Evaluation of Zuo-Gui Yin Decoction Effects on Six CYP450 Enzymes in Rats Using a Cocktail Method by UPLC-MS/MS

Background. Zuo-Gui Yin Decoction (ZGYD), a traditional Chinese prescription, is mainly used in various kinds of andrology and gynecology diseases. However, the study on the interaction of ZGYD and drugs has not been reported. Therefore, evaluating the interaction between ZGYD and metabolic enzymes is helpful to guide rational drug use. Objective. This study was conducted to explore the effects of ZGYD on the activity and mRNA expressions of six Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes in rats and to provide a basis for its rational clinical use. Methods. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, ZGYD high, medium, and low-dose group ( $n=6$ ). The concentrations of six probe substrates in plasma of rats in each group were determined by UPLC-MS/MS. In addition, RT-PCR and Western blot were used to determine the effects of ZGYD on the expression of CYP450 isoforms in the liver. Results. Compared with the control group, the main pharmacokinetic parameters AUC(0-t), AUC (0~∞), of omeprazole, dextromethorphan, and midazolam in the high-dose group were significantly decreased, while the CL of these were significantly increased. The gene expressions of CYP2C11 and CYP3A1 were upregulated in the ZGYD medium, high-dose group. The protein expression of CYP2C11 was upregulated in the high-dose group, and the protein expression of CYP3A1 was upregulated in the medium, high-dose group. Conclusion. The results showed that ZGYD exhibited the induction effects on CYP2C11 and CYP3A1 (CYP2C19 and CYP3A4 in humans) in rats. However, no significant change in CYP1A2, CYP2B1, CYP2C7, and CYP2D2 activities was observed. It would be useful for the safe and effective usage of ZGYD in clinic.

Discovery of potential active ingredients of Er-Zhi-Wan, a famous traditional Chinese formulation, in model rat serum for treating osteoporosis with kidney-yin deficiency by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS and molecular docking

Er-Zhi-Wan (EZW), a classical traditional Chinese formulation, has attracted more and more attention. This study was carried out to analyze the constituents of EZW absorbed into blood and find out the potential active ingredients for treating osteoporosis (OP) with kidney-yin deficiency (KYD). The rat model of OP with KYD was achieved by ovariectomies and using the mixture of thyroxine and reserpine. Then ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) combined with statistical analysis was used to analyze the constituents of EZW absorbed into blood and differential components between the normal and OP with KYD rats. Finally, the components identified in OP with KYD rats were docked with targets of OP with KYD found in online databases. The results of molecular docking were adopted to find the potential active ingredients and further verified in vitro experiment. A total of 21 prototype compounds and 69 metabolites were identified in serum. Among them, 63 components in model rats and 50 components in normal rats were summarized, respectively. Most of the identified metabolites in serum of model rats were produced by hydrolysis, oxidation or glucuronidation, while in serum of normal rats were produced by hydrolysis, oxidation and methylation. According to the results of molecular docking, specnuezhenide, salidroside, tyrosol, echinacoside and verbascoside could be classified as potential active ingredients. The activity of salidroside and a metabolite was verified by pharmacodynamics analysis. In summary, UPLC-Q/TOF-MS system was combined with molecular docking to search the potential active ingredients from model rats of OP with KYD, which provided a new idea for the research on the pharmacodynamic material basis of other traditional medicine. Moreover, the result of this study lays the foundation for further study regarding the mechanism of EZW in treating OP with KYD.

Incompatible effects of Panax ginseng and Veratrum nigrum on estrogen decline in rats using metabolomics and gut microbiota

Panax ginseng (PG) and Veratrum nigrum (VN) are the most representative incompatibility herb pair in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This theory is derived from long-term clinical practice and has been applied for thousands of years. However, its mechanism has not yet been clearly investigated. The purpose of this work is to examine the incompatible effects of PG and VN on estrogen decline in rats to better understand the adverse effects of inappropriate herbal combinations using metabolomics and gut microbiota. The ovariectomized rats were administered with PG, VN and their combination decoction decoction intragastrically. After the combination of PG and VN, the improvement of depression-like behavior, neurotransmitter of brain, serum estrogen levels on ovariectomized rats was decreased; the regulation of PG on eight metabolic biomarkers and four intestinal bacteria was reduced by metabolomic and gut microbiota analysis. In addition, the correlation analysis revealed that the above four gut flora showed a relative trend with the significant metabolites of Pantothenic acid, 4, 6-Dihydroxyquinoline, Chenodeoxycholic acid and Caprylic acid. They were involved in tryptophan metabolism, pantothenic acid and coenzyme A biosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis and primary bile acid biosynthesis. These results provide further insight into the pathway by which PG and VN combine to reduce the therapeutic effects of estrogen decline. It is helpful to comprehend the incompatible mechanisms of PG and VN.

Network Pharmacology and Metabolomics Studies on Antimigraine Mechanisms of Da Chuan Xiong Fang (DCXF)

Background

Da Chuan Xiong Fang (DCXF) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula used to treat migraines. Previously, we uncovered partial mechanisms involved in the therapeutic actions of DCXF on migraines.

Methods

In this study, we further elucidated its antimigraine mechanisms in vivo by using an integrated strategy coupling with network pharmacology and metabolomics techniques.

