A four-component combination derived from Huang-Qin Decoction significantly enhances anticancer activity of irinotecan.

Huang-Qin Decoction (HQD) is a classic prescription for diarrhea in Chinese medicine treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated that HQD and its modified formulation PHY906 could ameliorate irinotecan (CPT-11) induced gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity and enhance its anticancer therapeutic efficacy. Nevertheless, which constituents in HQD are effective is still unclear so far. The study aims to screen out the key bioactive components combination from HQD that could enhance the anticancer effect of CPT-11. First, the potential bioactive constituents were obtained through system pharmacology strategy. Then the bioactivity of each constituent was investigated synthetically from the aspects of NCM460 cell migration, TNF-α release of THP-1-derived macrophage and MTT assay in HCT116 cell. The contribution of each constituent in HQD was evaluated using the bioactive index Ei, which taken the content and bioactivity into comprehensive consideration. And then, the most contributing constituents were selected out to form a key-component combination. At last, the bioefficacy of the key-component combination was validated in vitro and in vivo. As a result, a key-component combination (HB4) consisting of four compounds baicalin, baicalein, glycyrrhizic acid and wogonin was screened out. In vitro assessment indicated that HB4 could enhance the effect of CPT-11 on inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in HCT116. Furthermore, the in vivo study confirmed that HB4 and HQD have similar pharmacological activity and could both enhance the antitumor effect of CPT-11 in HCT116 xenograft model. Meanwhile, HB4 could also reduce the CPT-11 induced GI toxicity.

Quantitative profiling of eicosanoids derived from n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids by twin derivatization strategy combined with LC-MS/MS in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Eicosanoids derived from n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), serving as important signaling molecules, are implicated in many physiological and pathological processes, including Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the quantification of endogenous eicosanoids is challenged by high structural similarity, low abundance in biological sample and poor electrospray ionization efficiency. In the current study, a sensitive and accurate liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed to quantify 65 eicosanoids derived from n-6 and n-3 PUFAs in plasma samples using twin derivatization strategy with a pair of reagents, 5-(dimethylamino) naphthalene-1-sulfonyl piperazine (Dns-PP) and (diethylamino) naphthalene-1-sulfonyl piperazine (Dens-PP). Dns-PP-derivatized plasma sample was mixed with the equal volume of Dens-PP-derivatized eicosanoid internal standards for LC-MS/MS analysis in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. After Dns-PP derivatization, the ionization efficiency and separation performance were substantially improved, resulting in the enhanced sensitivity by 446- to 1009-folds compared to intact eicosanoids. The quantitative accuracy determined by twin derivatization method was found to be comparable with stable isotope labeled internal standards (SIL-IS) method. The newly proposed method was successfully employed to quantify the target eicosanoids in plasma samples from healthy controls and the patients with T2DM. N-6 PUFA-derived eicosanoids, PGF2α, PGD2, PGE2, PGA2, PGB2, 20-HETE and LTC4, significantly increased in plasma sample of T2DM patients. Oppositely, n-3 PUFA-derived eicosanoids, RvE1, 12(S)-HEPE and RvD1, remarkably decreased. Spearman's correlation analysis indicated the strong correlations between these highlighted eicosanoids and clinical parameters of T2DM. Collectively, the sensitive and reliable eicosanoid quantification method may facilitate to elucidate the characteristics of eicosanoid metabolism and understand the role of eicosanoids in the pathogenesis of T2DM and other diseases.

Quantification of phospholipid fatty acids by chemical isotope labeling coupled with atmospheric pressure gas chromatography quadrupole- time-of-flight mass spectrometry (APGC/Q-TOF MS).

Phospholipid fatty acids play the crucial role in biophysical properties and the function of cellular membranes. In the present study, an accurate and sensitive method was developed to quantify phospholipid fatty acids in biological samples by using chemical isotope labeling coupled with atmospheric pressure gas chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (APGC/Q-TOF MS). APGC, a soft ionization source, was operated under proton-transfer condition by introducing methanol into the ionization source as a modifier, which provided high quantifiable molecular ion peaks to substantially enhance the sensitivity. Fatty acid standards were methylated with methanol-d4 to yield FAMEs-d3 that were used as one-to-one internal standards to ensure accurate quantification. Thirty fatty acids in phospholipids were accurately quantified in wide linear range with limit of quantification ranging from 84.6 to 113.2 pg/mL. The newly developed method was successfully applied to quantify phospholipid fatty acids in brain and liver tissues from both fat-1 and WT mice. This method might be expanded to quantify free fatty acids or other conjugated fatty acids in biological samples or other matrices.

Metabolomics Reveals the Efficacy of Caspase Inhibition for Saikosaponin D-Induced Hepatotoxicity.

Saikosaponin d (SSd) is a major hepatoprotective component of saikosaponins derived from Radix Bupleuri, which was also linked to hepatotoxicity. Previous studies have demonstrated that caspases play a key role in SSd-induced liver cell death. Our in vitro and in vivo studies also showed that treatment with caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk could significantly reduce the L02 hepatocyte cells death and lessen the degree of liver damage in mice caused by SSd. In order to further reveal the underlying mechanisms of caspase inhibition in SSd-induced hepatotoxicity, mass spectrometry based untargeted metabolomics was conducted. Significant alterations in metabolic profiling were observed in SSd-treated group, which could be restored by caspase inhibition. Bile acids and phospholipids were screened out to be most significant by spearman correlation analysis, heatmap analysis and S-Plot analysis. These findings were further confirmed by absolute quantitation of bile acids via targeted metabolomics approach. Furthermore, cytokine profiles were analyzed to identify potential associations between inflammation and metabolites. The study could provide deeper insight into the hepatotoxicity of SSd and the efficacy of caspase inhibition.

Systems Pharmacology Based Strategy for Q-Markers Discovery of HuangQin Decoction to Attenuate Intestinal Damage.

The quality control research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is lagged far behind the space of progress in modernization and globalization. Thus the concept of quality marker (Q-marker) was proposed recently to guide the quality investigations of TCM. However, how to discover and validate the Q-marker is still a challenge. In this paper, a system pharmacology based strategy was proposed to discover Q-marker of HuangQin decoction (HQD) to attenuate Intestinal Damage. Using this strategy, nine measurable compounds including paeoniflorin, baicalin, scutellarein, liquiritigenin, norwogonin, baicalein, glycyrrhizic acid, wogonin, and oroxylin A were screened out as potential markers. Standard references of these nine compounds were pooled together as components combination according to their corresponding concentration in HQD. The bioactive equivalence between components combination and HQD was validated using wound healing test and inflammatory factor determination experiment. The comprehensive results indicated that components combination is almost bioactive equivalent to HQD and could serve as the Q-markers. In conclusion, our study put forward a promising strategy for Q-markers discovery.

Liver metabolomics study reveals protective function of Phyllanthus urinaria against CCl4-induced liver injury.

Phyllanthus Urinaria L. (PUL) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat hepatic and renal disorders. However, the mechanism of its hepatoprotective action is not fully understood. In the present study, blood biochemical indexes and liver histopathological changes were used to estimate the extent of hepatic injury. GC/MS and LC/MS-based untargeted metabolomics were used in combination to characterize the potential biomarkers associated with the protective activity of PUL against CCl4-induced liver injury in rats. PUL treatment could reverse the increase in ALT, AST and ALP induced by CCl4 and attenuate the pathological changes in rat liver. Significant changes in liver metabolic profiling were observed in PUL-treated group compared with liver injury model group. Seventeen biomarkers related to the hepatoprotective effects of PUL against CCl4-induced liver injury were screened out using nonparametric test and Pearson's correlation analysis (OPLS-DA). The results suggested that the potential hepatoprotective effects of PUL in attenuating CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity could be partially attributed to regulating L-carnitine, taurocholic acid, and amino acids metabolism, which may become promising targets for treatment of liver toxicity. In conclusion, this study provides new insights into the mechanism of the hepatoprotection of Phyllanthus Urinaria.

Quantitative Evaluation of the Compatibility Effects of Huangqin Decoction on the Treatment of Irinotecan-Induced Gastrointestinal Toxicity Using Untargeted Metabolomics.

Huangqin decoction (HQD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been widely used to treat gastrointestinal syndrome in China for thousands of years. Chemotherapy drug irinotecan (CPT-11) is used clinically to treat various kinds of cancers but limited by its side effects, especially delayed diarrhea. Nowadays, HQD has been proved to be effective in attenuating the intestinal toxicity induced by CPT-11. HQD consists of four medicinal herbs including Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Paeonia lactiflora Pall, and Ziziphus jujuba Mill. Due to its complexity, the role of each herb and the multi-herb synergistic effects of the formula are poorly understood. In order to quantitatively assess the compatibility effects of HQD, mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics studies were performed. The serum metabolic profiles of rats administered with HQD, single S. baicalensis decoction, S. baicalensis-free decoction and baicalin/baicalein combination were compared. A time-dependent trajectory upon principal component analysis was firstly used to visualize the overall differences. Then metabolites deregulation score and relative area under the curve were calculated and used as parameters to quantitatively evaluate the compatibility effects of HQD from the aspect of global metabolic profile and the specifically altered metabolites, respectively. The collective results indicated that S. baicalensis played a crucial role in the therapeutic effect of HQD on irinotecan-induced diarrhea. Both HQD and SS decoction regulated glycine, serine and threonine pathway. This study demonstrated that metabolomics was a promising tool to elucidate the compatibility effects of TCM or combinatorial drugs.

