Mangiferin alleviated poststroke cognitive impairment by modulating lipid metabolism in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion rats

INTRODUCTION

Mangiferin is a Chinese herbal extract with multiple biological activities. Mangiferin can penetrate the blood‒brain barrier and has potential in the treatment of nervous system diseases. These findings suggest that mangiferin protects the neurological function in ischemic stroke rats by targeting multiple signaling pathways. However, little is known about the effect and mechanism of mangiferin in alleviating poststroke cognitive impairment.

METHODS

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) rats were generated via middle cerebral artery occlusion. Laser speckle imaging was used to monitor the cerebral blood flow. The I/R rats were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with 40 mg/kg mangiferin for 7 consecutive days. Neurological scoring, and TTC staining were performed to evaluate neurological function. Behavioral experiments, including the open field test, elevated plus maze, sucrose preference test, and novel object recognition test, were performed to evaluate cognitive function. Metabolomic data from brain tissue with multivariate statistics were analyzed by gas chromatography‒mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography‒mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Mangiferin markedly decreased neurological scores, and reduced infarct areas. Mangiferin significantly attenuated anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors and enhanced learning and memory in I/R rats. According to the metabolomics results, 13 metabolites were identified to be potentially regulated by mangiferin, and the differentially abundant metabolites were mainly involved in lipid metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

Mangiferin protected neurological function and relieved poststroke cognitive impairment by improving lipid metabolism abnormalities in I/R rats.

Elucidating the mechanisms underlying the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of Laportea bulbifera using integrated serum metabolomics and network pharmacology

Hyperlipidemia is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by alterations in lipid metabolism as well as other pathways. Laportea bulbifera, an indigenous medicinal plant of Chinese herbal medicine, exhibits therapeutic effects on hyperlipidemia, but the mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the potential mechanisms underlying the anti-hyperlipidemic effects of L. bulbifera using an integrated strategy based on metabolomics and network pharmacology methods that were established to investigate the potential mechanism of anti-hyperlipidemia effect of L. bulbifera. First, the therapeutic effects of L. bulbifera on body weight reduction and biochemical indices were assessed. Next, 18 significant metabolites distinguishing the control and model groups were identified based on serum metabolomics and multivariate analyses. Then, a compound-target network was constructed by linking L. bulbifera and hyperlipidemia using network pharmacology. Three metabolic pathways involved in treating hyperlipidemia were identified. Finally, five crucial targets were selected by constructing a bionetwork starting from the compounds and ending in the metabolites. This study established an integrated strategy based on metabolomics coupled with network pharmacology and revealed the mechanism underlying the protective effects of L. bulbifera against hyperlipidemia for the first time.

Metabolomic Study of Zuojin Pill in Relieving 1-Methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine-Induced Chronic Atrophic Gastritis

The classic prescription Zuojin Pill (ZJP) shows a good therapeutic effect on chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG); it is of great significance to clarify its specific mechanism. Therefore, we explore the mechanism of ZJP on MNNG-induced CAG by integrating approaches. First of all, through the pathological changes of gastric tissue and the expression level of PGI and PGI/II in serum, the expression of inflammation-related factors was determined by RT-PCR to determine the efficacy. Then, UPLC-Q-TOF/MS was used for plasma and urine metabolomic analysis to screen the specific potential biomarkers and metabolic pathway of ZJP in ameliorating CAG and to explore its possible mechanism. ZJP significantly ameliorate the pathological injury of gastric tissue, increase levels of PGI and PGI/II, and reduce the expression level of proinflammatory factors. Through metabolomic analysis, 9 potential metabolic differences were identified and 6 related metabolic pathways were enriched. These findings indicate for the first time the potential mechanism of ZJP in improving CAG induced by MNNG and are of great significance to the clinical development and application of ZJP-related drugs.

Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharide prevents high- fat diet-induced obesity in hamsters: A NMR-based metabolomic evaluation

Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharide (EP) has been shown to exhibit hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic activities in various experimental models. Here, an ¹ H-NMR-based metabolomic study was conducted to explore the regulatory effects of EP on serum metabolic changes in obese hamsters. High-fat diet (HFD)-fed hamsters were orally administrated with EP (300, 450, or 600 mg/kg) once daily for 12 weeks. Compared with HFD-fed hamsters, EP treatment (450 and 600 mg/kg) significantly decreased the body weight (by 8.69 and 8.24%), liver weight (by 7.87 and 8.25%), epididymal white adipose tissue (by 19.54 and 17.26%), perirenal white adipose tissue (by 28.09 and 28.94%), serum total cholesterol (by 24.31 and 18.61%), triglyceride (by 30.64 and 31.38%), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (by 38.26 and 36.30%), respectively. In addition, EP intervention also significantly decreased hepatic cholesterol (by 23.20, 38.16, and 34.57%) and triglyceride content (by 17.78, 41.47, and 35.50%) as well as serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and ALT/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ratio. The serum samples of normal diet (ND) group, HFD group and HFD + EP 450 mg/kg (HFD + MEP) group were further analyzed by ¹ H-NMR spectroscopy. Compared with ND group, 17 and 2 metabolites were significantly upregulated and downregulated in HFD group, respectively. Interestingly, EP treatment significantly downregulated nine metabolites and upregulated one metabolite when compared to those in HFD group. Our results indicated that EP intervention partially ameliorated HFD-induced metabolic dysfunction, and the most prominent metabolic pathways included citrate cycle, synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, pyruvate metabolism, valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation, and arginine biosynthesis. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharide (EP), the main active component of Enteromorpha prolifera, is reported to have many biological activities. However, the antiobesity effect of EP and its corresponding metabolic mechanism have not been reported so far. The results of this study confirmed the antiobesity effect of EP on HFD-induced obese hamsters and elucidated its possible metabolic mechanism. Our study highlighted that EP might be used in weight-loss functional foods.

Oral administration of mangiferin ameliorates diabetes in animal models: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Although mangiferin has a number of documented beneficial effects, there are no systematic reviews or meta-analyses of its effects in diabetic animal models. To investigate the effects of oral administration of mangiferin on blood glucose levels, body weight, and total cholesterol and triglycerides levels in diabetic animal models, a meta-analysis was conducted and the underlying mechanisms were reviewed. Studies from 6 databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), and Wanfang Med) were searched from inception to April 2020. After article screening, a total of 19 articles were included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 and STATA 14.0 software. The overall pooled estimate of standardized mean difference (SMD) of mangiferin's effect on blood glucose was -1.27 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.71, -0.82, P < .00001). Body weight increased in lean diabetic animals with an SMD of 1.41 (95% CI: 0.57, 2.25; P = .001), while it decreased in obese diabetic animals with an SMD of -0.92 (95% CI: -1.69, -0.14; P = .02). Mangiferin intake reduced serum total cholesterol and triglycerides levels with SMDs of -1.02 (95% CI: -1.43, -0.61; P < .001) and -1.24 (95% CI: -1.70, -0.79; P < .001), respectively. The meta-analysis suggests that oral intake of mangiferin has a significant antidiabetic effect in animal models, and the systematic review suggested that this function might be attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, as well as to its function of improving glycolipid metabolism and enhancing insulin signaling.

A Urinary Metabolomics Analysis Based on UPLC-MS and Effects of Moxibustion in APP/PS1 Mice

OBJECTIVE

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder with the symptoms of cognitive impairment and decreased learning and memory abilities. Metabolomics can reflect the related functional status and physiological and pathological changes in the process of AD. Moxibustion is a unique method in traditional Chinese medicine, which has been used in the treatment and prevention of diseases for thousands of years.

METHODS

A total of 32 APP/PS1 mice were randomly divided into the model group, moxibustion group, moxa smoke group and smoke-free moxibustion group (n=8/group), using the random number table method, while eight C57BL/6 mice were used as the control group. The five groups were measured for 20 min/day, 6 days/week, for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks' experiment, all the mice were placed in metabolic cages to collect urine continuously for 24 hours, for UPLC-MS analysis.

RESULTS

Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the different metabolites among the five groups, and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was performed to reveal the effects on the metabolic variance. Sixteen potential biomarkers were identified among the five groups, primarily related to amino acid metabolism, starch metabolism, sucrose metabolism, interconversion of pentose and glucuronate, and aminoacyl biosynthesis. There were 17 differences in the potential metabolites between the control and model groups, involving the metabolism of amino acid, purine, pyrimidine, nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, and biosynthesis of pantothenate and coenzyme A. Fifteen potential biomarkers were identified between the model and moxibustion groups, related to starch metabolism, sucrose metabolism, interconversion of pentose and glucuronate, glyoxylate, dicarboxylate anions and some amino acid metabolism.

CONCLUSION

Moxibustion can regulate the metabolism of substance and energy by improving the synthesis and decomposition of carbohydrates and amino acids in APP/PS1 transgenic AD model mice.