Results

Network pharmacology identified 33 genes linked with both migraine and DCXF, most of which were 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors, dopamine, and peptide receptors. The results of GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that DCXF significantly regulated tyrosine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, dopamine metabolic process, glucose transmembrane transport, lipid metabolism, and fatty acid transport. The results of metabolomics analysis found that the metabolism of tryptophan and tyrosine in the brain tissue and energy and lipid metabolism of rats tended towards normal and reached normal levels after administering DCXF. The metabolomics and network pharmacology approaches demonstrated similar antimigraine effects of DCXF on endogenous neurotransmitters and overall trends in serum and brain tissue. Using both approaches, 62 hub genes were identified from the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DCXF and gene-metabolite interaction network, with hub genes and different metabolites in serum and brain tissue. The hub genes of DCXF, which were mostly linked with inflammation, might affect mainly neurotransmitters in serum and brain tissue metabolisms.

Conclusion

Network pharmacology and metabolomics study may help identify hub genes, metabolites, and possible pathways of disease and treatment. Additionally, two parts of the results were integrated to confirm each other. Their combination may help elucidate the relationship between hub genes and metabolites and provide the further understanding of TCM mechanisms.

iTRAQ-Based Proteomics to Reveal the Mechanism of Hypothalamus in Kidney-Yin Deficiency Rats Induced by Levothyroxine

Kidney-yin deficiency syndrome (KYDS) is a typical syndrome encountered in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and is characterized by impaired lipid and glucose homeostasis. The hypothalamus acts as an important regulatory organ by controlling lipid and glucose metabolism in the body. Therefore, proteins in the hypothalamus could play important roles in KYDS development; however, the mechanisms responsible for KYDS remain unclear. Herein, iTRAQ-based proteomics was performed to analyze the protein expression in the hypothalamus of KYDS rats induced by levothyroxine (L-T₄). Results revealed a total of 44 downregulated and 18 upregulated proteins in KYDS group relative to the control group. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that the differently expressed proteins (DEPs) were related to single-organism metabolism process under the biological process (BP), extracellular region part and organelle under the cellular component (CC), and oxidoreductase activity under the molecular function (MF). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that fatty acid degradation and pyruvate metabolism participated in the metabolism regulation in KYDS rats. RT-PCR validation of five distinctly expressed proteins related to the two pathways was consistent with the results of proteomics analysis. Taken together, the inhibition of fatty acid degradation and pyruvate metabolism in hypothalamus could potentially cause the dysfunction of the lipid and glucose metabolism in KYDS rats. This current study identified some novel potential biomarkers of KYDS and provided the basis for further research of KYDS.

Independent or integrative processing approach of metabolite datasets from different biospecimens potentially affects metabolic pathway recognition in metabolomics

In metabolomics studies, metabolic pathway recognition (MPR) is performed by software tools to screen out the significant pathways disturbed by diseases or reinstated by drugs. To achieve MPR, the significantly changed metabolites determined in different biospecimens (e.g. plasma and urine) are analyzed either independently (metabolites from each biospecimen as a dataset) or integratively (metabolites from all biospecimens as a dataset). However, whether the choice of these two processing approaches affects the results of MPR remains unknown. In this study, this issue was addressed by selecting evaluation of the effects of the herbal medicine Rehmanniae Radix (RR) on anemia and adrenal fatigue by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-based metabolomics as an example. The significant pathways disturbed by the modeling of anemia and adrenal fatigue and those reinstated by treatments with raw and processed RR were recognized using MetPA software tool (MetaboAnalyst 3.0), and compared by independent and integrative processing of the significantly changed metabolites determined in plasma and urine. The results showed that the two processing approaches could yield different impact values of pathways and thereby recognize different significant pathways. The differences appear to happen more easily when metabolites from different biospecimens shared the same metabolic pathway. Such pathway could be recognized as a significant pathway by integrative processing but could be excluded by independent processing due to the converged and dispersed importance contributions of the involved metabolites to MPR in the two processing approaches. This issue should concern researchers because MPR is crucial not only to understanding metabolomics data but also to guiding subsequent mechanistic research.

The investigation of immunoprotective and sedative hypnotic effect of total polysaccharide from Suanzaoren decoction by serum metabonomics approach

Suanzaoren decoction, as one of the traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions, has been most commonly used in Asian countries and reported to inhibit the process of immunodeficiency insomnia. Polysaccharide is important component which also contributes to the role of immunoprotective and sedative hypnotic effects. This study was aimed to explore the immunoprotective and sedative hypnotic mechanisms of polysaccharide from Suanzaoren decoction by serum metabonomics approach. With this purpose, complex physical and chemical immunodeficiency insomnia models were firstly established according to its multi-target property. Serum samples were analyzed using UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS spectrometry approach to determine endogenous metabolites. Then, principal component analysis was used to distinguish the groups, and partial least squares discriminate analysis was carried out to confirm the important variables. The serum metabolic profiling was identified and pathway analysis was performed after the total polysaccharide administration. The twenty-one potential biomarkers were screened, and the levels were all reversed to different degrees in the total polysaccharide treated groups. These potential biomarkers were mainly related to vitamin, sphingolipid, bile acid, phospholipid and acylcarnitine metabolisms. The result has indicated that total polysaccharide could inhibit insomnia triggered by immunodeficiency stimulation through regulating those metabolic pathways. This study provides a useful approach for exploring the mechanism and evaluating the efficacy of total polysaccharide from Suanzaoren decoction.