A Metabolomics-Based Strategy for the Mechanism Exploration of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Descurainia sophia Seeds Extract and Fractions as a Case Study

Fingerprinting Chemical Markers in the Mediterranean Orange Blossom Honey: UHPLC-HRMS Metabolomics Study Integrating Melissopalynological Analysis, GC-MS and HPLC-PDA-ESI/MS

(1) Background: Citrus honey constitutes a unique monofloral honey characterized by a distinctive aroma and unique taste. The non-targeted chemical analysis can provide pivotal information on chemical markers that differentiate honey based on its geographical and botanical origin. (2) Methods: Within the PRIMA project "PLANT-B", a metabolomics workflow was established to unveil potential chemical markers of orange blossom honey produced in case study areas of Egypt, Italy, and Greece. In some of these areas, aromatic medicinal plants were cultivated to enhance biodiversity and attract pollinators. The non-targeted chemical analysis and metabolomics were conducted using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). (3) Results: Forty compounds were disclosed as potential chemical markers, enabling the differentiation of the three orange blossom honeys according to geographical origin. Italian honey showed a preponderance of flavonoids, while in Greek honey, terpenoids and iridoids were more abundant than flavonoids, except for hesperidin. In Egyptian honey, suberic acid and a fatty acid ester derivative emerged as chemical markers. New, for honey, furan derivatives were identified using GC-MS in Greek samples. (4) Conclusions: The application of UHPLC-HRMS metabolomics combined with an elaborate melissopalynological analysis managed to unveil several potential markers of Mediterranean citrus honey potentially associated with citrus crop varieties and the local indigenous flora.

Protective effects of Descurainia sophia seeds extract and its fractions on pulmonary edema by untargeted urine and serum metabolomics strategy

Background: Descurainia sophia seeds (DS) is a herbal medicine in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treating lung diseases. We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of DS and five of its fractions upon pulmonary edema (PE) through metabolomics analysis (MA) of urine and serum samples of rats. Methods: A PE model was established by intrathoracic injection of carrageenan. Rats were pretreated with DS extract or its five fractions (polysaccharides (DS-Pol); oligosaccharides (DS-Oli); flavonoid glycosides (DS-FG); flavonoid aglycone (DS-FA); fat oil fraction (DS-FO)) for seven consecutive days. Forty-eight hours after carrageenan injection, lung tissues were subjected to histopathology. MA of urine and serum was done by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, respectively. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis were operated for the MA of rats and potential biomarkers related to treatment. Heatmaps and metabolic networks were constructed to explore how DS and its five fractions act against PE. Results: DS and its five fractions could all attenuate pathologic lung injury to different degrees, and DS-Oli, DS-FG, and DS-FO had a more potent effect compared with DS-Pol and DS-FA. DS-Oli, DS-FG, DS-FA, and DS-FO could regulate the metabolic profiles of PE rats, but DS-Pol was less potent. According to MA, the five fractions could improve PE to some degree due to their anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, and renoprotective activities by mediating the metabolism of taurine, tryptophan, and arachidonic acid. However, DS-Oli, DS-FG, and DS-FO had more important roles in edema-fluid reabsorption, and reduction of vascular leakage through regulating the metabolism of phenylalanine, sphingolipid and bile acid. Finally, heatmaps and hierarchical clustering analysis indicated DS-Oli, DS-FG, and DS-FO to be more efficacious than DS-Pol or DS-FA against PE. The five fractions of DS had a synergistic effect on PE from different aspects, thereby constituting the entire efficacy of DS. DS-Oli, DS-FG, or DS-FO could be used as an alternative to DS. Conclusion: MA combined with use of DS and its fractions provided novel insights into the mechanism of action of TCM.

Comparative plasma and urine metabolomics analysis of juvenile and adult canines

Background and aims

The metabolomic profile of a biofluid can be affected by age, and thus provides detailed information about the metabolic alterations in biological processes and reflects the in trinsic rule regulating the growth and developmental processes.

Methods

To systemically investigate the characteristics of multiple metabolic profiles associated with canine growth, we analyzed the metabolomics in the plasma and urine samples from 15 young and 15 adult beagle dogs via UHPLC-Q-TOFMS-based metabolomics. Blood routine and serum biochemical analyses were also performed on fasting blood samples.

