OBJECTIVETo primarily seek for unstable angina (UA) correlated metabolic markers and to observe the effects of Yangxin Decoction on the plasma metabolism of UA patients.

METHODSTen UA patients from clinics of No. 2 Circulation Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from November 2009 to December 2010 were recruited as the treatment group. Another 10 healthy volunteers were recruited as the control group (Group D). The changes of plasma metabolic components were observed in UA patients after they took Yangxin Decoction for 28 days, using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Analysis was conducted using principle component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) to seek for UA correlated metabolic markers.

RESULTSResults of PCA among Group D (the healthy group), Group M (UA group before medication), and Group G (UA group after medication): all samples of the three groups were centrally distributed in the four score plot of the oval regions (95% confidence interval). In Group M, the relative dispersion of the sample 8, 9, and 10 was near to Group D. The samples of the three groups could be separated. The samples of Group M (before medication) and Group G (after medication) could be basically separated. Comparison of metabolic end products between Group D and Group M: In the metabolites of UA group, ceramide, glycocholic acid, allocholic acid, lithocholic acid, leukotriene B4 obviously increased.

CONCLUSIONSCeramide, glycocholic acid, allocholic acid, lithocholic acid, leukotriene B4 might be metabolic markers of UA. Yangxin Decoction might have effects on some plasma metabolites or metabolic pathways of UA patients.