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Wang Z, Li D, Chen M, Yu X, Chen C, Chen Y, Zhang L, Shu Y. A comprehensive study on the regulation of Compound Zaoren Granules on cAMP/CREB signaling pathway and metabolic disorder in CUMS-PCPA induced insomnia rats. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 332:118401. [PMID: 38815875 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Compound Zaoren Granules (CZG), an optimized herbal formulation based on the traditional Chinese medicine prescription Suanzaoren decoction, are designed specifically for insomnia treatment. However, the mechanisms underlying its efficacy in treating insomnia are not yet fully understood. AIM OF THE STUDY The research investigated the mechanisms of CZG's improvement in insomnia by regulating cAMP/CREB signaling pathway and metabolic profiles. METHODS The main components of CZG were characterized by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Subsequently, these validated components were applied to network pharmacological analysis to predict signaling pathways associated with insomnia. We evaluated the effect of CZG on BV-2 cells in vitro. We also evaluated the behavioral indexes of CUMS combined with PCPA induced insomnia in rats. HE staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the pathological damage of hippocampus. ELISA was used to detect the levels of various neurotransmitters, orexins, HPA axis, and inflammatory factors in insomnia rats. Then we detected the expression of cAMP/CREB signaling pathway through ELISA, WB, and IHC. Finally, the metabolomics was further analyzed by using UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS to investigate the changes in the hippocampus of insomnia rats and the possible metabolic pathways were also speculated. RESULTS The results of CZG in vitro experiments showed that CZG has protective and anti-inflammatory effects on LPS induced BV-2 cells. A total of 161 chemical components were identified in CZG. After conducting network pharmacology analysis through these confirmed components, we select the cAMP/CREB signaling pathway for further investigate. The behavioral research results on insomnia rats showed that CZG significantly prolonged sleep time, mitigated brain tissue pathological damage, and exhibited liver protective properties. CZG treats insomnia by regulating the content of various neurotransmitters, reducing levels of orexin, HPA axis, and inflammatory factors. It can also treat insomnia by upregulating the expression of the cAMP/CREB signaling pathway. Hippocampus metabolomics analysis identified 69 differential metabolites associated with insomnia. The metabolic pathways related to these differential metabolites have also been predicted. CONCLUSION These results indicate that CZG can significantly prolong sleep time. CZG is used to treat insomnia by regulating various neurotransmitters, HPA axis, inflammatory factors, cAMP/CREB signaling pathways, and metabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zekun Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine & Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Danting Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine & Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China; Key laboratory for Metabolic Diseases in Chinese Medicine, First College of Clinical Medicine Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Min Chen
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine & Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Xiaocong Yu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine & Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital, 210029, China
| | - Yajun Chen
- Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital, 210029, China
| | - Lingfeng Zhang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Yachun Shu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine & Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, China; Jiangsu Province Seaside Rehabilitation Hospital, Lianyungang, 222042, China.
