Identification of ginsenoside metabolites in plasma related to different bioactivities of Panax notoginseng and Panax ginseng.

Although the chemical components of Panax notoginseng (PN) and Panax ginseng (PG) are similar, their bioactivities are different. In this study, the differential bioactivities of PN and PG were used as the research object. First, the different metabolites in the plasma after oral administration of PN and PG were analyzed using a UPLC-Q/TOF-MS-based metabolomics approach. Afterward, the metabolite-target- pathway network of PN and PG was constructed, and thus the pathways related to different bioactivities were analyzed. As a result, 7 different metabolites were identified in PN group, and 10 different metabolites were identified in the PG group. In the PN group, the metabolite N1 was related to hemostasis, N1 and N3 were related to inhibiting the nerve center, antihypertensive, and abirritation. The metabolites N1, N3, N4, N5, and N6 were related to liver protection. The results showed that the metabolites G1, G2, G3, G5, and G6 in PG group were related to heart protection, and G1, G2, G6, and G9 were related to increased blood pressure. There were 13 signaling pathways related to different biological activities of PN (8 pathways) and PG (5 pathways). These pathways further clarified the mechanism of action that caused the different bioactivities between PN and PG. In summary, metabolomics combined with network pharmacology could be helpful to clarify the material basis of different bioactivities between PN and PG, promoting the research on PN and PG.

Identification of metabolites in plasma related to different biological activities of Panax ginseng and American ginseng.

RATIONALE: Panax ginseng (PG) and American ginseng (AMG) are both medicinal plants of the Panax genus in the Acanthopanax family. Although PG and AMG have similar components of ginsenosides, there are many differences of their bioactivities. In this study, the biochemical mechanisms of different bioactivities of PG and AMG were explored by researching the differential metabolites in plasma after administration of each of PG and AMG. METHODS: In order to explore the material basis of differential bioactivities, two groups of mice were administrated orally with PG and AMG, and the method of metabolomics was used to identify the differential metabolites in plasma. Then network pharmacology was used based on the differential metabolites. Afterward, the metabolite-target-pathway network of PG and AMG was constructed; thus the pathways related to different bioactivities were analyzed. RESULTS: Through principal component analysis and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis, there were 10 differential metabolites identified in the PG group and 8 differential metabolites identified in the AMG group. Based on network pharmacology, the differential metabolites were classified and related to differential bioactivities of PG and AMG. In the PG group, there were 6 metabolites related to aphrodisiac effect and exciting the nervous system, and 5 metabolites associated with raised blood pressure. In the AMG group, 5 metabolites were classified as having the effect of inhibiting the nervous system, and 6 metabolites were related to antihypertensive effect. CONCLUSIONS: This study explored the material basis of the differential biological activities between PG and AMG, which is significant for the research of PG and AMG use and to promote human health.