Depressive disorder is a prevalent mental illness characterized by pronounced and enduring symptoms of depression and cognitive impairment. The escalating pressures of modern society have led to a corresponding rise in the number of depressive disorder patients, particularly those exposed to adverse social, economic, political, and environmental factors which exacerbate the risk of this disorder. The pathogenesis of depressive disorder is multifaceted, encompassing oxidative stress, neuroplasticity alterations, neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter system imbalances, and intestinal microecological disruptions, among others. Clinically, conventional antidepressants are primarily predicated on the monoamine neurotransmitter hypothesis. This theory posits that depressive disorder can be ameliorated by regulating the levels of neurotransmitters within the body through a singular mechanism. However, the complex and multifaceted pathogenesis of depressive disorder results in limited selectivity for these drugs. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a conserved serine/threonine kinase that plays a crucial role in various cellular physiological and pathological processes, including cell growth, differentiation, stress adaptation, and inflammatory response. It is instrumental in maintaining cellular homeostasis and regulating cellular responses. Numerous studies indicate that MAPK is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of depressive disorder through various pathogenesis. However, what deserves attention is that the interaction between the pathogenesis and dynamics of regulatory process remains unclear. Modulating MAPK has been shown to influence the onset and progression of depressive disorder, though the precise mechanism remains elusive. Within the MAPK family, aberrant activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) can damage hippocampal neurons and overactivate microglia, precipitating depressive disorder. Excessive activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) results in heightened neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, and suppresses the expression of neurotrophic factors. p38, a key regulator in inflammatory reactions, can induce neuroinflammation when overactive, leading to depressive disorder. ERK, JNK, and p38 sub-pathways do not function in isolation but rather interact synergistically and/or antagonistically through shared activators and common target molecules. Consequently, these sub-pathways form a complementary and coordinated regulatory network. In addition, MAPK family members can jointly influence the process of depressive disorder by sharing upstream factors and regulating common downstream targets, and there is a lack of identification of their markers and screening for subgroups. The collective abnormal activities of these MAPK family members illuminate the underlying mechanisms of depressive disorder, suggesting that MAPK could serve as a potential therapeutic target for this disorder. As for the study of ERK, different models of depressive disorder have contradictory effects on its activity. The primary cause of these differences can be attributed to the distinct pathological environments utilized in the creation of depressive disorder models. In the future, it is suggested that we use the inducement of depressive disorder as a modeling standard to accurately simulate the onset of depressive disorder to carry out accurate treatment according to the causes of depressive disorder. Research shows that classic clinical drugs, novel MAPK inhibitors and certain traditional Chinese medicines can prevent and treat depressive disorder by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway. Research on MAPK remains limited, particularly concerning the permeability and cellular specificity across the blood-brain barrier and the identification of objective predictive markers. Although inhibitors face challenges, they also possess significant advantages and developmental potential. This paper systematically summarizes the current status of MAPK in the treatment of depressive disorder, in order to provide insights for researching the pathogenesis of depressive disorder and developing new antidepressant drugs.

