Distinct urine metabolome after Asian ginseng and American ginseng intervention based on GC-MS metabolomics approach

Dysregulations of amino acid metabolism and lipid metabolism in urine of children and adolescents with major depressive disorder: a case-control study

RATIONALE

The mechanisms underlying major depressive disorder (MDD) in children and adolescents are unclear. Metabolomics has been utilized to capture metabolic signatures of various psychiatric disorders; however, urinary metabolic profile of MDD in children and adolescents has not been studied.

OBJECTIVES

We analyzed urinary metabolites in children and adolescents with MDD to identify potential biomarkers and metabolic signatures.

METHODS

Here, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to profile metabolites in urine samples from 192 subjects, comprising 80 individuals with antidepressant-naïve MDD (AN-MDD), 37 with antidepressant-treated MDD (AT-MDD) and 75 healthy controls (HC). We performed orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis to identify differential metabolites and employed logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analysis to establish a diagnostic panel.

RESULTS

In total, 143 and 71 differential metabolites were identified in AN-MDD and AT-MDD, respectively. These were primarily linked to lipid metabolism, molecular transport, and small molecule biochemistry. AN-MDD additionally exhibited dysregulated amino acid metabolism. Compared to HC, a diagnostic panel of seven metabolites displayed area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.792 for AN-MDD, 0.828 for AT-MDD, and 0.799 for all MDD. Furthermore, the urinary metabolic profiles of children and adolescents with MDD significantly differed from those of adult MDD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research suggests dysregulated amino acid metabolism and lipid metabolism in the urine of children and adolescents with MDD, similar to results in plasma metabolomics studies. This contributes to the comprehension of mechanisms underlying children and adolescents with MDD.

Bergenin Alleviates Ulcerative Colitis By Decreasing Gut Commensal Bacteroides vulgatus-Mediated Elevated Branched-Chain Amino Acids

Ulcerative colitis is closely associated with the dysregulation of gut microbiota. There is growing evidence that natural products may improve ulcerative colitis by regulating the gut microbiota. In this research, we demonstrated that bergenin, a naturally occurring isocoumarin, significantly ameliorates colitis symptoms in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mice. Transcriptomic analysis and Caco-2 cell assays revealed that bergenin could ameliorate ulcerative colitis by inhibiting TLR4 and regulating NF-κB and mTOR phosphorylation. 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolomics analyses revealed that bergenin could improve gut microbiota dysbiosis by decreasing branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) levels. BCAA intervention mediated the mTOR/p70S6K signaling pathway to exacerbate the symptoms of ulcerative colitis in mice. Notably, bergenin greatly decreased the symbiotic bacteria Bacteroides vulgatus (B. vulgatus), and the gavage of B. vulgatus increased BCAA concentrations and aggravated the symptoms of ulcerative colitis in mice. Our findings suggest that gut microbiota-mediated BCAA metabolism plays a vital role in the protective effect of bergenin on ulcerative colitis, providing novel insights for ulcerative colitis prevention through manipulation of the gut microbiota.

Safety evaluation of rare ginsenosides of stems and leaves from American ginseng: 90-day exposure toxicity study combined with intestinal flora analysis and metabonomics in rats

Rare ginsenosides have already been widely applied in many fields, including health food and bio-medicine. The human being can expose to rare ginsenosides directly or indirectly increasingly. However, there are few studies on the safety assessment of rare ginsenoside mixtures. In the present study, the sub-chronic toxicity of rare ginsenosides for 90 days on SD rats was performed by combining the intestinal flora analysis and urine metabonomics aiming to illustrate the safety of long-term consumption of rare ginsenosides and the potential damage for liver and intestinal. 48 adult rats were divided into four groups: control (0 mg/kg), low-dose (60 mg/kg), medium-dose (200 mg/kg), and high-dose (600 mg/kg). Rats in the high-dose group showed inflammatory changes in their livers and intestines. The strong bactericidal effect of rare ginsenosides caused intestinal flora disorder and changed the structure of intestinal flora in rats, thus inducing intestinal damage in rats. In the high-dose group, levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) increased significantly. As a result of the high-dose treatment, certain metabolic pathways were altered, such as vitamin B6 metabolism, methionine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and others. These results indicated that high doses of rare ginsenosides induced liver injury by affecting the above metabolic pathways. Rare ginsenosides with no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) were below 200 mg/kg/day in vivo. Thus, this present study provides insight into the rational use of rare ginsenosides.

