Study on the Detoxification Mechanism of Niuhuang Jiedu Tablets Based on GC-MS Metabolomics

OBJECTIVE To study the toxicity-reducing effects and mechanisms of Niuhuang Jiedu Tablets (NHJDT) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics.

METHODS 24 mice were randomly divided into control, realgar (1.0 g·kg^-1) and NHDJT (1.0 g·kg^-1) groups with 8 mice in each group. The liver and kidney of mice were collected for pathologic examination after 14 d oral administration to mice. The content of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in liver and creatinine (Cr) and uric acid (UA) in kidney was also determined. The differences of endogenous metabolites in liver and kidney were further analyzed by GC-MS metabolomics.

RESULTS The contents of ALT and AST in the liver as well as the Cr and UA in kidney of mice were significantly changed after NHJDT intervention (P < 0.05). NHJDT alleviated the pathological damage of liver and kidney in mice. A total of 17 biomarkers related to detoxification were screened, including citric acid, ascorbic acid, asparagine, levodopa and phenylalanine. The changes of metabolites mainly involved in glutamine and glutamate metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, and phenylalanine metabolism.

CONCLUSION NHJDT with compound compatibility could reduce the hepatorenal toxicity of realgar. The detoxification mechanism may be related to the regulation of amino acid metabolism.