RESUMO
Objective: To investigate the nourishing blood and smoothing liver effects of Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRA) based on metabolomics information. Methods: The stagnation of liver qi and blood deficiency syndrome rats model was established by chronic restraint stress combined with radiation. Using LC/MS method as the core technology, the principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) as the main data analysis methods, endogenous metabolites were screened in the model rats to study the intervention mechanism of PRA. Results: Through the impact of phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, ceramide, deoxycytidine, betaine, and other 21 kinds of small molecular metabolites, PRA had a certain callback effect on the disturbance of metabolic trajectory, which can improve the state of stagnation of liver qi and blood deficiency induced by external stimulating factors (such as irradiation, restraint, and loneliness). Conclusion: The nourishing blood and smoothing liver effects of PRA may be related to the sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, and alpha-linolenic acid metabolism.