HuangQin Decoction Attenuates CPT-11-Induced Gastrointestinal Toxicity by Regulating Bile Acids Metabolism Homeostasis.

Irinotecan (CPT-11) is a potent chemotherapeutic agent, however, its clinical usage is often limited by the induction of severe gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity, especially late-onset diarrhea. HuangQin Decoction (HQD), commonly used for the treatment of GI ailments, has been proved could significantly ameliorate the intestinal toxicity of CPT-11. To reveal the mechanisms of CPT-11-induced toxicity and the modulation effects of HQD, a previous untargeted metabolomics study was performed and the results indicated that HQD may protect the GI tract by altering the metabolism of bile acids (BAs). Nevertheless, the untargeted assays are often less sensitive and/or efficient. In order to further confirm our previous findings, here in this paper, serum and tissues metabolic profiles of 17 BAs were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based targeted metabolomics. The results indicated that serum and tissues levels of most BAs were significantly decreased after CPT-11 administration, except some hydrophobic BAs. Co-treatment with HQD could markedly attenuate CPT-11-induced GI toxicity and reverse the alterations of hydrophobic BAs. Despite the fact that the BAs pool size remained unchanged, the balance of BAs had shifted leading to decreased toxicity after HQD treatment. The present study demonstrated for the first time that the precise interaction between HQD, CPT-11-induced intestinal toxicity and BAs' homeostasis.

Quantitation of camellianin A in HepG2 cells using a high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method.

The present study was designed to develop a sensitive and selective high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of Camellianin A in HepG2 cells. The extraction of Camellianin A was achieved using 15% trichloroacetic acid and then separated on a C18 column interfaced with a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The mobile phase was consisted of methanol-water (0.1% formic acid) (55 : 45, V/V). The total run time was 5.0 min. The method was linear in the concentration range of 0.25-250.0 ng·mL-1. The lower limit of quantification was 0.25 ng·mL-1. The intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations of entire concentration range were less than 9.3%. The proposed HPLC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to detect the intracellular concentration of Camellianin A in HepG2 cells.

Renal Medulla is More Sensitive to Cisplatin than Cortex Revealed by Untargeted Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics in Rats.

Nephrotoxicity has long been the most severe and life-threatening side-effect of cisplatin, whose anticancer effect is therefore restricted. Previous pathological studies have shown that both renal cortex and medulla could be injured by cisplatin. Our TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling) assay results further uncovered that medulla subjected more severe injury than cortex. In order to depict the underlying metabolic mechanism of spatial difference in response to cisplatin, in the present study, mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics approach was applied to profile renal cortex and medulla metabolites of rat after receiving a single dose of cisplatin (2.5, 5 or 10 mg/kg). Eventually, 53 and 55 differential metabolites in cortex and medulla were screened out, respectively. Random forest, orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis and metabolic cumulative fold change analysis revealed that metabolic changes in medulla were more obviously dose-dependent than those in cortex, which confirmed the conclusion that medulla was more sensitive to cisplatin exposure. Furthermore, 29 intermediates were recognized as the most contributive metabolites for the sensitivity difference. Metabolic pathways interrupted by cisplatin mainly included amino acid, energy, lipid, pyrimidine, purine, and creatine metabolism. Our findings provide new insight into the mechanism study of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Jiawei Erzhiwan improves menopausal metabolic syndrome by enhancing insulin secretion in pancreatic ß cells.

Menopausal metabolic syndrome (MMS) is a series of syndrome caused by ovarian function decline and hormone insufficiency, and is a high risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Erzhiwan (EZW), composed of Herba Ecliptae and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi, is a traditional Chinese herbal formula that has been used to treat menopausal syndrome for many years. We added Herba Epimedii, Radix Rehmanniae, and Fructus Corni into EZW, to prepare a new formula, termed Jiawei Erzhiwan (JE). The present study was designed to determine the anti-MMS effects of JE using ovariectomized (OVX) adult female rats that were treated with JE for 4 weeks, and ß-tc-6 cells and INS cells were used to detected the protect effectiveness of JE. Our results showed JE could increase insulin sensitivity and ameliorated hyperlipidemia. Metabolomics analysis showed that the serum levels of branched and aromatic amino acids were down-regulated in serum by JE administration. Moreover, JE enhanced the function of islet ß cells INS-1 and ß-tc-6, through increasing the glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), which was abolished by estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist, indicating that JE functions were mediated by ER signaling. Additionally, JE did not induce tumorigenesis in rat mammary tissue or promoted proliferation of MCF-7 and Hela cells. In conclusion, our work demonstrated that JE ameliorated OVX-induced glucose and lipid metabolism disorder through activating estrogen receptor pathway and promoting GSIS in islet ß cells, thus indicating that JE could be a safe and effective medication for MMS therapy.