Pharmacological Efficacy of Ginseng against Respiratory Tract Infections

Respiratory tract infections are underestimated, as they are mild and generally not incapacitating. In clinical medicine, however, these infections are considered a prevalent problem. By 2030, the third most comprehensive reason for death worldwide will be chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the World Health Organization. The current arsenal of anti-inflammatory drugs shows little or no benefits against COPD. For thousands of years, herbal drugs have been used to cure numerous illnesses; they exhibit promising results and enhance physical performance. Ginseng is one such herbal medicine, known to alleviate pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8) formed by macrophages and epithelial cells. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of ginsenoside are still not fully understood. Various clinical trials of ginseng have exhibited a reduction of repeated colds and the flu. In this review, ginseng’s structural features, the pathogenicity of microbial infections, and the immunomodulatory, antiviral, and anti-bacterial effects of ginseng were discussed. The focus was on the latest animal studies and human clinical trials that corroborate ginseng’s role as a therapy for treating respiratory tract infections. The article concluded with future directions and significant challenges. This review would be a valuable addition to the knowledge base for researchers in understanding the promising role of ginseng in treating respiratory tract infections. Further analysis needs to be re-focused on clinical trials to study ginseng’s efficacy and safety in treating pathogenic infections and in determining ginseng-drug interactions.

Biomarker identification and pathway analysis of rheumatoid arthritis based on metabolomics in combination with ingenuity pathway analysis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune and inflammatory disease worldwide, but understanding its pathogenesis is still limited. In this study, plasma untargeted metabolomics of a discovery cohort and targeted analysis of a verification cohort were performed by gas chromatograph mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis were utilized to reveal differential metabolites, followed by the construction of biomarker panel through random forest (RF) algorithm. The pathways involved in RA were enriched by differential metabolites using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) suite. Untargeted metabolomics revealed eighteen significantly altered metabolites in RA. Among these metabolites, a three-metabolite marker panel consisting of L-cysteine, citric acid and L-glutamine was constructed, using random forest algorithm that could predict RA with high accuracy, sensitivity and specificity based on a multivariate exploratory receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The panel was further validated by support vector machine (SVM) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) algorithms, and also verified with targeted metabolomics using a verification cohort. Additionally, the dysregulated taurine biosynthesis pathway in RA was revealed by an integrated analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics. Our findings in this study not only provided a mechanism underlying RA pathogenesis, but also offered alternative therapeutic targets for RA.

Effect of punicalagin on multiple targets in streptozotocin/high-fat diet-induced diabetic mice

Type 2 diabetes has a series of metabolic aberrations accompanied by chronic hyperglycemia, along with various comorbidities. In recent reports, punicalagin from pomegranate has been reported to exert hypoglycemic effects against diabetes. The goal of the current research was to investigate the therapeutic effectiveness and elucidate the mechanisms of punicalagin underlying type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes was induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) combined with streptozotocin (STZ) injection in C57BL/6J mice. Punicalagin was administered daily by oral gavage for 4 weeks. The results indicated that high FBG (fasting blood glucose), dyslipidemia and associated islet, liver and kidney injury were observed in the model group mice. Through metabolomics analysis, it was found that the administration of punicalagin could regulate 24 potential biomarkers and their related metabolic pathways. Moreover, the pathological changes in the liver and kidney were mainly mediated by reducing gluconeogenesis and increasing glycogenesis via stimulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and regulation of the HMGB-1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, which simultaneously interrelated to ten main pathological pathways. In addition, we confirmed the positive role of punicalagin in glucosamine-induced HepG2 cells and HG-induced HK-2 cells through related mechanistic studies in vitro. In conclusion, these findings suggested that the multi-effect and multi-target action mode of punicalagin had a significant hypoglycemic effect and a protective effect on diabetes mellitus. Punicalagin might serve as an alternative functional food or as a clinical supplemental therapy for the diabetic population to ameliorate metabolic syndrome.

