UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-Based Plasma Metabolomics to Evaluate the Effects of Aspirin Eugenol Ester on Blood Stasis in Rats.

Aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) is a novel compound that is formed from the esterification of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)) and eugenol. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AEE on blood stasis in rats and to characterize the underlying mechanisms using a plasma metabolomic study. The results indicate that AEE and ASA could modulate whole blood viscosity (WBV), plasma viscosity (PV), blood coagulation parameters, platelet count, platelet aggregation, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatinine (CR) and the levels of thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and 6-keto prostaglandin F1α (6-keto-PGF1α). The metabolic profiles of the plasma samples from all groups were clearly separated in the score plots. Nineteen potential metabolites were selected and identified, and disordered levels of these metabolites could be regulated by AEE and ASA. Pathway analysis showed that the mechanism of action of AEE on blood stasis might be principally related to the metabolism of amino acid, fatty acid, energy and glycerophospholipid. The above results indicate that AEE protected the rats against blood stasis, and that this effect might have been caused by the anticoagulation activity of AEE and its abilities to maintain a balance between TXA2 and PGI2, reduce blood viscosity, inhibit platelet aggregation and normalize the plasma metabolic profile.

An LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of diclofenac sodium in dairy cow plasma and its application in pharmacokinetics studies.

An LC-MS/MS method with internal standard tolfenamic acid for determining diclofenac sodium (DCF) in dairy cow plasma was developed and validated. Samples were processed with protein precipitation by cold formic acid-acetonitrile. Determination of DCF was performed using LC-ESI+ -MS/MS with the matrix-matched calibration curve. The results showed that the method was sensitive (LOD 2 ng mL-1 , LOQ 5 ng mL-1 ), accurate (97.60 ± 5.64%), precise (<10%) and linear in the range of 5-10,000 ng mL-1 . A single intravenous (i.v.) or intramuscular (i.m.) administration of 5% diclofenac sodium injection at a dose of 2.2 mg kg-1 was performed in six healthy dairy cows according to a two-period crossover design. The main pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters after a single i.v. administration were as follows: t1/2ß , 4.52 ± 1.71 h; AUC, 77.79 ± 16.76 h µg mL-1 ; mean residence time, 5.16 ± 1.11 h. The main PK parameters after a single i.m. administration were as follows: Tmax , 2.38 ± 1.19 h; Cmax , 7.46 ± 1.85 µg mL-1 ; t1/2ß , 9.46 ± 2.86 h; AUC 67.57 ± 13.07 h µg mL-1 . The absolute bioavailability was 87.37 ± 5.96%. The results showed that the diclofenac sodium injection had PK characteristics of rapid absorption and slow elimination, and high peak concentration and bioavailability in dairy cows, and that the recommended clinical dosage of diclofenac sodium injection is 2.2 mg kg-1 .

Aspirin eugenol ester inhibits agonist-induced platelet aggregation in vitro by regulating PI3K/Akt, MAPK and Sirt 1/CD40L pathways.

Aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) was a promising drug candidate for treating inflammation, pain and fever and preventing cardiovascular diseases with fewer side effects than its precursors. Previous researches indicated that AEE could markedly inhibit agonist-induced platelet aggregation in vitro and ex vivo, however, the anti-platelet aggregation mechanisms of AEE remain to be defined. Here, AEE in vitro effects on agonist-induced granule-secretion, intercellular Ca2+ mobilization and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) generation were examined. Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Akt, Sirt 1 and CD40L expressions were also studied. In agonist-activated platelets in vitro, AEE markedly attenuated granule secretion markers (P-selectin expression and ATP release), intercellular Ca2+ mobilization and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) formation. AEE also attenuated CD40L activation, suppressed extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase 2 (ERK2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) and Akt phosphorylation, and recovered Sirt1 expression, but the activation of p38, VASPSer157 and VASPSer239, and the levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) were not affected by AEE. Overall, this study demonstrates that AEE inhibits agonist-induced platelet aggregation in vitro by regulating PI3K/Akt, MAPK and Sirt 1/CD40L pathways.

Aspirin eugenol ester regulates cecal contents metabolomic profile and microbiota in an animal model of hyperlipidemia.

BACKGROUND: Hyperlipidemia, with an increasing of prevalence, has become one of the common metabolic diseases in companion animal clinic. Aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) is a novel compound that exhibits efficacious anti-hyperlipidemia activities. However, its mechanisms are still not completely known. The objective of present study was to investigate the intervention effects of AEE on cecal contents metabonomics profile and microbiota in hyperlipidemia rats. RESULTS: Three groups of rats were fed with a control diet, or high fat diet (HFD) containing or not AEE. The results showed the beneficial effects of AEE in HFD-fed rats such as the reducing of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total cholesterol (TCH). Distinct changes in metabonomics profile of cecal contents were observed among control, model and AEE groups. HFD-induced alterations of eight metabolites in cecal contents mainly related with purine metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism were reversed by AEE treatment. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and cluster analysis of microbiota showed altered patterns with distinct differences in AEE group versus model group, indicating that AEE treatment improved the negative effects caused by HFD on cecal microbiota. In addition, the correction analysis revealed the possible link between the identified metabolites and cecal microbiota. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed regulation effects of AEE on cecal contents metabonomics profile and microbiota, which could provide information to reveal the possible underlying mechanism of AEE on hyperlipidemia treatment.

Preparation and Evaluation of Oseltamivir Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Silica Gel as Liquid Chromatography Stationary Phase.

To improve the chromatographic performance of an oseltamivir (OS) molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), silica gel coated with an MIP layer for OS (OSMIP@silica gel) was prepared by the surface molecular imprinting technology on the supporter of porous silica gel microspheres. A nonimprinted polymer with the silica gel (NIP@silica gel) was also prepared for comparison. The obtained particles were characterized through FT⁻IR, scanning electron microscopy, specific surface area analysis, and porosity measurements. The results indicated that the polymer was successfully synthesized and revealed the structural differences between imprinted and nonimprinted polymers. The results of static adsorption experiments showed that adsorption quantity of the OSMIP@silica gel for OS was higher than that for NIP@silica gel, and the OSMIP@silica gel had two kinds of affinity sites for OS but the NIP@silica gel had one. The chromatographic performance of the OSMIP@silica gel column had significant improvement. The imprinting factor of the OSMIP@silica gel column for OS was 1.64. Furthermore, the OSMIP@silica gel column showed good affinity and selectivity for template OS and another neuraminidase inhibitor, peramivir, but not for quinocetone. These results indicated that the prepared OSMIP could be used to simulate the activity center of neuraminidase, and the OSMIP@silica gel column could be also employed in future studies to search for more active neuraminidase inhibitor analogues from traditional Chinese herbs.

Feces and liver tissue metabonomics studies on the regulatory effect of aspirin eugenol eater in hyperlipidemic rats.

BACKGROUND: Based on the pro-drug principle, aspirin and eugenol were esterified to synthesize aspirin eugenol ester (AEE). The anti-hyperlipidemia effect of aspirin eugenol ester has been confirmed in hyperlipidemic rat induced by high fat diet (HFD). However, its effect on liver and feces metabonomic profiles remains unknown. METHODS: Suspension of AEE was prepared in 5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC-Na). Thirty rats were divided into control, model and AEE groups. The control and model rats were fed with normal diet or HFD for 13 weeks, respectively. Rats in AEE-treated group were fed with HFD for 8 weeks to induce hyperlipidemia, and then given AEE once daily by oral gavage for 5 weeks at the dosage of 54 mg/kg body weight. After drug intervention, lipid profile analysis and oil red O staining were carried out to confirm the lipid accumulation in liver tissue. UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based liver and feces metabonomics coupled with pathway analysis were conducted to evaluate the changes of metabolic profile and endogenous metabolites. RESULTS: In liver tissue, oral administration of AEE significantly reduced lipid droplets and the levels of triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminate analysis (PLS-DA), distinct changes in metabolite patterns in feces and liver were observed. Liver and feces samples in control, model and AEE groups were scattered in PLS-DA score plots. 28 metabolites in liver and 22 in feces were identified as potential biomarkers related to hyperlipidemia. As possible drug targets, the perturbations of those biomarkers can be regulated by administration of AEE. CONCLUSION: Anti-hyperlipidemia effect of AEE was confirmed by lipid analysis, oil red O staining and metabolomics analysis. The mechanism of AEE might be associated with the changes in the metabolism of glycerophospholipid, amino acid, fatty acid, sphingolipid, purine, bile acid and glutathione.

UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabonomic studies on the intervention effects of aspirin eugenol ester in atherosclerosis hamsters.

Based on the pro-drug principle, aspirin and eugenol were used to synthesize aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) by esterification reaction. In present study, the anti-atherosclerosis effects of AEE were investigated in hamsters with the utilization of metabonomic approach based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Biochemical parameters and histopathological injures in stomach, liver and aorta were evaluated. In atherosclerotic hamster, oral administration of AEE normalized biochemical profile such as reducing TG, TCH and LDL, and significantly reduced body weight gain, alleviated hepatic steatosis and improved pathological lesions in aorta. Slight damages in stomach mucous were found in AEE group. Plasma and urine samples in control, model and AEE groups were scattered in the partial least squares-discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) score plots. Thirteen endogenous metabolites in plasma such as lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC), leucine and valine, and seventeen endogenous metabolites in urine such as citric acid, phenol sulphate and phenylacetylglycine were selected as potential biomarkers associated with atherosclerosis. They were considered to be in response to anti-atherosclerosis effects of AEE, mainly involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and energy metabolism. This study extended the understanding of endogenous alterations of atherosclerosis and offered insights into the pharmacodynamic activity of AEE.

UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based urine and plasma metabonomics study on the ameliorative effects of aspirin eugenol ester in hyperlipidemia rats.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effects of aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) in hyperlipidemic rat. After five-week oral administration of AEE in high fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic rats, the impact of AEE on plasma and urine metabonomics was investigated to explore the underlying mechanism by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis. Blood lipid levels and histopathological changes of liver, stomach and duodenum were also evaluated after AEE treatment. Without obvious gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, AEE significantly relieved fatty degeneration of liver and reduced triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol (TCH) (P<0.01). Clear separations of metabolic profiles were observed among control, model and AEE groups by using principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least-squares-discriminate analysis (OPLS-DA). 16 endogenous metabolites in plasma and 18 endogenous metabolites in urine involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, fatty acid beta-oxidation, amino acid metabolism, TCA cycle, sphingolipid metabolism, gut microflora and pyrimidine metabolism were considered as potential biomarkers of hyperlipidemia and be regulated by AEE administration. It might be concluded that AEE was a promising drug candidate for hyperlipidemia treatment. These findings could contribute to the understanding of action mechanisms of AEE and provide evidence for further studies.