Effect of Phyllanthus amarus Extract on 5-Fluorouracil-Induced Perturbations in Ribonucleotide and Deoxyribonucleotide Pools in HepG2 Cell Line.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antitumor activities of Phyllanthus amarus (PHA) and its potential of herb-drug interactions with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU). Cell viability, ribonucleotides (RNs) and deoxyribonucleotides (dRNs) levels, cell cycle distribution, and expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) and ribonucleotide reductase (RR) proteins were measured with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) method, flow cytometry and Western blot analysis, respectively. Our standardized PHA extract showed toxicity to HepG2 cells at high concentrations after 72 h exposure and induced G2/M cell cycle arrest. Combined use of 5-FU with PHA resulted in significant decreases in ATP, CTP, GTP, UTP and dTTP levels, while AMP, CMP, GMP and dUMP levels increased significantly compared with use of 5-FU alone. Further, PHA could increase the role of cell cycle arrest at S phase induced by 5-FU. Although PHA alone had no direct impact on TS and RR, PHA could change the levels of RNs and dRNs when combined with 5-FU. This may be due to cell cycle arrest or regulation of key enzyme steps in intracellular RNs and dRNs metabolism.

Discrimination of Citrus reticulata Blanco and Citrus reticulata 'Chachi' by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry based metabolomics approach.

Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, mainly including the pericarp of Citrus reticulata Blanco and the pericarp of Citrus reticulata 'Chachi', has been consumed daily as food and dietary supplement for centuries. In this study, GC-MS based metabolomics was employed to compare comprehensively the volatile constituents in Citrus reticulata Blanco and Citrus reticulata 'Chachi'. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis indicated that samples could be distinguished effectively from one another. Fifteen metabolites were finally identified for use as chemical markers in discrimination of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium samples. The antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria of the volatile oil from Citrus reticulata Blanco and Citrus reticulata 'Chachi' was investigated preliminarily.

Comparative analysis of volatile oils in the stems and roots of Ephedra sinica via GC-MS-based plant metabolomics.

With a great difference in therapeutic effects of Mahuang (MH, the stems of Ephedra sinica) and Mahuanggen (MHG, the roots of Ephedra sinica), chemical differences between MH and MHG should be investigated. In the present study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based plant metabolomics was employed to compare volatile oil profiles of MH and MHG. The antioxidant activities of volatile oils from MH and MHG were also compared. 32 differential chemical markers were identified according to the variable importance in the projection (VIP) value of orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and P value of Mann-Whitney test. Among them, chemical markers of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) and α-terpineol were quantified. Their contents were much higher in most MH samples compared with MHG. The antioxidant assay demonstrated that MH had significantly higher free radical-scavenging activity than MHG. Although MH and MHG derived from the same medicinal plant, there was much difference in their volatile oil profiles. MH samples had significantly higher content of two reported pharmacologically important chemical markers of TMP and α-terpineol, which may account for their different antioxidant activities.

Metabolism of brucine: the important metabolic pathways of dihydroindole-type alkaloid for excretion in rats.

BACKGROUND: Brucine is a widely prescribed glycine antagonist, but a complete understanding of its metabolic pathway is still lacking. The present work represents the first investigation of in vivo metabolism of brucine in rats using LC-ESI-ion trap-TOF-MS. RESULTS: A total of 12 Phase I and five Phase II metabolites were tentatively identified. Brucine can be metabolized by hydrolysis, demethylation and methoxylation, in addition to diverse oxidations in a Phase I manner followed by glucuronidation in Phase II metabolism. Both the renal and biliary routes were observed for the excretion of brucine and its metabolites. CONCLUSION: Our results update the metabolism and disposition data on brucine, which provides basic information for better understanding of the pharmacological and toxicological activities of brucine-containing medicines.

Chemical fingerprinting of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees by HPLC and hierarchical clustering analysis.

