Metabolomics characterization of Qingwei San on oral ulcer in db/db mice with stomach heat pattern

Abstract

To characterize the effects of Qingwei San (QWS) on diabetic oral ulcer (OU) mice with stomach heat pattern through metabolomic analysis. A stomach heat pattern mouse model was established by treating C57BLKS/J Leprdb/db (db/db) mice with dried Zingiber officinale Rosc. rhizome (Z. officinale Rosc, Gan Jiang) decoction by gavage. All model mice had blood glucose levels of ≥11.1 mM. Subsequently, OU was induced by NaOH cauterization. After 1 week of administration of QWS, non-targeted metabolomic analysis of serum was conducted using ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The non-targeted metabolomics results indicated that tryptophan metabolism, 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism, serotonergic synapses, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, and amino acid biosynthesis were involved in the therapeutic effects of QWS, with tryptophan metabolism playing a predominant role. QWS treatment can significantly improve the pathological status of diabetic OU mice with stomach heat pattern. QWS may regulate the release of inflammatory factors through the tryptophan metabolism pathway.