A plasma metabonomics study on the therapeutic effects of the Si-miao-yong-an decoction in hyperlipidemic rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The Si-miao-yong-an decoction (SMYAD) is a famous traditional Chinese medicinal formula that has been used for centuries in ancient China for treating thromboangiitis obliterans. Because of its long history of use, it has been used to treat patients in China for thousands of years. In recent years, SMYAD has been widely used for treating cardiovascular and endocrine diseases. It was shown to significantly increase high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels and reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in the serum.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Herein, a serum metabonomics approach based on the HPLC-MS/MS method was adopted to evaluate the therapeutic effect of SMYAD on high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia, and investigate the mechanisms for treating hyperlipidemia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Firstly, the change in body weight, liver histopathology, and serum biochemistry, including that in the levels of hepatotoxicity-related enzymes, oxidative stress indexes, and inflammatory factors were monitored in rats, to evaluate the therapeutic effect of SMYAD on high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia. Then, a serum metabolomics approach was applied, to cluster different groups using principle component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), as well as to screen out sensitive and reliable biomarkers. Finally, the metabolic pathways associated with specific biomarkers were analyzed, to understand the possible mechanism underlying the action of SMYAD.

RESULTS

The results indicated that SMYAD had significant anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. Based on the results of serum metabolomics analysis, the hyperlipidemic rats showed completely different results compared to the control rats; metabolite profiles of rats from the SMYAD treatment groups showed a trend comparable to those of the normal control group in a dose-dependent manner. Besides, twelve biomarkers associated with pyruvate metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, TCA cycle, bile acid metabolism, and glucose metabolism were identified and confirmed, to clarify the mechanism of action of SMYAD.

CONCLUSION

Using metabonomics technology, it was predicted that the therapeutic effects of SMYAD were associated with its anti-oxidation as well as anti-inflammatory activities and the adjustment of the pyruvate, taurine as well as hypotaurine metabolism pathways in the hyperlipidemic state. This study provided evidence regarding the clinical application of SMYAD and thoroughly explored the mechanism underlying the action of this traditional Chinese medicine.

UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS-based metabolomics revealed the lipid-lowering effect of Ilicis Rotundae Cortex on high-fat diet induced hyperlipidemia rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Ilicis Rotundae Cortex (IRC), a Chinese crude drug, has been widely utilized in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces of China to treat or prevent cardiovascular diseases.

AIM OF STUDY

This investigation aims to study the lipid-lowering effect of IRC, as well as the regulating effect on the endogenous metabolites in hyperlipidemia rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

High-fat diet induced hyperlipidemia rats were administrated with different doses of IRC extract (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg/day) for 5 weeks. Simvastatin was used as the positive control. Body weight, serum lipid levels and histopathology of liver were evaluated. The metabolic profiles of plasma, urine and cecum content were analyzed using UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS-based metabolomics approach coupled with multivariate data analysis.

RESULTS

The levels of serum TC, TG, LDL-C, AST and ALT were significantly decreased and HDL-C level was increased in IRC treatment groups. The hepatic histomorphology was partially restored. 23, 26 and 15 metabolites in plasma, urine and cecum content were determined as the biological biomarkers, respectively. IRC extract could partially recover the disturbed metabolic pathways of bile acid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, sphingolipid metabolism and riboflavin metabolism.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that IRC could effectively improve the serum lipids and partially restore the hepatic histomorphology. The underlying metabolic mechanism mainly included improving the metabolism of bile acids, glycerophospholipid, sphingolipid, fatty acid and amino acid. This is the first study on the lipid-lowering effect of IRC from the perspective of metabolomics.

Targeted profiling of amino acid metabolome in serum by a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method: application to identify potential markers for diet-induced hyperlipidemia

To better understand the mechanism of hyperlipidemia and discover potential biomarkers, we have used targeted metabolomics to analyze eight amino acid profiles of control and hyperlipidemia rats by a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. With high fat diet, the concentrations of serum of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) were increased by 666.7%, 99.0%, 61.7% and 51.0%, whereas the concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) were decreased by 46.3% and 58.9%. The concentrations of alanine, arginine, lysine, methionine, serine, tyrosine and valine in hyperlipidemia rats were significantly decreased by 21.8%, 19.72%, 26.5%, 19.6%, 48.7%, 19.8% and 24.91%, while there was no striking change in threonine. Combined with experimental results and previous literature, we inferred that alanine and serine were gradually disordered and subsequently generated abundant acetyl-CoA through pyruvate, which resulted in energy metabolism deficiency. Furthermore, Spearman correlation analysis shows that TC was negatively associated with methionine (r = -0.640, p < 0.05), suggesting that the lowered level of methionine caused by the homocysteine pathway enhances absorption and synthesis of TC. Meanwhile, the reduction of tyrosine demonstrated that rapid metabolism of cholesterol in vivo was caused by high levels of exogenous cholesterol. Furthermore, the observed ApoB and lysine changes indicated that lysine was largely incorporated into ApoB particles during the disease process. In addition, the levels of arginine, SOD and MDA reflected the behavior of oxidative stress. Finally, the metabolism fluctuation of valine demonstrated that abnormal lipid metabolism could cause abnormal glucose metabolism. In general, disordered energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism and elevated oxidative stress were important characteristics of metabolic perturbations in hyperlipidemia. Herein, the discovery of biomarkers and the biological explanations mentioned above could be used to analyze the pathogenesis of hyperlipidemia through metabolic pathways, and these results could play an important role in assisting the clinical diagnosis of hyperlipidemia.