Depressive disorder is a prevalent mental illness characterized by pronounced and enduring symptoms of depression and cognitive impairment. The escalating pressures of modern society have led to a corresponding rise in the number of depressive disorder patients, particularly those exposed to adverse social, economic, political, and environmental factors which exacerbate the risk of this disorder. The pathogenesis of depressive disorder is multifaceted, encompassing oxidative stress, neuroplasticity alterations, neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter system imbalances, and intestinal microecological disruptions, among others. Clinically, conventional antidepressants are primarily predicated on the monoamine neurotransmitter hypothesis. This theory posits that depressive disorder can be ameliorated by regulating the levels of neurotransmitters within the body through a singular mechanism. However, the complex and multifaceted pathogenesis of depressive disorder results in limited selectivity for these drugs. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a conserved serine/threonine kinase that plays a crucial role in various cellular physiological and pathological processes, including cell growth, differentiation, stress adaptation, and inflammatory response. It is instrumental in maintaining cellular homeostasis and regulating cellular responses. Numerous studies indicate that MAPK is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of depressive disorder through various pathogenesis. However, what deserves attention is that the interaction between the pathogenesis and dynamics of regulatory process remains unclear. Modulating MAPK has been shown to influence the onset and progression of depressive disorder, though the precise mechanism remains elusive. Within the MAPK family, aberrant activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) can damage hippocampal neurons and overactivate microglia, precipitating depressive disorder. Excessive activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) results in heightened neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, and suppresses the expression of neurotrophic factors. p38, a key regulator in inflammatory reactions, can induce neuroinflammation when overactive, leading to depressive disorder. ERK, JNK, and p38 sub-pathways do not function in isolation but rather interact synergistically and/or antagonistically through shared activators and common target molecules. Consequently, these sub-pathways form a complementary and coordinated regulatory network. In addition, MAPK family members can jointly influence the process of depressive disorder by sharing upstream factors and regulating common downstream targets, and there is a lack of identification of their markers and screening for subgroups. The collective abnormal activities of these MAPK family members illuminate the underlying mechanisms of depressive disorder, suggesting that MAPK could serve as a potential therapeutic target for this disorder. As for the study of ERK, different models of depressive disorder have contradictory effects on its activity. The primary cause of these differences can be attributed to the distinct pathological environments utilized in the creation of depressive disorder models. In the future, it is suggested that we use the inducement of depressive disorder as a modeling standard to accurately simulate the onset of depressive disorder to carry out accurate treatment according to the causes of depressive disorder. Research shows that classic clinical drugs, novel MAPK inhibitors and certain traditional Chinese medicines can prevent and treat depressive disorder by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway. Research on MAPK remains limited, particularly concerning the permeability and cellular specificity across the blood-brain barrier and the identification of objective predictive markers. Although inhibitors face challenges, they also possess significant advantages and developmental potential. This paper systematically summarizes the current status of MAPK in the treatment of depressive disorder, in order to provide insights for researching the pathogenesis of depressive disorder and developing new antidepressant drugs.

ObjectiveTo address the limitations of the current quality standard for Polygalae Radix（PR）， which relies on a single component for quality assessment and struggles to holistically control its intrinsic quality， by constructing a comprehensive quality evaluation system integrating "macro-characterization of chemical profile， synchronous quantification of multiple index components， and quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker（QAMS） for key component groups". This study aims to facilitate the scientific revision of the quality standard for PR. MethodsHigh performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） characteristic chromatograms were established for 11 batches of PR medicinal materials（YZ）， 10 batches of PR decoction pieces（YP）， and 10 batches of licorice-processed PR decoction pieces（ZYZ）， followed by similarity evaluation and identification of common peaks. HPLC-QAMS was developed for xanthones（sibiricaxanthone B， polygalaxanthone Ⅺ， polygalaxanthone Ⅲ） in the characteristic chromatograms. Simultaneously， the external standard method（ESM） was used to determine the contents of the corresponding xanthones and 3，6'-disinapoyl sucrose in YZ， YP， and ZYZ， followed by multivariate statistical analysis and Spearman correlation analysis. ResultsThe similarity between the characteristic chromatograms of 31 batches of PR samples and the reference chromatogram was>0.9. A total of 13 common peaks were identified， and 10 of these peaks were characterized through reference standard comparison. The successfully constructed QAMS method showed that the relative correction factors（RCFs） of sibiricaxanthone B and polygalaxanthone Ⅺ to polygalaxanthone Ⅲ were 0.76 and 0.88， and their relative retention times（RRTs） were 0.85 and 0.97， respectively. The results calculated by the QAMS method showed no significant difference from those obtained by the ESM. According to the limit standard for polygalaxanthone Ⅲ in the 2020 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China（hereinafter referred to as the Chinese Pharmacopoeia）， the pass rate of 31 batches of samples was only 19.35%. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated certain compositional differences between different batches of YZ and YP， as well as between YP and ZYZ， with 3，6'-disinapoyl sucrose identified as the main differentiating component. Furthermore， correlation analysis revealed that the content of polygalaxanthone Ⅲ was positively correlated with the contents of sibiricaxanthone B and polygalaxanthone Ⅺ， but showed no association with the content of 3，6'-disinapoyl sucrose. ConclusionIt is recommended that the content limit for polygalaxanthone Ⅲ in YZ，YP and ZYZ be revised to not less than 0.07%， or the total content of polygalaxanthone Ⅲ， sibiricaxanthone B and polygalaxanthone Ⅺ be not less than 0.18%. The newly established triple quality control model of "holistic control via characteristic chromatograms， precise quantification of oligosaccharide esters， and efficient detection of xanthones by QAMS" provides a systematic and precise solution for quality evaluation of PR and similar Chinese herbal medicines.

Obesity is a worldwide health problem. An imbalance in energy metabolism is an important cause of obesity and related metabolic diseases. Our previous studies showed that inhibition of miR-429 increased the protein level of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in beige adipocytes; however, whether local inhibition of miR-429 in subcutaneous adipose tissue affects diet-induced obesity and related metabolic disorders remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of local overexpression of miR-429 sponge in subcutaneous adipose tissue on obesity and related metabolic disorders. The control adeno-associated virus (AAV) or AAV expressing the miR-429 sponge was injected into mouse inguinal white adipose tissue. Seven days later, the mice were fed a high-fat diet for 10 weeks to induce obesity. The effects of the miR-429 sponge on body weight, adipose tissue weight, plasma glucose and lipid levels, and hepatic lipid content were explored. The results showed that the overexpression of miR-429 sponge in subcutaneous white adipose tissue reduced body weight and fat mass, decreased fasting blood glucose and plasma cholesterol levels, improved glucose tolerance, and alleviated hepatic lipid deposition in mice. Mechanistic investigation showed that the inhibition of miR-429 significantly upregulated the expression of UCP1 in adipocytes and adipose tissue. These results suggest that local inhibition of miR-429 in subcutaneous white adipose tissue ameliorates obesity and related metabolic disorders potentially by upregulating UCP1, and miR-429 is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders.
Animals ; MicroRNAs/physiology* ; Obesity/metabolism* ; Mice ; Adipose Tissue, White/metabolism* ; Metabolic Diseases ; Subcutaneous Fat/metabolism* ; Male ; Uncoupling Protein 1/metabolism* ; Diet, High-Fat ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

Processing for deodorization is widely used in the production of animal-derived Chinese medicinal materials. In this study, Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas-phase electronic nose combined with chemometrics was employed to analyze the overall odor difference of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(focusing on that derived from Cervus nippon Temminck in this study) before and after processing. The results showed that the electronic nose effectively distinguished between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. HS-GC-MS was used to identify and quantify the volatile components in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum, and 35 and 37 volatile components were detected in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces, respectively. The medicinal materials and decoction pieces contained 28 common volatile components contributing to the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor activity value(OAV) of each volatile component was calculated based on the olfactory threshold and relative content. The results showed that there were 17 key odor substances such as isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, isobutyraldehyde, hexanal, and methanethiol in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. All of them had bad odor and were the main source of the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The results of principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) showed that there were significant differences in volatile components between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. Based on the thresholds of P<0.05 and Variable Importance in Projection(VIP)>1, 21 differential volatile odor components were screened out. Among them, isopentanol, isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, n-nonanal, and dimethylamine were the key differential odor compounds between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor compounds and their relative content reduced, and some flavor substances such as esters were produced after processing with wine, which was the main reason for the reduction of the odor after processing of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum.
