OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Weiweifang (WWF, a Chinese herbal preparation) on gastric ulcer in rats viewing from metabonomics.

METHODSWistar rats were made to gastric model by acetic acid cauterization and randomized into the model group, the spontaneously healing group and the three WWF treatment groups, and a group of normal rats was set for control. Metabolic spectra of gastric mucosa extraction of rats were acquired with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. After being pre-processing, data were subjected to partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to discover the biomarkers in rats of the normal group and the model group. The therapeutic effect of WWF on experimental gastric ulcer was assessed by principal component analyses (PCA), and its action of mechanism was explained viewing from the changes of biomarkers.

RESULTSSpectra of biomarkers, including organic acids, fatty acids, amino acids, etc. in model rats were statistically different to those in normal rats, which demonstrated that the energy and substance metabolisms were disordered in rats with gastric ulcer. WWF could cure gastric ulcer effectively by way of regulating the metabolism of gastric mucosa.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic mechanism of WWF on experimental gastric ulcer in rats is revealed integrally by metabonomics in this study, displaying prominently the characteristics of Chinese medicine multiple targets comprehensive therapy.