Evaluation of the protective effect of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma against α-naphthylisothiocyanate induced liver injury based on metabolic profile of bile acids.
BACKGROUND
To evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of the root and rhizome of Rhubarb (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma) against α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced liver injury using metabolic profile of bile acids (BAs) along with biochemical parameters and histological alterations.


METHODS
Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was applied to determinate the concentration of BAs, which was followed by multivariate statistical analysis of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminate Analysis (PLS-DA).


RESULTS
Based on PCA results, three groups (Vehicle group, ANIT group and RhO+ANIT group) were clearly distinguished. Tauro-cholic acid (TCA), tauro-hyodesoxycholic acid (THDCA), glyco-cholic acid (GCA), and glyco-chenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA) were proved to be the most important markers corresponding to ANIT-induced liver injury and protection provided by Rhubarb, which is further confirmed by PLS-DA. A correlation was found between the foregoing BAs and biochemical parameters including serum aspartate aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), which confirmed that TCA, THDAC, GCA, and GCDCA could be considered as sensitive biomarkers.


CONCLUSIONS
The variance of the BAs contents can be used to evaluate ANIT-induced hepatotoxicity caused by ANIT and protective effects of Rhubarb. It also lays the foundation for the further research on the mechanisms of cholestasis as well as the therapeutic effect of Rhubarb.
MOE Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines and the SATCM Key Laboratory for New Resources and Quality Evaluation of Chinese Medicines, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201210, China.
Fan
F
Yang
Ying
Y
Xu
Aizhen
A
Xiong
Yugi
Y
He
Li
L
Yang
Yu-Jui Yvonne
YJ
Wan
Zhengtao
Z
Wang
D015058:1-Naphthylisothiocyanate; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000097:blood*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012250:Rheum; D027343:Rhizome
D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D015058:1-Naphthylisothiocyanate; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin