ABSTRACT
Utilizing metabolomics technology, this study explored the change of fecal endogenous metabolites in Walker-256 rats with malignant ascites after the administration with Kansui Radix(KR) stir-fried with vinegar(VKR), sought the potential biomarkers in feces which were related to the treatment of malignant ascites by VKR and revealed the biological mechanism of water-expelling effect of VKR. Ultra-fast liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UFLC-Q-TOF-MS) was employed to detect the feces of rats in all groups. Principle component analysis(PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) were conducted to achieve pattern recognition. Combining t-test and variable importance in the projection(VIP) enabled the screening of potential biomarkers for the malignant ascites. Metabolic pathway analysis was accomplished with MetaboAnalyst. Correlation analysis was finally conducted integrating the sequencing data of gut microbiota to elucidate the mechanism underlying the water-expelling effect of VKR. The results showed that both KR and VKR could restore the abnormal metabolism of model rats to some extent, with VKR being inferior to KR in the regulation. Eleven potential biomarkers were identified to be correlated with the malignant ascites and five metabolic pathways were then enriched. Four kinds of gut microbiota were significantly related to the potential biomarkers. The water-expelling effect of VKR may be associated with the regulation of phenylalanine metabolism, biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, tryptophan metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-anchor biosynthesis. This study can provide a scientific basis for comprehensive understandings of the interaction between gut microbiota and host which has relation to the water-expelling effect of VKR and guide the reasonable clinical application of VKR.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats , Acetic Acid , Ascites/metabolism , Euphorbia , Feces , MetabolomicsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To identify the metabolites of Cuscuta chinensis in the serum and feces of rats with estrogenic estrogen, and to provide the basis for elucidating the pharmacological basis of its efficacy. METHODS: Using the HPLC-ESI-MS/MS technique, the molecular weight and molecular formula of the compounds were preliminarily estimated by the first-order mass spectrometry, and the chemical constituents of serum and feces were characterized by the retention time of the standard, the fragment ion information, the fragmentation law of mass spectrometry and the reference data. RESULTS: Five prototypic components and 4 metabolites were identified in the serum. A total of 11 chemical constituents were identified in the feces after administration, including 5 prototype components and 6 metabolites. CONCLUSION: Through the comparative analysis between serum and feces, the main metabolic pathways of Cuscuta chinensis compound are deduced, which provides reference for the basic research on the estrogenic substance of Cuscuta chinensis.