of TCM.

CONCLUSIONS

Until now, many metabolites and differential biomarkers related to the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases and TCM therapy have been discovered through metabolomics research. Unfortunately, the biological role and mechanism of disease-related metabolites were largely unclarified so far, which warrants further investigation.

Metabolomics of Aurantio-Obtusin-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats for Discovery of Potential Biomarkers

Aurantio-obtusin is an anthraquinone derived from Cassia obtusifolia (cassiae semen). It is also used as a tool and a detection index for the identification of cassiae semen, as stipulated by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Anthraquinones, the main components in cassiae semen, have been reported to show hepatotoxicity. This study investigates the hepatotoxicity of aurantio-obtusin in male Sprague–Dawley rats. We randomly divided the animals into a blank control group and treated three test groups with different doses of aurantio-obtusin: Low dose (4 mg/kg), medium dose (40 mg/kg), and high dose (200 mg/kg). Each group was treated with aurantio-obtusin for 28 days, whereas the control group was administered an equal volume of 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt (CMC-Na) aqueous solution. Subsequently, we conducted biochemical, hematological, and pathological investigations and determined the weight of different organs. We used serum metabolomics to identify possible biomarkers related to hepatotoxicity. The low-dose group showed no significant liver injury, whereas the medium- and high-dose groups manifested obvious liver injury. Compared with the control group, the test groups showed an increase in alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase levels. The liver organ coefficient also significantly increased. Additionally, we found significant changes in the hematological indices. Metabolomics analysis showed that aurantio-obtusin induced 28 endogenous markers related to liver injury. Our data indicate that aurantio-obtusin induces hepatotoxicity in rat liver in a dose-dependent manner and is mediated by pathways involving bile acids, fatty acids, amino acids, and energy metabolism. In particular, changes in bile acid content during treatment with therapeutic agents containing aurantio-obtusin deserve increased attention.

Drug Safety Evaluation in China

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aimed to introduce the regulations management and current situations of drug safety evaluation in China.

RECENT FINDINGS

The nationwide implementation of good laboratory practice and good clinical practice guarantees the quality of pre-marketing drug safety evaluation. In recent years, post-marketing drug safety monitoring is changing from passive mode to the combination of active and passive monitoring. A national adverse drug reaction monitoring sentinel alliance has been created to actively identify, report, and evaluate adverse reactions, with more than 1.4 million cases reported in 2017. But the quality of the reports is not optimal, with few reports from drug manufacturers, low rate of severe reports, and trend of lag reporting. Drug safety evaluation in China is transitioning from passive monitoring to a combination mode. Drug pharmacovigilance is a powerful tool for active monitoring, but participation by drug manufacturers would be essential to an effective drug safety evaluation system.

Adverse drug reactions of Yunnan Baiyao capsule: a multi-center intensive monitoring study in China

Background

Yunnan Baiyao capsule (YBC), a marketed herbal medicine in mainland China, is widely used to control bleeding. This study's aim was to determine the occurrence of YBC-related adverse drug reactions (ADRs) among users of the medicine.

Methods

This hospital-intensive monitoring study was conducted in 163 hospitals across China. Consumers who used YBC (Z53020799) between June 2015 and December 2016 were included. By face-to-face interview or telephone, the circumstances and experiences of their adverse events (AEs), during drug taking and 14 days after drug withdrawal, were recorded at follow-up and later encoded by International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) 1997. The Naranjo Adverse Reaction Probability Scale (APS) was used to determine the likelihood of ADRs.

Results

A total of 31,556 participants were included (follow-up rate 99.40%). AEs occurred in 742 participants, of which 561 were reported as "not related with drug use" by their physician-in-charge. Based on the remaining 181 cases, the overall ADR incidence was 1.17% (intention to treat) and 0.58% (per protocol), with abnormal findings mainly concentrated in the digestive system, skin and respiratory system. The top 5 frequently reported reactions were nausea and vomiting (0.1785%, 56 cases of 31,367 participants), functional diarrhea (0.1180%, 37 of 31,367 participants), stomach discomfort (0.0893%, 28 of 31,367 participants), rash (0.0574%, 18 of 31,367 participants) and gastro-esophageal reflux (0.0383%, 12 of 31,367 participants). Among them, functional diarrhea and stomach discomfort were judged as definite ADRs of YBC.

Conclusions

In this large study, treatment of YBC was found to be associated with ADRs with an incidence of 1.17%, although most were relatively mild and not considered to be life-threatening.

