A comparative study of Liandan Xiaoyan Formula metabolic profiles in control and colitis rats by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with chemometrics.

Liandan Xiaoyan Formula (LDXYF) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription (TCMP) consisting of Herba Andrographis (dried herb of Andrographis paniculata) and Picrasmae ramulus et folium (dried twiggeries and leaves of Picrasma quassioides). It is used to treat diarrhea, acute gastroenteritis, colitis, and dysentery, among other inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases. However, because of less research on the in vitro chemical composition and holistic metabolism of LDXYF, in vivo mechanisms of action and quality control of LDXYF have not yet been fully assessed due to the lack of studies into its bioactive components. In this study, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was established for comprehensive analysis of chemical compounds of LDXYF and their metabolites in serum and urine samples of control and colitis rats. As a result, totally 94 compounds in LDXYF were unambiguously identified or tentatively characterized. And a total of 91 LDXYF-related xenobiotics were characterized, including 61 (16 prototypes and 45 metabolites) in serum, and 72 (26 prototypes and 46 metabolites) in urine. Besides, we compared the exposure of metabolites in normal and colitis rats by chemometrics and summarize similarities and differences of metabolic pathways of mainly compounds in normal and colitis conditions, and found that in control and colitis conditions, alkaloids predominantly went through phase I reaction combined phase II reaction (hydroxylation and sulfation, hydroxylation and glucuronidation, demethylation and glucuronidation), while the major metabolic reaction of diterpene lactones were phase Ⅱ reactions (glucuronidation, sulfation). And there were no significant differences in metabolic pathways between control and colitis groups, just the exposure of prototype and their metabolites absorbed into serum or excreted through the urine were different, and 17 alkaloids and 6 diterpene lactone prototypes and their metabolites in serum could be considered as potential pharmacodynamic substances. A comprehensive analysis of the compounds and metabolic characteristics of LDXYF was conducted in our study, and the results laid the chemical foundation for further research into effective substances and the action mechanism of LDXYF.

Fruit extracts from Phyllanthus emblica accentuate cadmium tolerance and accumulation in Platycladus orientalis: A new natural chelate for phytoextraction.

A key challenge for phytoextraction is the identification of high efficiency, growth-supporting, and low cost chelating agents. To date, no substance has satisfied all above criteria. This study investigated nine traditional Chinese herbs and found that Phyllanthus emblica fruit (FPE) extract could be utilised as an optimal chelate for the phytoextraction of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soils. FPE application into soil at a ratio of 0.1% (w/w) significantly increased extractable Cd (by 43%) compared to the control. The success of FPE as a chelating agent was attributed to high quantities of polyphenol compounds (0.76%) and organic acids (9.6%), in particular, gallic acid (7.6%). Furthermore, antioxidative properties (1.4%) and free amino acids in FPE alleviated Cd-induced oxidant toxicity and enhanced plant biomass. FPE promoted 78% higher phytoextraction efficiency in Platycladus orientalis compared to traditional chelating agents (EDTA). Furthermore, 76% of FPE was degraded 90 days after the initial application, and there was no difference in extractable Cd between the treatment and control. FPE has been commercially produced at a lower market price than other biodegradable chelates. As a commercially available and cost-effective chelator, FPE could be utilised to treat Cd-contaminated soils without adverse environmental impacts.