Odorants/analysis* ; Electronic Nose ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Animals ; Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis* ; Deer ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*

Aromatic traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has played an important role against epidemics and viruses, and volatile components are the main components that exert the pharmacological effects of aromatic TCM. By screening the related monomer components in aromatic TCM against epidemic and viruses and analyzing and endowing TCM with medicinal properties based on its clinical application and pharmacological research according to the theoretical thinking of TCM, the key technical issues of compatibility of TCM monomer components were solved from a theoretical perspective, providing new ideas and methods for screening raw materials and formulas for the development of new TCM drugs. Based on the conditions of antiviral activity, clinical application foundation, definite therapeutic effect, and high safety, a gradient screening of aromatic TCM was carried out. Firstly, 30 aromatic TCM were screened from anti-epidemic literature and clinical trial formulas, and seven volatile monomers were further screened from them. Then, four monomer components with significant effects, namely patchouli alcohol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and eucalyptol were screened. By adopting the "four-step method for a systematic study of TCM properties", the four monomer components were endowed with medicinal properties, and compatibility and combination studies were conducted to explore the theoretical basis of monomer formulas and form monomer formulas guided by TCM theory. The screening results of volatile monomers in aromatic TCM against viral pneumonia included patchouli alcohol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and eucalyptol. The medicinal properties and compatibility theory of volatile monomer components in TCM were explored. Patchouli alcohol was the main herb, with a cool and pungent nature. It entered the lung meridian to dispel evil Qi and has the effects of aromatization, detoxification, and epidemic prevention. Carvacrol was a minister drug with a cool and pungent taste. It had the effects of aromatizing, moistening, and dissolving the exterior, as well as strengthening the spleen and stomach. p-Cymene was an adjunctive medicine with a mild and pungent nature. It entered the lungs and kidneys and had the effects of aromatic purification, cough relief, and asthma relief. Eucalyptol was also an adjunctive medicine with a pungent and warm taste. It had the functions of aromatic purification, cough relief, phlegm reduction, and pain relief. The combination of the four medicines had the effects of aromatizing, moistening, detoxifying, and epidemic prevention, as well as relieving cough and asthma and strengthening the spleen and stomach. They were used to treat viral pneumonia caused by upper respiratory tract viral infections, with symptoms such as chest tightness, cough, wheezing, fatigue, nasal congestion, runny nose, nausea, and vomiting. This study has laid a literature and theoretical foundation for further drug efficacy verification experiments, compatibility efficacy experiments, and subsequent product development and clinical applications, and it serves as an innovative practice that combines literature research, theoretical research, experimental research, and clinical practice to develop new products.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Antiviral Agents/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Pneumonia, Viral/virology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Volatile Organic Compounds/pharmacology* ; Animals

This paper aims to investigate the influence of eucalyptol on the biological effects of spleen cold and spleen heat syndromes in rats and its regulation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1(TRPV1), transient receptor potential melastatin 8(TRPM8), and uncoupling protein 1(UCP1), so as to explore the cold-heat properties of eucalyptol. Rats were randomly divided into groups as follows: blank group, spleen cold syndrome model group, spleen cold syndrome+Atractylodis Rhizoma group, spleen cold syndrome + low-dose eucalyptol group, and spleen cold syndrome+high-dose eucalyptol group, as well as blank group, spleen heat syndrome model group, spleen heat syndrome+Coptidis Rhizoma group, spleen heat syndrome + low-dose eucalyptol group, and spleen heat syndrome + high-dose eucalyptol group. Spleen cold and spleen heat syndromes were induced by disorders of hunger and satiety combined with bitter cold drugs, as well as a high-fat diet combined with liquor. Except for the blank and model groups, the other groups were administered once a day during the modeling process for 14 consecutive days. The general condition and body weight of rats in each group were observed, and the histopathological morphology of the gastric antrum and small intestine was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The contents of cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate(cGMP), triiodothyronine(T3), thyroxine(T4), Na~+-K~+-ATPase, total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), gastrin(GAS), motilin(MTL), D-xylose, and other related indices were detected in rats. The expression levels of TRPV1, TRPM8, and UCP1 in small intestine tissue of rats with spleen cold syndrome were detected. The results showed that eucalyptol had a certain degree of improvement in the overall state and body weight of rats with spleen cold syndrome. Compared with the spleen cold syndrome model group, high-dose eucalyptol significantly increased the levels of serum cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, TG, and TC in rats with spleen cold syndrome(P<0.05, P<0.01), decreased the content of cGMP, and significantly elevated the levels of gastrointestinal function-related indicators GAS, MTL, and D-xylose(P<0.05, P<0.01). Low-dose eucalyptol significantly increased the level of cAMP/cGMP in the serum and Na~+-K~+-ATPase levels in hepatic tissue(P<0.05, P<0.01), and significantly increased the levels of GAS and D-xylose(P<0.01). Eucalyptol showed similar effects to Atractylodis Rhizoma with a warm nature on rats with spleen cold syndrome. Compared with the spleen heat syndrome model group, the high-dose and low-dose eucalyptol groups showed a trend of increase in gastrointestinal indicators, with no significant changes in other indicators. In addition, high-dose eucalyptol increased the expression of TRPV1 and UCP1 and decreased the expression of TRPM8 in the small intestine tissue of rats with spleen cold syndrome. Eucalyptol could affect the cyclic nucleotide and material energy metabolism levels of rats with spleen cold syndrome and had a certain improvement effect on their gastrointestinal digestion and absorption function, thereby improving spleen cold syndrome. Eucalyptol had no significant improvement effect on rats with spleen heat syndrome, suggesting that eucalyptol may have a warm nature and regulate spleen meridians. It is speculated that eucalyptol may exhibit its medicinal properties by activating the TRPV1 pathway, promoting the expression of UCP1, and inhibiting the TRPM8 channel.
