ABSTRACT
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic refractory non-specific intestinal inflammatory disease that is difficult to be cured. The discovery of new ulcerative colitis-related metabolite biomarkers may help further understand UC and facilitate early diagnosis. It may also provide a basis for explaining the mechanism of drug action in the treatment of UC. Compound Sophorae Decoction (CSD) is an empirical formula used in the clinical treatment of UC. Although it is known to be efficacious, its mechanism of action in the treatment of UC is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in endogenous substances in UC rats and the effects of CSD on metabolic pathways using the metabonomics approach. Metabolomics studies in rats with UC and normal rats were performed using LC-MS/MS. Rats with UC induced using TNBS enema were used as the study models. Metabolic profiling and pathway analysis of biomarkers was performed using statistical and pathway enrichment analyses. 36 screened potential biomarkers were found to be significantly different between the UC and the normal groups; it was also found that CSD could modulate the levels of these potential biomarkers. CSD was found to be efficacious in UC by regulating multiple metabolic pathways.
ABSTRACT
To explore the action mechanism of Taohong Siwu Decoction(THSWD) in the treatment of soft tissue injury(STI) based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technique, network pharmacology and experimental verification method. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technique was used to identify the chemical constituents of THSWD. The active ingredients and predicted target proteins of THSWD were screened out through TCMSP database. Cytoscape software was used to construct the active component-target-pathway network, and STRING database was used for protein interaction analysis. GeneCards and CTD databases were used to screen out relevant targets of STI. GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed through DAVID database. The rat model of STI was constructed, and Western blot was used to verify the effect of THSWD on key targets of relevant pathways. The results showed 40 active ingredients in THSWD, and 141 potential targets and 20 targets of STI. Target enrichment analysis of the active components produced 128 KEGG pathways, which were mainly concentrated in amino acid synthesis and metabolism, disease signaling pathways, apoptosis, inflammation and other relevant pathways. Western blot showed that THSWD intervention could significantly decrease PTGS2, CASP3, NFKB1, p-CASP3 and p-NFKB1, while enhancing the expression of TP53 protein in the STI samples of rats. According to the results of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, network pharmacology and experimental verification, active ingredients in THSWD may play anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in NF-κB signaling pathway and apoptotic pathway, thus playing a role in the treatment of STI.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats , Apoptosis , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Signal Transduction , Soft Tissue InjuriesABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the value of Tei index and the sensitivity of left versus right ventricular Tei index in evaluating the fetal cardiac function in pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome in the third trimester.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fetal echocardiograms were performed in 30 women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) syndrome and 55 with normal pregnancy of the third trimester. Tei index was obtained by calculating the ratio of the isovolumic time (isovolumic contraction and relaxation time) to the ejection time of the left and right ventricle. Comparisons of the Tei index were made between the PIH group and control group, and also between the left and right ventricles in each group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Significant difference was found in the left and right ventricular Tei index between PIH group and control group. No difference was noted between the left and right ventricular Tei index in the PIH group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Tei index is a useful indicator in evaluating fetal global cardiac function, for which purpose the left ventricular Tei index can be as sensitive as the right ventricular Tei index.</p>