Metabolomics of Clinical Poisoning by Aconitum Alkaloids Using Derivatization LC-MS

The root of Aconitum kusnezoffii (Caowu in Chinese, CW) is not only commonly used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), but also served as a tonic in China. Due to its high toxicity, clinical poisoning cases induced by CW have frequently been reported. However, the mechanism is still unclear. In this study, Aconitum alkaloids and altered endogenous metabolites in CW poisoning patients were investigated to elucidate the possible intoxication mechanism. Eighteen alkaloids, including 6 toxic diester diterpenoid alkaloids (DDAs), were determined from the sera of patients. At the same time, 5-(diisopropylamino)amylamine (DIAAA) derivatization-ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography- quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) approach was applied in the metabolomics analysis to find much more carboxyl-containing metabolites (CCMs), which are the essential components for life and critical to elucidate the mechanism of toxicity. As a result, 32 altered metabolites after poisoning were identified. Among them, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) and some dicarboxylic acids were first found to be related to Aconitum alkaloids toxicity. Finally, biological pathway analysis indicated that the significantly changed metabolites were primarily involved in amino acid metabolism, TCA cycle, fatty acid metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism and so on. These results can not only provide more information on the mechanism of CW intoxication but also help the clinical diagnosis of CW poisoning.

Application of metabolomics in toxicity evaluation of traditional Chinese medicines

Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) have a long history of use because of its potential complementary therapy and fewer adverse effects. However, the toxicity and safety issues of TCM have drawn considerable attention in the past two decades. Metabolomics is an “omics” approach that aims to comprehensively analyze all metabolites in biological samples. In agreement with the holistic concept of TCM, metabolomics has shown great potential in efficacy and toxicity evaluation of TCM. Recently, a large amount of metabolomic researches have been devoted to exploring the mechanism of toxicity induced by TCM, such as hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and cardiotoxicity. In this paper, the application of metabolomics in toxicity evaluation of bioactive compounds, TCM extracts and TCM prescriptions are reviewed, and the potential problems and further perspectives for application of metabolomics in toxicological studies are also discussed.

Relationships between the Toxicities of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata (Fuzi) and the Toxicokinetics of Its Main Diester-Diterpenoid Alkaloids

The processed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Deb (Aconiti Radix lateralis praeparata or Fuzi) is a potent traditional herbal medicine extensively used in treatment of cardiovascular diseases, rheumatism arthritis, and bronchitis in many Asian countries. Although Fuzi has promising therapeutic effects, its toxicities are frequently observed. Three main C₁₉-diester-diterpenoid alkaloids (DDAs) are believed to be the principal toxins of the herb. Although toxicokinetic profiles of the toxic DDAs have already been examined in several studies, they have seldom been correlated with the toxicities of Fuzi. The current article aimed to investigate the relationship between the up-to-date toxicokinetic data of the toxic DDAs and the existing evidence of the toxic effects of Fuzi. Relationships between the cardiac toxicity and the plasma and heart concentration of DDAs in mice and rats were established. Based on our findings, clinical monitoring of the plasma concentrations of DDAs of Fuzi is recommended to prevent potential cardiac toxicities. Additionally, caution with respect to potential hepatic and renal toxicity induced by Fuzi should be exercised. In addition, further analyses focusing on the preclinical tissue distribution profile of DDAs and on the long-term toxicokinetic-toxicity correlation of DDAs are warranted for a better understanding of the toxic mechanisms and safer use of Fuzi.

Protective effect of berberine on aconite‑induced myocardial injury and the associated mechanisms

