Zhou C, Chen J, Zhang H, Zhang S, Zhang Y, Liu K, Mi M, Xia Q. Investigation of the chemical profile and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of flavonoids from Artemisia vestita Wall. ex Besser via targeted metabolomics, zebrafish model, and network pharmacology.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023;
302:115932. [PMID:
36403745 DOI:
10.1016/j.jep.2022.115932]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE
Artemisia vestita Wall. ex Besser is wildly distributed in the western high-altitude area of China and has been used as a Tibetan medicine to treat inflammatory diseases. We previously demonstrated the total flavonoids of Artemisia vestita Wall. ex Besser (TFA) showed obvious anti-inflammatory effects and its content was 276.62 mg/g. However, the chemical profile, active ingredients, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of TFA are not clear.
AIM OF THE STUDY
This study aimed to study the components of TFA, evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of TFA, and preliminarily predict the anti-inflammatory mechanism of TFA.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
TFA was prepared by the semi-biomimetic extraction method and purified by macroporous resin. The components of TFA were analyzed based on LC-MS combined with the targeted metabolomics method. The anti-inflammatory activity of TFA was evaluated using CuSO4-induced and tail cutting-induced zebrafish inflammation models. Based on the network pharmacology method, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of the main components of TFA was preliminarily predicted.
RESULTS
A total of 185 components were identified in TFA. TFA showed significant anti-inflammatory effects on CuSO4-induced and tail cutting-induced zebrafish inflammation models. According to network pharmacology prediction and experimental verification, 10 compounds were identified as the main active ingredients, including 3,7-di-O-methylquercetin, Hesperetin 5-O-glucoside, Myricitrin, et al. Twenty key targets were recognized, such as TNF, AKT1, VEGFA, MMP9, EGFR, PTGS2 et al. Moreover, the TNF signaling pathway and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway were identified to play vital roles in the anti-inflammatory effects of TFA.
CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed the chemical profile of TFA and identified the main active ingredients, key targets, and pathways of TFA in anti-inflammatory effects, which is helpful to elucidate the pharmacodynamic substances and action mechanisms of Artemisia vestita Wall. ex Besser, to promote its clinical rational application.
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