The Effect of Simvastatin on Gut Microbiota and Lipid Metabolism in Hyperlipidemic Rats Induced by a High-Fat Diet

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of simvastatin (SIM) on lipid metabolism disorders and gut microbiota in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats. The obtained results revealed that feeding rats with SIM (20 mg/kg/day) significantly decreased serum lipid level and inhibited hepatic lipid accumulation and steatosis. Histological analysis further indicated that SIM reduced lipid deposition in adipocytes and hepatocytes in comparison with that of the HFD group. The underlying mechanisms of SIM administration against HFD-induced hyperlipidemia were also studied by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based liver metabonomics coupled with pathway analysis. Metabolic pathway enrichment analysis of liver metabolites with significant difference in abundance indicated that fatty acids metabolism and amino acid metabolism were the main metabolic pathways altered by SIM administration. Meanwhile, operational taxonomic units (OTUs) analysis revealed that oral administration of SIM altered the composition of gut microbiota, including Ruminococcaceae (OTU960) and Lactobacillus (OTU152), and so on. Furthermore, SIM treatment also regulated the mRNA levels of the genes involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolism. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of the liver-related proteins (CD36, CYP7A1 and SREBP-1C) showed that oral administration of SIM could regulate the levels of the protein expression related to hepatic lipid metabolism.

Pharmacokinetic Comparisons of Mangiferin and Mangiferin Monosodium Salt in Rat Plasma by UPLC-MS/MS

Mangiferin (MG) is an active component in natural medicines, and various studies have been reported on pharmacological effects, but the low solubility and bioavailability of MG limit its wide application. The aim of the present study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic profiles of mangiferin (MG) and mangiferin monosodium salt (MG-Na) in rat plasma by UPLC-MS/MS, which were then compared between the two groups. An appropriate high sensitivity and selectivity ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was applied to the comparison of plasma pharmacokinetics in MG and MG-Na using carbamazepine as internal standard (IS). These results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters between MG and MG-Na after a single oral administration at 100 mg/kg. When compared with pharmacokinetic parameters of MG, the AUC(0-t), AUC(0–∞), Cmax,K10, and Ka of MG-Na were increased by 5.6-, 5.7-, 20.8-, 8-, and 83.6-fold, while the Tmax and CL/F were decreased by 4- and 5.7-fold (P<0.001), respectively. t1/2 value showed an increasing trend, but was statistically significant between the two groups. Moreover, the AUC value in the MG-Na group was significantly increased and the relative bioavailability was calculated to be 570% when compared with that of the MG group. These results suggested that the salification reaction of MG can effectively enhance gastrointestinal absorption and relative bioavailability by improving solubility and membrane permeability.

Adipose tissue as a possible therapeutic target for polyphenols: A case for Cyclopia extracts as anti-obesity nutraceuticals

Obesity is a significant contributor to increased morbidity and premature mortality due to increasing the risk of many chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Lifestyle modifications such as energy restriction and increased physical activity are highly effective first-line treatment strategies used in the management of obesity. However, adherence to these behavioral changes is poor, with an increased reliance on synthetic drugs, which unfortunately are plagued by adverse effects. The identification of new and safer anti-obesity agents is thus of significant interest. In recent years, plants and their phenolic constituents have attracted increased attention due to their health-promoting properties. Amongst these, Cyclopia, an endemic South African plant commonly consumed as a herbal tea (honeybush), has been shown to possess modulating properties against oxidative stress, hyperglycemia, and obesity. Likewise, several studies have reported that some of the major phenolic compounds present in Cyclopia spp. exhibit anti-obesity effects, particularly by targeting adipose tissue. These phenolic compounds belong to the xanthone, flavonoid and benzophenone classes. The aim of this review is to assess the potential of Cyclopia extracts as an anti-obesity nutraceutical as underpinned by in vitro and in vivo studies and the underlying cellular mechanisms and biological pathways regulated by their phenolic compounds.