Aconitum plants, which have analgesic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects, have been widely used to treat various types of disease. However, the apparent toxicity of Aconitum-derived agents, particularly in the cardiovascular system, has largely limited their clinical use. Thus, the present study investigated whether berberine (Ber), an isoquinoline alkaloid, may reduce myocardial injury induced by aconitine (AC) in rats and the underlying mechanisms. Rats (n=40) were randomly divided into four groups: Control, Chuan-wu and Chuan-wu + Ber (8 and 16 mg/kg doses). Electrocardiograms (ECG) of the rats were recorded and serum biomarkers of cardiac function [lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) and CK-MB] were assayed. Histopathological changes were assessed using myocardial tissue sectioning and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Additionally, the effects of Ber on AC-induced arrhythmias in rats were observed. The changes in ECG following AC perfusion were observed, and the types and onset time of arrhythmias were analyzed. Furthermore, the effects of Ber and AC on papillary muscle action potentials were observed. The results suggested that Ber ameliorated myocardial injury induced by Chuan-wu, which was indicated by reduced arrhythmias and decreased LDH, CK and CK-MB levels in serum. Furthermore, histological damage, including dilation of small veins and congestion, was also markedly attenuated by Ber. In addition, the occurrence of arrhythmias was significantly delayed, and the dosage of AC required to induce arrhythmias was also increased by Ber pretreatment. Additionally, AC-induced changes in action potential amplitude, duration of 30% repolarization and duration of 90% repolarization in the papillary muscle were attenuated by Ber. All of these results indicate that Ber had a preventive effect on acute myocardial injury induced by Chuan-wu and arrhythmias caused by AC, which may be associated with the inhibition of delayed depolarization and triggered activity caused by AC. Thus, combination treatment of Ber with Aconitum plants may be a novel strategy to prevent AC-induced myocardial injury in clinical practice.

Protective mechanisms of hypaconitine and glycyrrhetinic acid compatibility in oxygen and glucose deprivation injury

This study investigated the protective effect of the compatibility of hypaconitine (HA) and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) on H9c2 cells under oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced injury, and the possible mechanisms. We found that HA+GA significantly improved pathology and morphology of the nucleus and ultrastructure of H9c2 cells under OGD as determined by Hoechst 33342 staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) tests. It also reduced the releases of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase-myocardial band isoenzyme (CK-MB), and aspartate transaminase (AST) from the cultured supernatant of H9c2 cells, which were tested by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) kits. In addition, it lessened the apoptotic rate as determined by a fluorescein isothiocyanate-annexin V/propidium iodide (FITC-AV/PI) double staining assay. It was also found that HA+GA might regulate the protein expression associated with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. Overall, the study demonstrated that HA+GA protected H9c2 cells against OGD-induced injury, and the signaling mechanism might be related to the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Systematic profiling and comparison of the lipidomes from Panax ginseng, P. quinquefolius, and P. notoginseng by ultrahigh performance supercritical fluid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry and ion mobility-derived collision cross section measurement

Lipidomics currently is still confronted with challenges from chromatographic separation and lipids identification. Here we report a lipidomics platform by integrating ultrahigh performance supercritical fluid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPSFC/QTOF-MS) and collision cross section (CCS) measurement using ion mobility spectroscopy/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (IMS/QTOF-MS), aiming to enhance the profiling performance and identification reliability of lipids. The lipidomes extracted from three congeneric Panax species (P. ginseng, P. quinquefolius, and P. notoginseng) by methyl tert-butyl ether are comprehensively profiled and compared by use of this platform. A potent UHPSFC/QTOF-MS approach was developed on a 1.7-μm particles packed Torus 2-PIC column using CH₃OH (in CO₂) as a modifier and CH₃OH/0.2 mM ammonium acetate as the makeup liquid, enabling well resolution of six lipid subclasses by both positive and negative MS^E modes. In contrast to the reversed-phase chromatography, "normal-phase" like elution order and better resolution of polar lipids and some lipid isomers were achieved by UHPSFC separation. Pattern recognition chemometric analysis of 60 batches of Ginseng samples ultimately unveiled 24 lipid markers, of which triacylglycerols were the most important. Aside from the automated MS database searching against HMDB and LIPID MAPS, the application of CCS retrieval or CCS prediction improved lipid identification by reducing the possible hits. In conclusion, this integral platform can significantly improve the chromatographic separation and the reliability of lipids identification in lipidomics studies. It is the first report that systematically compares the lipidomic difference of three reputable Panax species, providing useful information for their quality control in addition to ginsenoside analysis.

Systems Pharmacology Dissection of Multiscale Mechanisms of Action for Herbal Medicines in Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis

As a chronic inflammatory and angiogenic disease with increased morbidity and mortality, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by the proliferation of synovial tissue and the accumulation of excessive mononuclear infiltration, which always results in the joint deformity, disability, and eventually the destruction of the bone and cartilage. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with rich history of proper effectiveness in treating the inflammatory joint disease containing RA, has long combated such illness from, actually, an integrative and holistic point of view. However, its "multi-components" and "multi-targets" features make it very difficult to decipher the molecular mechanisms of RA from a systematic perspective if employing only routine methods. Presently, an innovative systems-pharmacology approach was introduced, which combined the ADME screening model, drug targeting, and network pharmacology, to explore the action mechanisms of botanic herbs for the treatment of RA. As a result, we uncovered 117 active compounds and 85 key molecular targets from seven RA-related herbs, which are mainly implicated in four signaling pathways, that is, vascular endothelial growth factor, PI3K-Akt, Toll-like receptor, and T-cell-receptor pathways. Additionally, the network relationships among the active components, target proteins, and pathways were further built to uncover the pharmacological characters of these herbs. Besides, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular mechanics-Poisson-Boltzmann surface area calculations were carried out to explore the binding interactions between the compounds and their receptors as well as to investigate the binding affinity of the ligand to their protein targets. In vitro experiments by ligand binding assays validate the reliability of the drug-target interactions as well as the MD results. The high binding affinities and good inhibitions of the active compounds indicate that the potential therapeutic effects of these herbal medicines for treating RA are exerted probably through the modulation of these relevant proteins, which further validates the rationality and reliability of the drug-target interactions as well as our the network-based analytical methods. This work may be of help for not only understanding the action mechanisms of TCM and for discovering new drugs from plants for the treatment of RA, but also providing a novel potential method for modern medicine in treating complex diseases.

Serum metabolomics analysis reveals that obvious cardioprotective effects of low dose Sini decoction against isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury in rats

BACKGROUND

Sini decoction (SND) is used for cardiovascular disease over thousands of years in China. However, it is still lacking of dose-response relationship of SND in cardiovascular disease at the metabolic level.

PURPOSE

The present study is designed to explore the cardioprotective effects of different dosages of SND pretreatment on the isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial injury and elucidate the mechanism underlying this protective effect.

METHODS

The cardioprotective effects of different dosages of SND pretreatment on the isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury were compared through a serum metabolomics approach based on ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). In addition, the cardioprotective effects were evaluated by serum biochemical analysis and histopathological examination of myocardial tissue. Finally, in view of the fact that these perturbed bile acid and phospholipid metabolisms are connected with NF-κB signaling pathway, nuclear expression of NF-κB p65 and the activation of NF-κB were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), respectively.

RESULTS

The cardioprotective effect was observed in SND pretreatment groups, especially in low dosage SND group. The results of serum enzyme activities and histopathology were consistent with the above effect. Meanwhile, fifteen latent biomarker candidates were identified involving glucose, phospholipid, bile acid and amino acid metabolisms. Among them, five bile acids including ursodeoxycholic acid, murideoxycholic acid, muricholic acid, hyodeoxycholic acid and cholic acid, were for the first time identified as latent pathological biomarkers related to ISO-induced myocardial injury. Further, different dose SND groups exerted different of inhibition degrees to the activation of NF-κB, which was obvious in the SND-L group.

CONCLUSION

The results revealed that Sini decoction protreatment protects myocardium better at a low dose level and one of possible cardioprotective mechanisms is modulating NF-κB signaling pathway against isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury through regulating phospholipid and bile acid metabolisms.

NMR-based metabonomics study on the effect of Gancao in the attenuation of toxicity in rats induced by Fuzi

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Fuzi, the processed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux, is a traditional Chinese medicine used for its analgesic, antipyretic, anti-rheumatoid arthritis and anti-inflammation effects; however, it is also well known for its toxicity. Gancao, the root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., is often used concurrently with Fuzi to alleviate its toxicity. However, the mechanism of detoxication is still not well clear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In this study, the effect of Gancao on the metabolic changes induced by Fuzi was investigated by NMR-based metabonomic approaches.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (group A: control, group B: Fuzi decoction alone, group C: Gancao decoction alone, group D: Fuzi decoction and Gancao decoction simultaneously, group E: Fuzi decoction 5h after Gancao decoction) and urine samples were collected for NMR-based metabolic profiling analysis. Statistical analyses such as unsupervised PCA, t-test, hierarchical cluster, and pathway analysis were used to detect the effects of Gancao on the metabolic changes induced by Fuzi.

RESULTS

The behavioral and biochemical characteristics showed that Fuzi exhibited toxic effects on treated rats (group B) and statistical analyses showed that their metabolic profiles were in contrast to those in groups A and C. However, when Fuzi was administered with Gancao, the metabolic profiles became similar to controls, whereby Gancao reduced the levels of trimethylamine N-oxide, betaine, dimethylglycine, valine, acetoacetate, citrate, fumarate, 2-ketoglutarate and hippurate, and regulated the concentrations of taurine and 3-hydroxybutyrate, resulting in a decrease in toxicity. Furthermore, important pathways that are known to be involved in the effect of Gancao on Fuzi, including phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, the synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, and the TCA cycle, were altered in co-treated rats.

CONCLUSIONS

Gancao treatment mitigated the metabolic changes altered by Fuzi administration in rats, demonstrating that dosing with Gancao could reduce the toxicity of Fuzi at the metabolic level. Fuzi and Gancao administered simultaneously resulted in improved toxicity reduction than when Gancao was administrated 5h prior to Fuzi. In summary, co-administration of Gancao with Fuzi reduces toxicity at the metabolic level.

Pathway Analysis and Metabolites Identification by Metabolomics of Etiolation Substrate from Fresh-Cut Chinese Water Chestnut (Eleocharis tuberosa)

Fresh-cut Chinese water chestnuts (CWC) turn yellow after being peeled, reducing their shelf life and commercial value. Metabolomics, the systematic study of the full complement of small molecular metabolites, was useful for clarifying the mechanism of fresh-cut CWC etiolation and developing methods to inhibit yellowing. In this study, metabolic alterations associated with etiolation at different growth stages (0 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days) from fresh-cut CWC were investigated using LC–MS and analyzed by pattern recognition methods (principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and orthogonal projection to latent structures-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA)). The metabolic pathways of the etiolation molecules were elucidated. The main metabolic pathway appears to be the conversion of phenylalanine to p-coumaroyl-CoA, followed by conversion to naringenin chalcone, to naringenin, and naringenin then following different pathways. Firstly, it can transform into apigenin and its derivatives; secondly, it can produce eriodictyol and its derivatives; and thirdly it can produce dihydrokaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin. The eriodictyol can be further transformed to luteolin, cyanidin, dihydroquercetin, dihydrotricetin, and others. This is the first reported use of metabolomics to study the metabolic pathways of the etiolation of fresh-cut CWC.

Lipidomics Biomarkers of Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia and Its Treatment with Poria cocos

Hyperlipidemia is a major cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Poria cocos (PC) is a medicinal product widely used in Asia. This study was undertaken to define the alterations of lipid metabolites in rats fed a high-fat diet to induce hyperlipidemia and to explore efficacy and mechanism of action of PC in the treatment of diet-induced hyperlipidemia. Plasma samples were then analyzed using UPLC-HDMS. The untreated rats fed a high-fat diet exhibited significant elevation of plasma triglyceride and total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations. This was associated with marked changes in plasma concentrations of seven fatty acids (palmitic acid, hexadecenoic acid, hexanoylcarnitine, tetracosahexaenoic acid, cervonoyl ethanolamide, 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid, and 5,6-DHET) and five sterols [cholesterol ester (18:2), cholesterol, hydroxytestosterone, 19-hydroxydeoxycorticosterone, and cholic acid]. These changes represented disorders of biosynthesis and metabolism of the primary bile acids, steroids, and fatty acids and mitochondrial fatty acid elongation pathways in diet-induced hyperlipidemia. Treatment with PC resulted in significant improvements of hyperlipidemia and the associated abnormalities of the lipid metabolites.

Metabolomics study of hematopoietic function of Angelica sinensis on blood deficiency mice model

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Angelica sinensis (AS) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years to enrich and invigorate blood. In this study, the aim is to investigate the influence of AS on metabolism of blood deficiency mice model and to explore its anti-blood deficiency mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The blood deficiency mice model was induced by being hypodermically injected with N-acetyl phenylhydrazine (APH) and being intraperitoneally injected with cyclophosphamide (CTX). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), principle component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to identify potential biomarkers in plasma and splenic tissue.

RESULTS

The levels of white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB) and platelet (PLT) showed a trend to return to control group after administrating with AS, while the dose of 10g/kg showed the best effect. Potential metabolite biomarkers (nine in the plasma and nine in the spleen homogenates) were identified in this study. These biomarkers were mainly related to five metabolic pathways, such as arachidonic acid metabolism, valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism and TCA cycle.

CONCLUSION

Metabolomics was used to reflect an organism׳s physiological and metabolic state comprehensively, indicating that metabolomics was a potentially powerful tool to reveal the anti-blood deficiency mechanism of AS.

