Metabolomics characterization of Qingwei San on oral ulcer in db/db mice with stomach heat pattern

Abstract

Objective: To characterize the effects of Qingwei San (QWS) on diabetic oral ulcer (OU) mice with stomach heat pattern through metabolomic analysis. Methods: A stomach heat pattern mouse model was established by treating C57BLKS/J Leprdb/db (db/db) mice with dried Zingiber officinale Rosc. rhizome (Z. officinale, Gan Jiang) decoction by gavage. All model mice had blood glucose levels of ≥11.1 mM. Subsequently, OU was induced by NaOH cauterization. After 1 week of administration of QWS, non-targeted metabolomic analysis of serum was conducted using ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Results: The non-targeted metabolomics results indicated that tryptophan metabolism, 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism, serotonergic synapses, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, and amino acid biosynthesis were involved in the therapeutic effects of QWS, with tryptophan metabolism playing a predominant role. Conclusion: QWS treatment can significantly improve the pathological status of diabetic OU mice with stomach heat pattern. QWS may regulate the release of inflammatory factors through the tryptophan metabolism pathway.

Keywords

• Qingwei San
• Oral ulcer
• Stomach heat pattern
• Diabetes mellitus
• Metabolomics