Results

The metabolomics results showed remarkable differences in metabolite fingerprints both in plasma and urine between the young and adult groups. The most obvious age-related metabolite alterations include decreased serumlevels of oxoglutaric acid and essential amino acids and derivatives but increased levels of urine levels of O-acetylserine. These changes primarily involved in amino acid metabolism and bile secretion pathways. We also found that the levels of glutamine were consistently higher in both serum and urine of adults, while N-acetylhistamine and uracil concentrations were much lower in the adult group compared to younger ones.

Conclusion

Our study provides a whole metabolic profile of serum and urine characteristics of young and adult canines, identifying several metabolites that were significantly associated with age change, which provides theoretical support for the nutrition-related research and age-related homeostasis maintenance in dogs.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Tai Chi Training in Cardiorespiratory Fitness of Elderly People

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of Tai Chi on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in elderly people using meta-analysis.

Methods

This study used seven electronic databases and data retrieved from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the role of Tai Chi on CRF in the elderly. All these 24 RCTs were screened and selected from 7 literature databases. The Stata 11.2 software (StataCorp, USA) was used for the meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, and bias test, while the Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used for the assessment of the risk of bias (RoB). 4 researchers independently participated in sample selection, data extraction, and RoB assessment.

Results

Following the inclusion criteria, 24 eligible studies were included in our analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that Tai Chi practice significantly increased the maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO_{2 max}) (weighted mean difference (WMD)  = 3.76, 95% CI: 1.25 to 6.26, P < 0.1), leading to an overall reduction in the heart rate (HR) (WMD  = −1.84, 95% CI: −2.04 to −1.63, P  ≤ 0.001) and an increase in the O_{2 pulse} (WMD = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.60 to 1.28, P ≤ 0.001) in individuals who practiced Tai Chi regularly compared with those who did not. The subgroup analysis suggested that overall in those who practiced Tai Chi, males (WMD = 1.48, 95% CI: 0.85 to 2.12, P ≤ 0.001) had higher O_{2 pulse} than females (WMD = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.33 to 1.12, P ≤ 0.001). The subgroup analysis also showed an increase in the vital capacity (VC) (WMD = 316.05, 95% CI: 239.74 to 392.35, P ≤ 0.001) in individuals practicing Tai Chi. When the samples were further stratified by Tai Chi practicing time, the subgroup analysis suggested that individuals practicing Tai Chi over a period of 24 weeks showed no significant difference in VC (WMD = 82.95, 95% CI: -98.34 to 264.23, P=0.370), while those practicing Tai Chi over a period of 48 weeks showed a significant increase (WMD = 416.62, 95% CI: 280.68 to 552.56, P ≤ 0.001). Furthermore, the subgroup analysis demonstrated that the increase in VC is significantly correlated with the Tai Chi practicing time (WMD = 344.97, 95% CI: 227.88 to 442.06, P ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion

Regular Tai Chi practice could improve the CRF in the elderly, as indicated by significant improvement in indicators including VO_2max, O_2pulse, VC, and HR. However, gender and practice time might influence the overall beneficial outcomes.

Protective Effects of Descurainia sophia against Gentamicin Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats

Several studies have tried to find an efficient agent to prevent or reverse gentamicin (Gm) induced acute kidney injury (AKI). In this study, we assessed the potential renal protective effects of Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl against Gm-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Thirty-five male Wistar rats were categorized in five groups (n = 7 per group). Control group was treated with normal saline. In four experimental groups, the rats were initially treated with normal saline (A), 800 (B), 1600 (C) and 2400 (D) mg/kg Descurainia sophia respectively for 28 days. After that, the rats of experimental groups were treated with Gm (80 mg/Kg) for 7 consecutive days. Blood and urine markers, as well as apoptosis and histological features were determined. Serum BUN, creatinine, cholesterol, and triglycerides level, as well as urinary excretion of Na⁺ significantly increased in group A. Furthermore, Gm induced inflammatory cells infiltration, apoptosis, and renal cells injuries in rats were pretreated with normal saline (group A). However, in the rats pretreated with Descurainia sophia extract (groups B, C, and D, there were significant and dose-dependent reductions in serum BUN, creatinine, cholesterol and triglyceride, urinary Na⁺ excretion, apoptosis rate, and inflammatory cells infiltration in renal tissues. Overall, Descurainia sophia showed significant protective effects against Gm-induced AKI by alleviating biochemical and histological markers of renal toxicity.