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Song H, Ren J, Yang L, Sun H, Yan G, Han Y, Wang X. Elucidation for the pharmacological effects and mechanism of Shen Bai formula in treating myocardial injury based on energy metabolism and serum metabolomic approaches. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 323:117670. [PMID: 38160867 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Shen Bai formula (SBF) is a proven effective traditional Chinese medicine for treating viral myocarditis (VMC) sequelae in clinic, and myocardial injury is the pathological basis of VMC sequelae. However, the pharmacological action and mechanism of SBF have not been systematically elucidated. AIM OF THE STUDY In present research, the doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury rat model was used to evaluate the efficacy of SBF, and energy metabolism and metabolomics approaches were applied to elucidate the effects of SBF on myocardial injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS Through energy metabolism measurement system and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS oriented blood metabolomics, directly reflected the therapeutic effect of SBF at a macro level, and identified biomarkers of myocardial injury in microcosmic, revealing its metabolomic mechanism. RESULTS Results showed that SBF significantly improved the electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate (HR), extent of myocardial tissue lesion, and ratio of heart and spleen. In addition, the serum levels of AST, CK, LDH, α-HBDH, cTnI, BNP, and MDA decreased, whereas SOD and ATP activity and content increased. Moreover, SBF increased locomotor activity and basic daily metabolism in rats with myocardial injury, restoring their usual level of energy metabolism. A total of 45 potential metabolomic biomarkers were identified. Among them, 44 biomarkers were significantly recalled by SBF, including representative biomarkers arachidonic acid (AA), 12-HETE, prostaglandin J2 (PGJ2), 15-deoxy-Δ-12,14-PGJ2, 15-keto-PGE2, 15(S)-HPETE, 15(S)-HETE, 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid and 9(S)-HODE, which involved AA metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and linoleic acid metabolism. CONCLUSION We successfully replicated a myocardial injury rat model with the intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin, and elucidated the mechanism of SBF in treating myocardial injury. This key mechanism may be achieved by targeting action on COX, Alox, CYP, and 15-PGDH to increase or decrease the level of myocardial injury biomarker, and then emphatically interven in AA metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and linoleic acid metabolism, and participate in regulating purine metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, primary bile acid biosynthesis, and steroid hormone synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Song
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Metabolomics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Junling Ren
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Metabolomics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin, 150040, China; State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau
| | - Le Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome, The Second Affiliated Hospital Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dade Road 111, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Sun
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Metabolomics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin, 150040, China.
| | - Guangli Yan
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Metabolomics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Ying Han
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Metabolomics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - Xijun Wang
- National Chinmedomics Research Center, National TCM Key Laboratory of Serum Pharmacochemistry, Metabolomics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin, 150040, China; State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau; State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome, The Second Affiliated Hospital Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dade Road 111, Guangzhou, China.
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Sun E, Huang R, Ding K, Wang L, Hou J, Tan X, Wei Y, Feng L, Jia X. Integrating strategies of metabolomics, network pharmacology, and experiment validation to investigate the processing mechanism of Epimedium fried with suet oil to warm kidney and enhance yang. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1113213. [PMID: 36762111 PMCID: PMC9905240 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1113213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Epimedium, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) commonly used in ancient and modern China, is one of the traditional Chinese medicines clinically used to treat kidney yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS). There are differences in the efficacy of Epimedium before and after processing, and the effect of warming the kidney and enhancing yang is significantly enhanced after heating with suet oil. However, the active compounds, corresponding targets, metabolic pathways, and synergistic mechanism of frying Epimedium in suet oil to promote yang, remain unclear. Methods: Herein, a strategy based on comprehensive GC-TOF/MS metabolomics and network pharmacology analysis was used to construct an "active compounds-targets-metabolic pathways" network to identify the active compounds, targets and metabolic pathways involved. Subsequently, the targets in kidney tissue were further validated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Histopathological analysis with physical and biochemical parameters were performed. Results: Fifteen biomarkers from urine and plasma, involving five known metabolic pathways related to kidney yang deficiency were screened. The network pharmacology results showed 37 active compounds (13 from Epimedium and 24 from suet oil), 159 targets, and 267 pathways with significant correlation. Importantly, integrated metabolomics and network pharmacologic analysis revealed 13 active compounds (nine from Epimedium and four from suet oil), 7 corresponding targets (ALDH2, ARG2, GSTA3, GSTM1, GSTM2, HPGDS, and NOS2), two metabolic pathways (glutathione metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism), and two biomarkers (Ornithine and 5-Oxoproline) associated with improved kidney yang deficiency by Epimedium fried with suet oil. Discussion: These finds may elucidate the underlying mechanism of yang enhancement via kidney warming effects. Our study indicated that the mechanism of action mainly involved oxidative stress and amino acid metabolism. Here, we demonstrated the novel strategies of integrating metabolomics and network pharmacology in exploring of the mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Sun
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China,Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery System of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China,*Correspondence: E. Sun, ; Xiaobin Jia,
| | - Ran Huang
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China,Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ke Ding
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ling Wang
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jian Hou
- Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery System of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaobin Tan
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China,Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery System of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yingjie Wei
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China,Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery System of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Liang Feng
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaobin Jia
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China,School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China,*Correspondence: E. Sun, ; Xiaobin Jia,
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