Medicinal Herbs Used in Traditional Management of Breast Cancer: Mechanisms of Action

Background: Breast cancer is one of the principal causes of death among women and there is a pressing need to develop novel and effective anti-cancer agents. Natural plant products have shown promising results as anti-cancer agents. Their effectiveness is reported as decreased toxicity in usage, along with safety and less recurrent resistances compared with hormonal targeting anti-cancer agents. Methods: A literature search was conducted for all English-language literature published prior to June 2020. The search was conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. The search strategy included keywords such as breast cancer, herbs, anti-cancer biologically active components, clinical research, chemotherapy drugs amongst others. Results: The literature provides documented evidence of the chemo-preventative and chemotherapeutic properties of Ginseng, garlic (Allium sativum), Black cohosh (Actaea racemose), Tumeric (Curcuma longa), Camellia sinenis (green tea), Echinacea, Arctium (burdock), Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) and Black Cumin (Nigella sativa). Conclusions: The nine herbs displayed anti-cancer properties and their outcomes and mechanisms of action include inhibition of cell proliferation, angiogenesis and apoptosis as well as modulation of key intracellular pathways. However, more clinical trials and cohort human studies should be conducted to provide key evidence of their medical benefits.

Ginseng alleviates microbial infections of the respiratory tract: a review

The detrimental impact of air pollution as a result of frequent exposure to fine particles posed a global public health risk mainly to the pulmonary disorders in pediatric and geriatric population. Here, we reviewed the current literature regarding the role of ginseng and/or its components as antimicrobials, especially against pathogens that cause respiratory infections in animal and in vitro models. Some of the possible mechanisms for ginseng-mediated viral inhibition suggested are improvements in systemic and mucosa-specific antibody responses, serum hemagglutinin inhibition, lymphocyte proliferation, cell survival rate, and viral clearance in the lungs. In addition, ginseng reduces the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8) and chemokines produced by airway epithelial cells and macrophages, thus preventing weight loss. In case of bacterial infections, ginseng acts by alleviating inflammatory cytokine production, increasing survival rates, and activating phagocytes and natural killer cells. In addition, ginseng inhibits biofilm formation and induces the dispersion and dissolution of mature biofilms. Most clinical trials revealed that ginseng, at various dosages, is a safe and effective method of seasonal prophylaxis, relieving the symptoms and reducing the risk and duration of colds and flu. Taken together, these findings support the efficacy of ginseng as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent for respiratory infections.

Age-specific urinary metabolite signatures and functions in patients with major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients in different age ranges might have different urinary metabolic phenotypes, because age could significantly affect the physiological and psychological status of person. Therefore, it was very important to take age into consideration when studying MDD. Here, a dual platform metabolomic approach was performed to profile urine samples from young and middle-aged MDD patients. In total, 18 and 15 differential metabolites that separately discriminated young and middle-aged MDD patients, respectively, from their respective HC were identified. Only ten metabolites were significantly disturbed in both young and middle-aged MDD patients. Meanwhile, two different biomarker panels for diagnosing young and middle-aged MDD patients, respectively, were identified. Additionally, the TCA cycle was significantly affected in both young and middle-aged MDD patients, but the Glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism were only significantly affected in young and middle-aged MDD patients, respectively. Our results would be helpful for developing age-specific diagnostic method for MDD and further investigating the pathogenesis of this disease.

Role of Chinese Herbal Medicines in Regulation of Energy Metabolism in Treating Cardiovascular Diseases

Recently, studying myocardial energy metabolism pathways or improving myocardial metabolism through drugs is another effective strategy for treating ischemic heart disease. Many active components of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) have been found to modulate energy metabolism in myocardial cells, cerebral vascular cells, endothelial cells and tumour cells. This paper reviews the advances in studies on the active components of CHMs that modulating energy metabolism in treating cardiovascular diseases over the past five years.

American Ginseng and Asian Ginseng Intervention in Diet-Induced Obese Mice: Metabolomics Reveals Distinct Metabolic Profiles

American ginseng and Asian ginseng, which occupy prominent positions in the list of best-selling natural products in the West and East, are suitable for different indications in the traditional pharmacological uses. Currently, the effects of American ginseng and Asian ginseng in the protection against metabolic dysfunction and the differences between them are still unknown. Herein, an untargeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS) was determined. The serum metabolomics and dynamic feces metabolomics revealed significant metabolic distinction between American ginseng and Asian ginseng in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. The results show that American ginseng and Asian ginseng alleviate glucose and lipid metabolism disorder in DIO mice. A total of 45 differential metabolites were confirmed between the drug-naïve and American ginseng group, and 32 metabolites were confirmed between the drug-naïve and Asian ginseng group. Metabolic pathways analysis shows that these two ginsengs treatment dynamic rectifies metabolic disorder in DIO mice mainly via regulating linoleic acids metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acid. Moreover, American ginseng's specific function in monitoring the carnitines and taurine/hypotaurine metabolism might make it more effective in meliorating lipids metabolism disorder than Asian ginseng.

American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium L.) as a Source of Bioactive Phytochemicals with Pro-Health Properties

Panax quinquefolium L. (American Ginseng, AG) is an herb characteristic for regions of North America and Asia. Due to its beneficial properties it has been extensively investigated for decades. Nowadays, it is one of the most commonly applied medical herbs worldwide. Active compounds of AG are ginsenosides, saponins of the glycosides group that are abundant in roots, leaves, stem, and fruits of the plant. Ginsenosides are suggested to be primarily responsible for health-beneficial effects of AG. AG acts on the nervous system; it was reported to improve the cognitive function in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, display anxiolytic activity, and neuroprotective effects against neuronal damage resulting from ischemic stroke in animals, demonstrate anxiolytic activity, and induce neuroprotective effects against neuronal damage in ischemic stroke in animals. Administration of AG leads to inhibition of hypertrophy in heart failure by regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mice as well as depletion of cardiac contractile function in rats. It also has an anti-diabetic and anti-obesity potential as it increases insulin sensitivity and inhibits formation of adipose tissue. AG displays anti-cancer effect by induction of apoptosis of cancer cells and reducing local inflammation. It exerts antimicrobial effects against several pathogenic strains of bacteria. Therefore, AG presents a high potential to induce beneficial health effects in humans and should be further explored to formulate precise nutritional recommendations, as well as to assess its value in prevention and therapy of some disorders, including cancer.

An integrative investigation on the efficacy of Plantaginis semen based on UPLC-QTOF-MS metabolomics approach in hyperlipidemic mice

Plantaginis semen, the dried mature seed of Plantago asiatica L. or Plantago deprdssa Willd., has a prominent effect on the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and lipid disorders, however, its clinical application is limited due to inadequate in-depth mechanism exploration and incomplete discussion of action targets of its in vivo. Therefore, an untargeted metabolomics approach was firstly applied to study the serum metabolic differences in mice. Metabolomics analysis was performed using ultra performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) together with multivariate statistical data analysis. The results showed that Plantaginis semen can mainly improve blood lipids, some degree in blood glucose and insulin levels in high-fat mice, in addition, the phenotype of liver and fat stained sections demonstrated remarkable results. A total of 22 metabolites involved in arachidonic acid, glycerophospholipid, glycosphingolipid, linoleate, Omega-3 fatty acid, phosphatidylinositol phosphate and tyrosine metabolisms were identified. In further, it was found that the possible mechanisms of Plantaginis semen on hyperlipidemic mice lied in the biosynthesis of thyroxine, biological effects of enzymes of phospholipase A2 activity, glucosylceramide synthase and inositol essential enzyme 1α, genes expressions of fatty acid metabolism and inflammation. Serum metabolomics revealed that Plantaginis semen could cure the organism disease via regulating multiple metabolic pathways which will be helpful for understanding the mechanism of this herb and providing references for better applications of it in clinic, even researches on other TCMs.

Study on chemical constituents of herbal formula Er Miao Wan and GC-MS based metabolomics approach to evaluate its therapeutic effects on hyperuricemic rats

Hyperuricemia strongly correlates with an increased risk of the development of gout, and cardiovascular and kidney diseases, etc. Er Miao Wan (EMW) is a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula extensively used for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout. However, the global components and action mechanism of the formula are still unknown. Here, the chemical constituents of EMW extract were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 24 alkaloids, 15 organic acids, 4 terpenoids, 3 lactones, 3 glycosides, 46 volatile constituents and 3 other compounds were tentatively identified from the EMW extract. Additionally, based on the hyperuricemic rat model induced by long-term high-fructose feed, a GC-MS based metabolomics approach was conducted to holistically assess the mechanism of EMW. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were applied for screening differential metabolites. A total of 21 metabolites that markedly changed in hyperuricemic rats were identified. Further univariate analysis showed that 9 differential metabolites among them were profoundly reversed by EMW intervention. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed that the variations of these metabolites were mainly associated with glycerolipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, primary bile acid metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism and purine metabolism. It was inferred that EMW possibly induced its anti-hyperuricemic effect through restoring multiple disturbed pathways to the normal state. This study could assist with elucidating the potential mechanisms of EMW.