Integration of Metabolomics and Transcriptomicsto Comprehensively Evaluate the Metabolic Effects of Gelsemium elegans on Pigs

Some naturalphytogenic feed additives, which contain several active compounds, have been shown to be effective alternatives to traditional antibiotics. Gelsemium elegans (G. elegans) is a whole grass in the family Loganiaceae. It is a known toxic plant widely distributed in China and has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for many years to treat neuropathic pain, rheumatoid pain, inflammation, skin ulcers, and cancer. However, G. elegans not only is nontoxic to animals such as pigs and sheep but also has an obvious growth-promoting effect. To our knowledge, the internal mechanism of the influence of G. elegans on the animal body is still unclear. The goal of this work is to evaluate the metabolic consequences of feeding piglets G. elegans for 45 days based on the combination of transcriptomics and metabolomics. According to growth measurement and evaluation, compared with piglets fed a complete diet, adding 20 g/kg G. elegans powder to the basal diet of piglets significantly reduced the feed conversion ratio. Results of the liver transcriptome suggest that glycine and cysteine-related regulatory pathways, including the MAPK signaling pathway and the mTOR signaling pathway, were extensively altered in G. elegans-induced piglets. Plasma metabolomics identified 21 and 18 differential metabolites (p < 0.05) in the plasma of piglets in the positive and negative ion modes, respectively, between G. elegans exposure and complete diet groups. The concentrations of glycine and its derivatives and N-acetylcysteine were higher in the G. elegans exposure group than in the complete diet group.This study demonstrated that G. elegans could be an alternative to antibiotics that improves the immune function of piglets, and the latent mechanism of G. elegans may be related to various signaling pathways, including the MAPK signaling pathway and the PPAR signaling pathway.

Investigation of the therapeutic effect of Shaoyao Gancao decoction on CCL4 -induced liver injury in rats by metabolomic analysis

Shaoyao Gancao decoction (SGD) is a famous Chinese traditional prescription for treating liver injury. In this research, we investigated the therapeutic effects of SGD on liver injury and its metabolic mechanisms using ¹ H NMR and UPLC-MS. Serum biochemical indicators and histopathological methods were used to determine the mechanism of action of SGD in treating liver injury. An orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis method was used to screen potential metabolic markers, and the MetaboAnalyst and KEGG PATHWAY databases were used to find relevant metabolic pathways. A total of 26 significant metabolites were identified with significant changes in their abundance levels, and these metabolites are involved in many metabolic pathways such as amino acid and lipid metabolism. The changes in biomarker levels reveal the therapeutic effect of SGD on liver injury, which is of great significance to speculate on possible metabolic mechanisms.

Descurainia sophia Ameliorates Eosinophil Infiltration and Airway Hyperresponsiveness by Reducing Th2 Cytokine Production in Asthmatic Mice

In Chinese medicine, Descurainia sophia is used to treat cough by removing the phlegm in asthma and inflammatory airway disease, but the mechanism is not clear. In this study, we evaluated whether D. sophia water extract (DSWE) can alleviate airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in the lungs of a murine asthma model. Female BALB/c mice were divided into five groups: normal controls, ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized asthmatic mice, and OVA-sensitized mice treated with DSWE (2, 4, 8 g/day) by intraperitoneal injection. After sacrificing the mice, serum was collected to detect OVA-specific antibodies by ELISA, as well as bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) to detect cytokine levels. We also detected gene expression and histopathologically evaluated the lungs of asthmatic mice. DSWE reduced AHR, goblet cell hyperplasia, eosinophil infiltration, and collagen aggregation in the lungs of asthmatic mice. DSWE also suppressed the gene expression of Th2-associated cytokines and chemokines in lung tissue and inhibited serum OVA-IgE and Th2-associated cytokine levels in the BALF of OVA-sensitized mice. Our findings suggest that DSWE is a powerful immunomodulator for ameliorated allergic reactions by suppressing Th2 cytokine expression in asthmatic mice.