Animals ; Rats ; Spleen/metabolism* ; Male ; TRPV Cation Channels/genetics* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Eucalyptol/administration & dosage* ; TRPM Cation Channels/genetics* ; Uncoupling Protein 1/genetics* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Cold Temperature ; Cyclic GMP/metabolism*

This paper aims to study the effect of p-cymene on mice with deficiency-cold syndrome induced by hydrocortisone and deficiency-heat syndrome induced by dexamethasone and explore the medicinal properties and mechanism of p-cymene with mild and warm nature based on the dominant characteristics of the two-way applicable conditions of mild drugs. A total of 80 KM mice were randomly divided into blank group, deficiency-cold syndrome model group, deficiency-cold syndrome + ginseng group, and deficiency-cold syndrome + low-dose and high-dose p-cymene groups, as well as blank group, deficiency-heat syndrome model group, deficiency-heat syndrome + American ginseng group, and deficiency-heat syndrome + low-dose and high-dose p-cymene groups. Hydrocortisone and dexamethasone solution were intragastrically administered for 14 consecutive days to prepare deficiency-cold syndrome and deficiency-heat syndrome models. Except for the blank group and the model group intragastrically administered with normal saline, the other groups were intragastrically administrated with drugs for 14 days. The levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate(cGMP), triiodothyronine(T3), thyroxine(T4), total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), immunoglobin G(IgG), and immunoglobin M(IgM) in serum, as well as the activity of Na~+-K~+-ATPase in liver tissue were detected. The expression of transient receptor potential melastatin 8(TRPM8), transient receptor potential vanilloid 1(TRPV1), and uncoupling protein 1(UCP1) in brown adipose tissue of deficiency-cold syndrome model after intervention with p-cymene was studied. The results showed that p-cymene could effectively improve the levels of cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, TC, IgM, and IgG in serum and the activity of Na~+-K~+-ATPase in liver tissue of mice with deficiency-cold syndrome and reduce the content of cGMP. The effects on T3, T4, and TG were not statistically significant. At the same time, p-cymene could reduce the levels of cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, and T4 in serum and the activity of Na~+-K~+-ATPase in liver tissue of mice with deficiency-cold syndrome and increase the levels of cGMP, IgM, and IgG, and it had no effect on T3, TC, and TG. In addition, p-cymene could up-regulate the expression of TRPV1 and UCP1 in brown fat of mice with deficiency-cold syndrome and down-regulate the expression of TRPM8. In summary, p-cymene could significantly regulate the syndrome indexes of mice with deficiency-cold syndrome, and some indexes of mice with deficiency-heat syndrome could be improved, but the effects on lipid metabolism and energy metabolism indexes were not obvious, indicating that the regulation effect of p-cymene on deficiency-cold syndrome model was more prominent and that the medicinal properties of p-cymene were mild and warm. The regulation of TRPV1/TRPM8/UCP1 channel expression may be the molecular biological mechanism of p-cymene with mild and warm nature affecting the energy metabolism of the body.