Discovering significantly different metabolites between Han and Uygur two racial groups using urinary metabolomics in Xinjiang, China

The main object of the study was to discover the associated significantly different metabolites between Han and Uygur, two main racial groups in Xinjiang, China with urinary metabolomics. Urine samples from 96 Han and 96 Uygur were analyzed using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GCMS). Multivariate analysis was used to investigate the effect of race, age and gender on the urinary metabolomic profiles. Totally eight metabolites are identified contributed to the discrimination between Han and Uygur, including phenylacetylglutamine, myoinositol, d-galactose, ribonolactone, octadecanoic acid, galactitol, threonic acid and succinic acid. The metabolic pathways of them are mainly involved in carbohydrate, TCA cycle, fatty acid and mammalian gut microbial-related metabolism. Importantly, three metabolites, being used as biomarkers in clinic, are also differentially expressed in urine samples of two races. It suggests that the race effect should be critically considered prior to make diagnostic result in multi-race coexisted areas to decrease the false positive rate caused by above biomarkers. Moreover, the results show that the age-period and the gender also affect the urinary metabolomics profiles, but with different levels compared to race. We hope that the work can provide some help for developing novel diagnostic tests, understanding the mechanism of disease, designing clinical trials and refining precision medicine in multi-race coexisted areas.

Quantitative analysis, pharmacokinetics and metabolomics study for the comprehensive characterization of the salt-processing mechanism of Psoraleae Fructus

Research based on quantitative analysis, pharmacokinetics and metabolomics was conducted to explore the effects of salt-processing on Psoraleae Fructus (PF). Quantitative analysis showed that the contents of bioactive components were higher in salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus (SPF) extract than in PF extract. Pharmacokinetics indicated that the overall AUC and t_max levels was higher, while C_max was lower in the SPF group. In the metabolomics study, the differential influences of PF and SPF on 22 common biomarkers and associated metabolic pathways showed that salt-processing could enhance the effect of PF and reduce toxicity in the cardiovascular and renal systems. The internal correlations among these results, together with the influence of salt-processing, suggested that the effects of heating and newly generated surfactants during the salt-processing procedure were the primary causes of the changes in chemical composition and absorption characteristics, as well as the subsequent enhanced efficacy and minor toxicity.

An Integrated LC-MS-Based Strategy for the Quality Assessment and Discrimination of Three Panax Species

The quality assessment and discrimination of Panax herbs are very challenging to perform due to the complexity and variability of their chemical compositions. An integrated strategy was established using UHPLC-Q-Exactive/HRMS and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS to achieve an accurate, rapid, and comprehensive qualitative and quantitative analysis of Panax japonicas (PJ), Panax japonicus var. major (PM), and Panax zingiberensis (PZ). Additionally, discrimination among the three species was explored with partial least squares–discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal partial least squares–discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) score plots. A total of 101 compounds were plausibly or unambiguously identified, including 82 from PJ, 78 from PM, and 67 from PZ. Among them, 16 representative ginsenosides were further quantified in three herbs. A clear discrimination between the three species was observed through a multivariate statistical analysis on the quantitative data. Nine compounds that allowed for discrimination between PJ, PM, and PZ were discovered. Notably, ginsenoside Rf (G-Rf), ginsenoside F3 (G-F3), and chikusetsu saponin IV (CS-IV) were the three most important differential compounds. The research indicated that the integrated LC-MS-based strategy can be applied for the quality assessment and discrimination of the three Panax herbs.

LC-MS based metabolic and metabonomic studies of Panax ginseng

INTRODUCTION

Panax ginseng has received much attention as a valuable health supplement with medicinal potential. Its chemical diversity and multiple pharmacological properties call for comprehensive methods to better understand the effects of ginseng and ginsenosides. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based metabonomic approaches just fit the purpose.

OBJECTIVE

Aims to give a review of recent progress on LC-MS based pharmacokinetic, metabolic, and phytochemical metabolomic studies of ginseng, and metabonomic studies of ginseng intervention effects.

METHODS

The review has four sections: the first section discusses metabolic studies of ginsenosides based on LC-MS, the second focuses on ginsenoside-drug interactions and pharmacokinetic interaction between herb compounds based on LC-MS, the third is phytochemical metabolomic studies of ginseng based on LC-MS, and the fourth deals with metabonomic studies of ginseng intervention effects based on LC-MS.

RESULTS

LC-MS based metabonomic research on ginseng include analysis of single ginsenoside and total ginsenosides. The theory of multi-components and multi-targeted mechanisms helps to explain ginseng effects.

CONCLUSION

LC-MS based metabonomics is a promising way to comprehensively assess ginseng. It is valuable for quality control and mechanism studies of ginseng.

Integrative metabolic and microbial profiling on patients with Spleen-yang-deficiency syndrome

Gut microbiota is recognized as an indispensable "metabolic organ" that plays crucial roles in maintaining human health or initiating diseases. Spleen-yang-deficiency syndrome (SYDS) is a common syndrome of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinic. It is a complex phenotype reflecting the overall changes of metabolism which are mainly caused by digestive disorders. However, little is known about the changes of gut microbiota and metabolism in patients with SYDS, as well as the crosstalk between gut microbiota and host metabolism. In the current study, an integrative metabolic and microbial profiling was performed on plasma, urine and feces from recruited SYDS and healthy individuals by using a LC-QTOFMS-based metabolomic and 16 s rRNA sequencing approaches. Our results showed a potentially significant contribution of gut dysbiosis to the metabolic disorders in SYDS. By integrating the differential gut bacteria with the metabolites, the results revealed some active bacterium of norank_f_CFT112H7, f_lachnospiraceae and bacteroides were closely involved in host mucosal integrity, bile acid metabolism and polysaccharides decomposition. Therefore, our results indicated the probable involvement of gut microbiota in mediating the metabolic changes, which warrants a further investigation on the role of gut microbiota in modulating the pathogenesis of SYDS.

Comparison of Serum Metabolite Changes of Radiated Mice Administered with Panax quinquefolium from Different Cultivation Regions Using UPLC-Q/TOF-MS Based Metabolomic Approach

Chemometric analysis of bioactive compounds revealed that American ginsengs (AGs) from different cultivation regions of China had a difference in quality, which indicates their possible pharmacological difference. A UPLC-Q/TOF-MS-based untargeted metabolomic approach was used to uncover serum metabolite changes in radiated mice pre-administered with AG root decoctions from seven cultivation regions and to further assess their quality difference. OPLS-DA revealed that 51 metabolites (ESI−) and 110 (ESI⁺) were differentially expressed in sera between the control and the radiated model mice. Heatmap analysis further revealed that AG could not reverse most of these radiation-altered metabolites, which indicates dietary supplement of AG before cobalt radiation had the weak potential to mediate serum metabolites that were altered by the sub-lethal high dose radiation. In addition, 83 (ESI−) and 244 (ESI⁺) AG altered metabolites were detected in radiated mice under radiation exposure. Both OPLS-DA on serum metabolomes and heatmap analysis on discriminant metabolites showed that AGs from different cultivation regions differentially influenced metabolic alterations in radiated mice, which indicates AGs from different cultivation regions showed the pharmacological difference in modulation of metabolite changes. AGs from Shandong, Shanxi, and Beijing provinces had more similar pharmacological effects than AGs from USA, Canada, Jilin, and Heilongjiang. Finally, 28 important potential biomarkers were annotated and assigned onto three metabolic pathways including lipid, amino acid, and energy metabolisms.

Metabolic profiling by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of energy metabolism in high-fat diet-fed obese mice

A novel, selective and sensitive single-ion monitoring (SIM) gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) method was developed and validated for the determination of energy metabolites related to glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, glutaminolysis, and fatty acid β-oxidation. This assay used N-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) containing 1% tert-butyldimethylchlorosilane (TBDMCS) as derivatizing reagent and was highly reproducible, sensitive, specific and robust. The assay was used to analyze liver tissue and serum from C57BL/6N obese mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and C57BL/6N mice fed normal chow for 8 weeks. HFD-fed mice serum displayed statistically significantly reduced concentrations of pyruvate, citrate, succinate, fumarate, and 2-oxoglutarate, with an elevated concentration of pantothenic acid. In liver tissue, HFD-fed mice exhibited depressed levels of glycolysis end-products pyruvate and lactate, glutamate, and the TCA cycle intermediates citrate, succinate, fumarate, malate, and oxaloacetate. Pantothenate levels were 3-fold elevated accompanied by a modest increased gene expression of Scl5a6 that encodes the pantothenate transporter SLC5A6. Since both glucose and fatty acids inhibit coenzyme A synthesis from pantothenate, it was concluded that these data were consistent with downregulated fatty acid β-oxidation, glutaminolysis, glycolysis, and TCA cycle activity, due to impaired anaplerosis. The novel SIM GCMS assay provided new insights into metabolic effects of HFD in mice.