Metabolomics Strategy Using High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Reveals Novel Biomarkers and Pain-Relief Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescription Wu-Zhu-Yu Decoction Acting on Headache Modelling Rats.

Ran Liu,Xiaowen Zhang,Qing Li,Dong Wang,Zhenyu Sui,Ziyue Yuan,Huarong Xu,Kaishun Bi,Xiaotong Wang

doi:10.3390/molecules22122110

Abstract

Headache is a common episodic or chronic neurologic disorder. Treatment options and diagnosis are restricted by an incomplete understanding of disease pathology and the lack of diagnostic markers. Wu-Zhu-Yu decoction (WZYD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula containing four TCM herbs, is commonly used in the treatment of headache in China. To deeply understand more about headache and investigate the pain-relief mechanism of WZYD, a comprehensive metabolomics study combined with multivariate data processing strategy was carried out. An LC-high resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach was applied to characterize metabolic biomarker candidates. Multiple pattern recognition including principal component analysis-discriminant analysis, partial least squares-discriminant analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to determine groups and confirm important variables. A total of 17 potential biomarkers were characterized and related metabolic pathways were identified. The study demonstrated that the established metabolomics strategy is a powerful approach for investigating the mechanism of headache attack and WZYD. In addition, the approach may highlight biomarkers and metabolic pathways and can capture subtle metabolite changes from headache, which may lead to an improved mechanism understanding of central nervous system diseases and TCM treatment.

Highlights

Wu-Zhu-Yu decoction (WZYD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula for the treatment of headache and gastrointestinal disorders
Classic animal headache modelling induced by nitric oxide (NO)-donor nitroglycerin (NTG) was adopted and established in the study
Three minutes after the injection of NTG, the rats in the model group, WZYD group and flunarizine group showed the phenomena of head-twitch, ear rosacea and forelimb scratching head frequently, which lasted throughout the 2 h observation

Summary

Introduction

Wu-Zhu-Yu decoction (WZYD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula for the treatment of headache and gastrointestinal disorders. The formula was originally recorded in Shang Han Lun, which is a classic TCM book written in the Eastern Han Dynasty of ancient China. The formula contains four TCM herbs: Euodiae Fructus (dried and nearly ripe fruit of Euodia rutaecarpa (Juss.) Benth.), Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens (dried rhizome of Zingiber officinale (Willd.) Rosc.), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma WZYD has currently been used for the treatment of headache, nausea, gastrointestinal disorders, dysentery and postpartum hemorrhage, etc. With high efficiency and low toxicity in clinical application in China [1] WZYD has currently been used for the treatment of headache, nausea, gastrointestinal disorders, dysentery and postpartum hemorrhage, etc. with high efficiency and low toxicity in clinical application in China [1]

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Conclusion