The aim is to develop a simple and specific method for the extraction and chemical fingerprinting of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees and to apply the method to this drug from different regions. High-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) with gradient elution is used for developing the fingerprints, and liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) technique is employed to identify the component of the fingerprints. Nine peaks are selected as common peaks, and six compounds are elucidated by MS data. Twenty-three samples of A. paniculata from different regions of China are collected and detected by HPLC fingerprinting. Comparisons of the chromatograms show that there are obvious differences in the content of each component contained between the habitat samples in China. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis show that these samples can be clustered reasonably into three groups, and the growth of A. paniculata and their internal quality are related to their habitat. The HPLC fingerprint developed allows simple identification of A. paniculata from many natural drugs.

Pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence study of two cetirizine hydrochloride formulations in healthy Chinese male volunteers.

The pharmacokinetics and relative bioavailability/bioequivalence of two formulations of cetirizine hydrochloride (CAS 83881-51-0) were assessed in this paper. Using a two-treatment, two-period, two-sequence, randomized crossover design, test and reference formulations were administered as individual single doses to 18 Chinese healthy male volunteers under non-fed conditions, with a 7-day washout period between dosing. Fourteen blood samples were drawn from each subject over a 34-h period. Cetirizine concentrations in plasma were determined by a validated high performance liquid chromatographic-ultraviolet (HPLC/UV) assay, and pharmacokinetic parameters, Cmax, AUC(0-t), AUC(0-infinity) and t1/2 were calculated from the plasma concentration-time data of each individual and during each period by applying non-compartmental analysis. Pharmacokinetic data for test and reference formulations were analyzed statistically to test for bioequivalence of the two formulations. After oral administration the values of Cmax, tmax, t1/2, MRT, AUC(0-t), AUC(0-infinity) for test and reference formulations were 0.80 +/- 0.14 and 0.80 +/- 0.23 microg/ml, 0.8 +/- 0.4 and 1.1 +/- 0.7 h, 7.59 +/- 0.68 and 7.63 +/- 0.93 h, 10.59 +/- 0.94 and 10.92 +/- 1.26 h, 6.00 +/- 1.04 and 5.98 +/- 1.39 microg x h/ml, respectively. ANOVA and CI test showed no significant (p > 0.05) variation in these pharmacokinetic parameters of test and reference formulations. When the AUC(0-t) values for both formulations for natural log-transformed data were compared, the test formulation showed a bioavailability of 100.9 +/- 7.7%, as compared to the reference formulation. These values are within the acceptance limit of 80-125%. No adverse events were observed in any of the subjects during the two runs of the study. Both clinical and laboratory parameters of all subjects showed no clinically significant changes. This study shows that both formulations were well tolerated and the test formulation can be considered a pharmaceutically and therapeutically equivalent alternative to the reference formulation.

Bioequivalence assessment of two formulations of spironolactone in Chinese healthy male volunteers.

The bioavailability of a new spironolactone ((7alpha,17alpha)-7-(acetylthio)-17-hydroxy-3-oxopregn-4-ene-21-carboxylic acid gamma-lactone, CAS 52-01-7) formulation (test) was compared with a commercially available original formulation (reference) of the drug in 20 Chinese healthy male volunteers, aged between 21 and 27. The trial was designed as an open, randomized, single blind two-sequence, two-period crossover study. Under fasting conditions, each subject received a single oral dose of 100 mg spironolactone as a test or reference formulation with a 7-day washout period between the two formulations. The plasma concentrations of spironolactone and its active metabolite canrenone (CAS 976-71-6) were analyzed by a sensitive liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS) method. The pharmacokinetic parameters included AUC(0.t), AUC(0-infinity), C(max), t1/2, and T(max). Values of AUC(0-t) demonstrate nearly identical bioavailability of spironolactone from the examined formulations. The AUC(0.12) of spironolactone was 148.35 +/- 39.5 and 144.39 +/- 53.02 ng x h/ml for the test and reference formulation, respectively. The AUC(0-60) of the metabolite canrenone was 1873.36 +/- 318.10 and 1911.28 +/- 355.60 ng h/ml for test and reference formulation, respectively. The maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) of spironolactone was 48.34 +/- 21.16 ng/ml for the test and 47.40 +/- 23.40 ng/ml for the reference product and the C(max) of the metabolite was 122.90 +/- 27.70 and 123.35 +/- 27.29 ng/ml for the test and reference product, respectively. No statistical differences were observed for C(max) and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve for both spironolactone and its active metabolite canrenone. 90% confidence limits calculated for C(max) and AUC from zero to infinity (AUC(0-infinity)) of spironolactone and its metabolite were included in the bioequivalence range (80%-125% for AUC). This study shows that the test formulation is bioequivalent to the reference formulation for spironolactone and its main active metabolite canrenone.