ABSTRACT
Metabolic transformation in vivo is a critical approach in the study of toxicity, but real-time dynamic observation of the transformation is difficult. We proposed that zebrafish toxicity/metabolism synchronization may be used in the analysis of toxicity of Folium Epimedium (Yinyanghuo for Chinese, YYH) and the toxicity may be reduced by Radix Morindae Officinalis (Bajitian for Chinese, BJT). Healthy zebrafish embryos 1 day post fertilization (1 dpf) were exposed to different concentrations of YYH, total flavonoids of YYH (YTF), representative flavonoids (epimedin C and icariin) and their respective in combination with BJT. Death numbers of the embryos or larvals were counted during 1-5 days after dosing (2-6 dpf); embryonic micro-morphology of zebrafish (3 dpf) was observed and pictures were taken. The blank vehicle (0.4% DMSO) was used in the control group, and LC50 value of 2 to 6 dpf was calculated by SPSS16.0. A relative safe concentration was sampled every day to analyze the dynamic metabolites changes of major flavonoids of YYH. The results showed that epimedin A/B/C (EA/EB/EC) and icariin, the major flavonoids of YYH, were dynamically transformed into major metabolites of sagittatoside C (SC) and baohuoside I (BI) by zebrafish. BI was mainly derived from EA, EB and icariin. Neither original form nor their metabolite BI can cause zebrafish poisoning. SC was mainly derived from EC, and its accumulation was closely related to the toxicity of YYH, YTF and EC. After combination with BJT, the metabolism of EC was slowed down and the toxicity was alleviated. Zebrafish toxicity/metabolism synchronization revealed that the toxicity of EC of YYH was increased after metabolism into SC, which maybe the key potential poisonous factor of YYH, and BJT can reduce the toxicity by slowing down the metabolism rate of EC. The data provides new ideas and methods in the study of toxic substances in Chinese medicine and mechanism of detoxicity by combination.
ABSTRACT
The increasingly apparent liver injury problems of bone strengthening Chinese medicines have brought challenges for clinical application, and it is necessary to consider both effectiveness and safety in screening anti-osteoporosis Chinese medicines. Metabolic transformation is closely related to drug efficacy and toxicity, so it is significant to comprehensively consider metabolism-action/toxicity(M-Act/Tox) for screening anti-osteoporosis Chinese medicines. The current evaluation models and the number of compounds(including metabolites) severely restrict efficient screening in vivo. By referring to previous relevant research and domestic and abroad literature, zebrafish M-Act/Tox integrative method was put forward for efficiently screening anti-osteoporosis herb medicines, which has organically integrated zebrafish metabolism model, osteoporosis model and toxicity evaluation method. This method can break through the bottleneck and blind spots that trace compositions can't achieve efficient and integrated in vivo evaluation, and realize both efficient and comprehensive screening on anti-osteoporosis traditional medicines based on in vivo process taking both safety and effectiveness into account, which is significant to accelerate discovery of effective and safe innovative traditional Chinese medicines for osteoporosis.
ABSTRACT
The safety of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has received the widespread attention in recent years. Hepatotoxicity of TCM is one of the key problems of the safety of TCM. This article summarized research progress and application prospect in the mechanism of TCM hepatotoxicity, biomarkers, toxic omics database, prevention of hepatotoxicity of the liver cell lines, subcellular fraction, three-dimensional cultivation models, the model animals, aiming to provide theoretical basis for TCM toxicity evaluation and technical guidelines, thus promoting the development of TCM toxicity studies. Hope for Chinese medicine liver toxicity evaluation method provides the theoretical foundation and technical guidelines, promote the development and improvement of TCM liver toxicity research system.