Combination of urine and faeces metabolomics to reveal the intervention mechanism of Polygala tenuifolia compatibility with Magnolia officinalis on gastrointestinal motility disorders

Magnolia Officinalis Alcohol Extract Alleviates the Intestinal Injury Induced by Polygala Tenuifolia Through Regulating the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB Signaling Pathway and Intestinal Flora

Purpose

Polygala tenuifolia Willd. (PT), a traditional Chinese medicinal plant extensively employed in managing Alzheimer's disease, exhibits notable gastrointestinal side effects as highlighted by prior investigations. In contrast, Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils (MO), a traditional remedy for gastrointestinal ailments, shows promising potential for ameliorating this adverse effect of PT. The objective of this study is to examine the underlying mechanism of MO in alleviating the side effects of PT.

Methods

Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining was used to observe the structural damage of zebrafish intestine, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress. The integrity of the intestinal tight junctions was examined using transmission electron microscope (TEM). Moreover, the expression of intestinal barrier genes and PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway-related genes was determined through quantitative real-time PCR. The changes in intestinal microbial composition were analyzed using 16S rRNA and metagenomic techniques.

Results

MO effectively ameliorated intestinal pathological damage and barrier gene expression, and significantly alleviated intestinal injury by reducing the expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and inhibiting the activation of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, MO could significantly increase the relative abundance of beneficial microorganisms (Lactobacillus, Blautia and Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and reduce the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria (Plesiomonas and Aeromonas).

Conclusion

MO alleviated PT-induced intestinal injury, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway activation and regulation of intestinal flora.

Comparative analysis of the synergetic effects of Diwuyanggan prescription on high fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease using untargeted metabolomics

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver disorders worldwide and had no approved pharmacological treatments. Diwuyanggan prescription (DWYG) is a traditional Chinese medicine preparation composed of 5 kinds of herbs, which has been used for treating chronic liver diseases in clinic. Whereas, the synergistic mechanism of this prescription for anti-NAFLD remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the synergetic effect of DWYG by using the disassembled prescriptions and untargeted metabolomics research strategies. The therapeutic effects of the whole prescription of DWYG and the individual herb were divided into six groups according to the strategy of disassembled prescriptions, including DWYG, Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (AC), Curcuma longa L. (CL), Schisandra chinensis Baill. (SC), Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. (RG) and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (GU) groups. The high fat diets-induced NAFLD mice model was constructed to evaluate the efficacy effects of DWYG. An untargeted metabolomics based on the UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS approach was carried out to make clear the synergetic effect on the regulation of metabolites dissecting the united mechanisms. Experimental results on animals revealed that the anti-NAFLD effect of DWYG prescription was better than the individual herb group in reducing liver lipid deposition and restoring the abnormality of lipidemia. In addition, further metabolomics analysis indicated that 23 differential metabolites associated with the progression of NAFLD were identified and 19 of them could be improved by DWYG. Compared with five single herbs, DWYG showed the most extensive regulatory effects on metabolites and their related pathways, which were related to lipid and amino acid metabolisms. Besides, each individual herb in DWYG was found to show different degrees of regulatory effects on NAFLD and metabolic pathways. SC and CL possessed the highest relationship in the regulation of NAFLD. Altogether, these results provided an insight into the synergetic mechanisms of DWYG from the metabolic perspective, and also supported a scientific basis for the rationality of clinical use of this prescription.

Orphan Nuclear Receptor Nur77 Mediates the Lethal Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Therapeutic Efficacy of Cryptomeridiol in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) commonly possesses chronical elevation of IRE1α-ASK1 signaling. Orphan nuclear receptor Nur77, a promising therapeutic target in various cancer types, is frequently silenced in HCC. In this study, we show that cryptomeridiol (Bkh126), a naturally occurring sesquiterpenoid derivative isolated from traditional Chinese medicine Magnolia officinalis, has therapeutic efficacy in HCC by aggravating the pre-activated UPR and activating the silenced Nur77. Mechanistically, Nur77 is induced to sense IRE1α-ASK1-JNK signaling and translocate to the mitochondria, which leads to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm). The Bkh126-induced aggravation of ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction result in increased cytotoxic product of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The in vivo anti-HCC activity of Bkh126 is superior to that of sorafenib, currently used to treat advanced HCC. Our study shows that Bkh126 induces Nur77 to connect ER stress to mitochondria-mediated cell killing. The identification of Nur77 as a molecular target of Bhk126 provides a basis for improving the leads for the further development of anti-HCC drugs.