[Effect of methanol-ethyl acetate partitioned fractions from Descurainia sophia on proliferation and apoptosis of human non-small cell lung cancer H1975 cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of methanol-ethyl acetate partitioned fractions from Descurainia sophia (MEDS) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human non-small cell lung cancer H1975 cells.

METHODS

The systemic solvent extraction method was used to preliminary separation of the effective fractions in the methanol extract of Descurainia sophia. The cytotoxicity of each extract (5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 μg/mL) was tested using MTT assay. Colony cloning method was used to assess the effect of different concentrations of methanol-ethyl acetate partitioned fractions from MEDS (5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 μg/ mL) on the proliferation of H1975 cells. Flow cytometric analysis with Annexin V-FITC/PI staining was performed to detect the apoptosis of the cells after treatment with different concentrations of MEDS fractions (10, 20, and 40 μg/mL). Western blotting was used to evaluate the effects of MEDS fractions on the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Akt, Bax, and Bcl-2. The anti-tumor activity of 100 mg/kg MEDS fractions was tested in a nude mouse model bearing H1975 cell xenografts.

RESULTS

MTT assay and colony forming experiment showed that MEDS fractions significantly inhibited the proliferation of H1975 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner (P &lt; 0.05). The results of flow cytometry showed that MEDS fractions induced obvious apoptosis of H1975 cells in a concentration-dependent manner (P &lt; 0.05). MEDS fractions also significantly decreased the expressions of Bcl-2 and Akt protein and increased the protein expression of Bax (P &lt; 0.05). In the tumor-bearing nude mouse model, MEDS fractions showed potent anti-tumor effects with a low toxicity to affect the body weight and organs of the mice.

CONCLUSIONS

The methanol-ethyl acetate partitioned fractions from MEDS show potent anti-tumor activity both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting their value as promising therapeutic agents against lung cancer.

Morphological Identification of Lepidii Seu Descurainiae Semen and Adulterant Seeds Using Microscopic Analysis

Lepidii seu Descurainiae Semen, the dried ripe seeds of Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl or Lepidium apetalum Willd., is used widely as a traditional herbal medicine in Northeast Asia. However, seeds of a number of other species have been misidentified as Lepidii seu Descurainiae Semen, and are therefore misused because of morphological similarities among the seeds of these species. To accurately identify Lepidii seu Descurainiae Semen, we investigated the morphology, mucilage reaction, and micromorphology of Lepidii seu Descurainiae Semen and the seeds of other plant species. We used a stereomicroscope and a scanning electron microscope to describe and compare various morphological and micromorphological characteristics of seeds, and a light microscope to determine the presence or absence of mucilage. We evaluated the potential usefulness of mucilage as a morphological marker for seed identification. The shape, outline, and size of seeds were useful characteristics for identification. The mucilage reaction and the three types of seed ornamentation that were identified in this study were particularly valuable for seed authentication. Based on these results, we created an identification key based on morphology and micromorphology of Lepidii seu Descurainiae Semen and adulterant seeds. The method of seed identification using microscopic examination, as described here, is easy and economical, making it a potential key tool for accurate identification of Lepidii seu Descurainiae Semen and seeds of other medicinal plants.

Effect of Aqueous Extract from Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl on Ventricular Remodeling in Chronic Heart Failure Rats

Objective

Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl (DS) is a traditional Chinese medicine. Our current study was to evaluate the effect of DS on ventricular remodeling in chronic heart failure (HF) rats and its underlying mechanism.

Methods

The rat chronic heart failure model induced by suprarenal abdominal aortic coarctation surgery. The survival rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the sham group (n=6), the HF group (n=6), and the HF+DS group (n=6). After 3 months of drug intervention, we examined the effects of DS by Sirius Red staining, electron microscopy, echocardiography, hemodynamic measurement, and TUNEL and explored the underlying mechanism by Western blotting.

Results

We found that rats treated with DS showed improved cardiac function and less tissue damage compared to untreated group. Additionally, DS could reduce the cardiomyocytes apoptosis, decrease the ratio of Bax/bcl-2 and Caspase-3 expression, and enhance the phosphorylation of Akt protein expression.

Conclusion

Our study suggested that rats treated with DS after suprarenal abdominal aortic coarctation surgery showed attenuated cardiac fibrosis and apoptosis, and the protective effect may be correlated with the activation of PI3k/Akt/mTOR dependent manner.