Study of the cardiotoxicity of Venenum Bufonis in rats using an 1H NMR-based metabolomics approach

Venenum Bufonis, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in Asia and has gained popularity in Western countries over the last decade. Venenum Bufonis has obvious side effects that have been observed in clinical settings, but few studies have reported on its cardiotoxicity. In this work, the cardiotoxicity of Venenum Bufonis was investigated using a ¹¹H NMR-based metabolomics approach. The ¹H NMR profiles of the serum, myocardial extracts and liver extracts of specific-pathogen-free rats showed that Venenum Bufonis produced significant metabolic perturbations dose-dependently with a distinct time effect, peaking at 2 hr after dosing and attenuating gradually. Clinical chemistry, electrocardiographic recordings, and histopathological evaluation provided additional evidence of Venenum Bufonis-induced cardiac damage that complemented and supported the metabolomics findings. The combined results demonstrated that oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and energy metabolism perturbations were associated with the cardiac damage that results from Venenum Bufonis.

A review on phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of the processed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The processed lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux (Ranunculaceae), an extensively used traditional Chinese medicine, is known as Fuzi in China (Chinese: ), "bushi" in Japan, "Kyeong-Po Buja" in Korea, Chinese aconite, monkshood or Chinese wolfsbane. It has been used to treat shock resulting from acute myocardial infarction, low blood pressure, coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, etc.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

The present paper aims to provide an up-to-date review at the advancements of the investigations on the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacological effect and toxicity of Fuzi. Besides, the possible tendency and perspective for future research of this plant are discussed, as well.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All available information on Fuzi was collected via electronic search (using Elsevier, PubMed, ACS, CNKI, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, and Web of Science), books and classic works about Chinese herb.

RESULTS

122 chemical constituents, among which C19-diterpenoid alkaloids and C20-diterpenoid alkaloids are the predominant groups, have been isolated and identified from Fuzi. Fuzi with its active compounds is possessed of wide-reaching biological activities, including effects on cardiovascular system, anti-inflammation and analgesic action, anti-tumor activity, effect on the immune system, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, anti-aging effect, effect of protecting kidney and effect on energy metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly all of compounds were found from the roots of the plant, so further phytochemical studies should focus more on the other parts of the plant, such as the leaves, flowers or stems. Besides, a majority of the pharmacological studies were carried out using crude and poorly characterized extracts. Thus, more bioactive components particularly cardiotonic and analgesic compounds should be identified through bioactivity-guided isolation strategies. Moreover, investigations on how to develop Fuzi׳s new clinical usage on the basis of its pharmacological effects are in requirement.

Lipidomic profiling reveals significant alterations in lipid biochemistry in hypothyroid rat cerebellum and the therapeutic effects of Sini decoction

Hypothyroidism is known to be closely associated with lipid metabolism. Although our previous serum and urine metabonomics studies have provided some clues about the molecular mechanism of hypothyroidism at the metabolic level, the precise mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of hypothyroidism remains elusive, especially from the aspect of lipid metabolism. In the present study, we applied an ultra high performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/TOF-MS)-based lipidomics method to analyze the global lipid profiles of hypothyroidism in rat cerebellum. Using unsupervised analysis and multivariate statistical analysis, we separated the Sham and hypothyroid groups clearly and screened out 23 potential lipid biomarkers related to hypothyroidism that were primarily involved in sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism and β-oxidation of fatty acid. Subsequently, we conducted computational analysis to build and simulate the lipid network of hypothyroidism, knowing that it would be useful to elucidate the pathological mechanism of hypothyroidism. Based on the selected 23 lipid biomarkers, we systematically evaluated the therapeutic effects of Sini decoction (SND) and the positive drug T4. The results showed that both SND and T4 can to some extent convert the pathological status of hypothyroidism through different pathways. Overall, this investigation illustrates that lipidomic profiling approach is powerful in giving a complementary view to the pathophysiology of hypothyroidism and offers a valuable tool for systematic study of the therapeutic effects of SND on hypothyroidism at lipid level.

The antihyperlipidemic effect of Fu-Ling-Pi is associated with abnormal fatty acid metabolism as assessed by UPLC-HDMS-based lipidomics

The surface layer of Poria cocos (SLPC), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been commonly used for diuretic and antihyperlipidemia in Asia.

Toxicity assessment of Arisaematis Rhizoma in rats by a 1H NMR-based metabolomics approach

A ¹H NMR based metabolomics approach combined with serum biochemistry and histopathological examination was used to study the toxicity of Arisaematis Rhizoma by intragastrical administration for the first time.