Animals ; Cymenes ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Cyclic AMP/metabolism* ; Monoterpenes/administration & dosage* ; Liver/metabolism* ; Cyclic GMP/metabolism* ; TRPV Cation Channels/genetics* ; Uncoupling Protein 1/genetics*

The combination of Aidi Injection(ADI) and doxorubicin(DOX) is a common strategy in the treatment of cancer, which can achieve synergistic anti-tumor effects while attenuating the cardiotoxicity caused by DOX. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of ADI in attenuating DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by multi-omics. DOX was used to induce cardiotoxicity in mice, and the cardioprotective effects of ADI were evaluated based on biochemical indicators and pathological changes. Based on the results, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics were employed to analyze the changes of endogenous substances in different physiological states. Furthermore, data from multiple omics were integrated to screen key regulatory pathways by which ADI attenuated DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, and important target proteins were selected for measurement by ELISA kits and immunohistochemical analysis. The results showed that ADI significantly reduced the levels of cardiac troponin T(cTnT) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) and effectively ameliorated myocardial fibrosis and intracellular vacuolization, indicating that ADI showed therapeutic effect on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. The transcriptomics analysis screened out a total of 400 differentially expressed genes(DEGs), which were mainly enriched in inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and myocardial fibrosis. After proteomics analysis, 70 differentially expressed proteins were selected, which were mainly enriched in the inflammatory response, cardiac function, and energy metabolism. A total of 51 differentially expressed metabolites were screened by the metabolomics analysis, and they were mainly enriched in multiple signaling pathways, including the inflammatory response, lipid metabolism, and energy metabolism. The integrated data of multiple omics showed that linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and glycerophosphate metabolism pathways played an important role in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, and ADI may exert therapeutic effects by modulating these pathways. Target validation experiments suggested that ADI significantly regulated abnormal protein levels of cyclooxygenase-1(COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), prostaglandin H2(PGH2), and prostaglandin D2(PGD2) in the model group. In conclusion, ADI may attenuate DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by regulating linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and glycerophosphate metabolism, thus alleviating inflammation of the body.
Doxorubicin/toxicity* ; Animals ; Mice ; Cardiotoxicity/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Proteomics ; Metabolomics ; Injections ; Humans ; Multiomics

Emodin is a hydroxyanthraquinone compound that is widely distributed and has multiple pharmacological activities, including anti-diarrheal, anti-inflammatory, and liver-protective effects. Research indicates that emodin may be one of the main components responsible for inducing hepatotoxicity. However, studies on the mechanisms of liver injury are relatively limited, particularly those related to bile acids(BAs) metabolism. This study aims to systematically investigate the effects of different dosages of emodin on BAs metabolism, providing a basis for the safe clinical use of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)containing emodin. First, this study evaluated the safety of repeated administration of different dosages of emodin over a 5-week period, with a particular focus on its impact on the liver. Next, the composition and content of BAs in serum and liver were analyzed. Subsequently, qRT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of nuclear receptors and transporters related to BAs metabolism. The results showed that 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin induced hepatic damage, with bile duct hyperplasia as the primary pathological manifestation. It significantly increased the levels of various BAs in the serum and primary BAs(including taurine-conjugated and free BAs) in the liver. Additionally, it downregulated the mRNA expression of farnesoid X receptor(FXR), retinoid X receptor(RXR), and sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide(NTCP), and upregulated the mRNA expression of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase(CYP7A1) in the liver. Although 0.01 g·kg~(-1) and 0.03 g·kg~(-1) emodin did not induce obvious liver injury, they significantly increased the level of taurine-conjugated BAs in the liver, suggesting a potential interference with BAs homeostasis. In conclusion, 1 g·kg~(-1) emodin may promote the production of primary BAs in the liver by affecting the FXR-RXR-CYP7A1 pathway, inhibit NTCP expression, and reduce BA reabsorption in the liver, resulting in BA accumulation in the peripheral blood. This disruption of BA homeostasis leads to liver injury. Even doses of emodin close to the clinical dose can also have a certain effect on the homeostasis of BAs. Therefore, when using traditional Chinese medicine or formulas containing emodin in clinical practice, it is necessary to regularly monitor liver function indicators and closely monitor the risk of drug-induced liver injury.
Emodin/administration & dosage* ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Animals ; Male ; Liver/injuries* ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Mice ; Rats