Mercury species analysis and tissue distribution in rats after continuous administration of Cinnabaris.
10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20230729.201
- Author:
Chun-Jiao HE
1
;
Jiao-Yang LUO
2
;
Hao-Nan RUAN
2
;
Ya-Wen LUO
1
;
Tong-Wei KE
1
;
Xu-Hua QIN
3
;
Mei-Hua YANG
2
Author Information
1. Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Chengdu 611137, China Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College Beijing 100193, China.
2. Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College Beijing 100193, China.
3. Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Chengdu 611137, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Cinnabaris;
mercury species;
pathology;
rat;
tissue distribution
- MeSH:
Rats;
Animals;
Mercury/analysis*;
Tissue Distribution;
Methylmercury Compounds/analysis*;
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods*;
Sodium
- From:
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica
2023;48(22):6173-6182
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Cinnabaris is a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) commonly used for sedation and tranquilization in clinics, and its safety has always been a concern. This study intends to investigate the species and tissue distribution of mercury in rats after continuous administration of Cinnabaris. In the experiment, 30 rats were randomly divided into the control group(equivalent to 0.5% carboxy-methyl cellulose sodium), low-dose Cinnabaris group(0.2 g·kg~(-1)), high-dose Cinnabaris group(2 g·kg~(-1)), pseudogerm-free control group(equivalent to 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose), and pseudogerm-free Cinnabaris group(2 g·kg~(-1)). They were orally administered for 30 consecutive days. Ultrasound-assisted acid extraction method combined with high performance liquid chromatography and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry(HPLC-ICP-MS) was adopted to determine inorganic mercury [Hg(Ⅱ)], methylmercury(MeHg), and ethylmercury(EtHg) in different tissue, plasma, urine, and feces of rats. The optimal detection conditions and extraction methods were optimized, and the linearity(R~2>0.999 3), precision(RSD<7.0%), and accuracy(spike recoveries ranged from 73.05% to 109.5%) of all the mercury species were satisfied, meeting the requirements of analysis. The results of mercury species detection showed that Hg(Ⅱ) was detected in all the tissue of the five experimental groups, and the main accumulating organs were the intestinal tract, stomach, and kidney. MeHg existed at a low concentration in most tissue, and EtHg was not detected in all groups. In addition, pathological examination results showed that hepatocyte vacuolar degeneration, loose cytoplasm, light staining, and mononuclear cell infiltration were observed in the high-dose Cinnabaris group, low-dose Cinnabaris group, and pseudogerm-free Cinnabaris group, with slightly milder lesions in the low-dose Cinnabaris group. Hydrous degeneration of renal tubular epithelium could be seen in the high-dose Cinnabaris group and pseudogerm-free Cinnabaris group, but there was no significant difference between the other groups and the control group. No abnormal changes were found in the brain tissue of rats in each group. This paper studied the different mercury species and tissue distribution in normal and pseudogerm-free rats after continuous administration of Cinnabaris for 30 days and clarified its effects on the tissue structure of the liver, kidney, and brain, which provided supporting evidence for the safety evaluation of Cinnabaris.