Network Pharmacology Based Research on the Combination Mechanism Between Escin and Low Dose Glucocorticoids in Anti-rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by chronic progressive symmetrical synovitis and destruction of multiple joints. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used in the treatment of RA. However, their adverse effects can be serious. Escin, which is isolated from Aesculus hippocastanum L., has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the anti-RA effect of Escin combined with low dose GCs (dexamethasone, Dex) and the underlying mechanism. Adjuvant-induced RA rats and lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-injured RAW264.7 cells were used to investigate the anti-RA effects of Escin combined with low dose Dex in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that Escin combined with low-dose Dex significantly decreased arthritic index, serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels, reduced paw swelling, and ameliorated the joint pathology and immune organ pathology. Gene chip results revealed that Nr3c1 (GR) expression was significantly altered, and that GR was activated by Escin and low dose Dex in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, Escin combined with low dose Dex also significantly increased GR mRNA expression. However, when GR expression was suppressed by its specific inhibitor, the anti-RA effect of Escin combined with low-dose Dex was abolished. The data in this study demonstrated that Escin combined with Dex reduced the dose of Dex, and exerted significant anti-RA effects, which could also reduce the adverse effects of Dex. This combination might result from GR activation. This study might provide a new combination of drugs for the treatment of RA.

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

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

Comprehensive Identification of Guan-Xin-Shu-Tong Capsule via a Mass Defect and Fragment Filtering Approach by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry: In Vitro and In Vivo Study

The Guan-Xin-Shu-Tong capsule (GXSTC) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine that is used for the treatment of coronary heart disease. Despite its common use in China, basic pharmacological research on its active components is limited. A comprehensive analytical method using quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF/MS), specifically with the Triple TOF 5600 platform, was developed to characterize the compounds in the GXSTC powder itself (in vitro) as well as the active components in healthy and heart disease model rats after its oral administration (in vivo). The 5600 platform was operated in both positive and negative ion modes, before the raw data were processed using the extracted ion chromatography (EIC), mass defect filtering (MDF) and fragment filtering (FF) techniques. With the aid of reference compounds for retention time and fragment ion comparisons, 18 compounds were unambiguously identified in vitro. An additional 56 other compounds were tentatively characterized using the accurate quasi-molecular ion mass and Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) fragmentation pattern strategies. Among them, 30 compounds were characterized based on the MDF and FF approaches. Normal rats in addition to hyperlipidemic (HL) and acute blood stasis (ABS) model rats were given a single oral dose of GXSTC solution for subsequent blood analysis at 1 and 2 h after administration. A total of 24 prototypecomponents and 20 metabolites derived from GXSTC were differentially detected across the three animal groups, including the absence of four phase II phenolic acid metabolites in the ABS group and the presence of three diterpenoid-related metabolites exclusive to the HL group. The use of reference compounds as well as the mass defect and fragment-filtering strategies were critical to identify GXSTC compounds in vitro and in vivo. This can be used for further quality control and pharmacological studies aimed at characterizing the active and potential beneficial compounds of this ancient medicine.

Mangiferin: a natural miracle bioactive compound against lifestyle related disorders

The current review article is an attempt to explain the therapeutic potential of mangiferin, a bioactive compound of the mango, against lifestyle-related disorders. Mangiferin (2-β-D-glucopyranosyl-1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxy-9H-xanthen-9-one) can be isolated from higher plants as well as the mango fruit and their byproducts (i.e. peel, seed, and kernel). It possesses several health endorsing properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiallergic, anticancer, hypocholesterolemic, and immunomodulatory. It suppresses the activation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor isoforms by changing the transcription process. Mangiferin protects against different human cancers, including lung, colon, breast, and neuronal cancers, through the suppression of tumor necrosis factor α expression, inducible nitric oxide synthase potential, and proliferation and induction of apoptosis. It also protects against neural and breast cancers by suppressing the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and MMP-7 and inhibiting enzymatic activity, metastatic potential, and activation of the β-catenin pathway. It has the capacity to block lipid peroxidation, in order to provide a shielding effect against physiological threats. Additionally, mangiferin enhances the capacity of the monocyte-macrophage system and possesses antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. This review summarizes the literature pertaining to mangiferin and its associated health claims.

Chemometrics strategy coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry for analyzing and interpreting comprehensive metabolomic characterization of hyperlipemia

Hyperlipidemia (HLP) is a metabolic disorder which is characterized by a disturbance in lipid metabolism and is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis.