Effect of Huangqin Tang on Urine Metabolic Profile in Rats with Ulcerative Colitis Based on UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS

Dunfang Wang; Xuran Ma; Shanshan Guo; Yanli Wang; Tao Li; Dixin Zou; Hongxin Song; Weipeng Yang; Yongxiang Ge

doi:10.1155/2020/1874065

Effect of Huangqin Tang on Urine Metabolic Profile in Rats with Ulcerative Colitis Based on UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020 Apr 22:2020:1874065. doi: 10.1155/2020/1874065. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Dunfang Wang¹, Xuran Ma¹, Shanshan Guo¹, Yanli Wang¹, Tao Li², Dixin Zou¹, Hongxin Song¹, Weipeng Yang¹, Yongxiang Ge³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
² The Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
³ Beijing Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Beijing 100039, China.

Abstract

As a classic prescription, Huangqin Tang (HQT) has been widely applied to treat ulcerative colitis (UC), although its pharmacological mechanisms are not clear. In this study, urine metabolomics was first analysed to explore the therapeutic mechanisms of HQT in UC rats induced by TNBS. We identified 28 potential biomarkers affected by HQT that might cause changes in urine metabolism in UC rats, mapped the network of metabolic pathways, and revealed how HQT affects metabolism of UC rats. The results showed that UC affects amino acid metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and impairs the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle). UC induced inflammatory and gastrointestinal reactions by inhibiting the transport of fatty acids and disrupting amino acid metabolism. HQT plays key roles via regulating the level of biomarkers in the metabolism of amino acids, lipids, and so on, normalizing metabolic disorders. In addition, histopathology and other bioinformatics analysis further confirm that HQT altered UC rat physiology and pathology, ultimately affecting metabolic function of UC rats.