2 research outputs found
Metabolic Fate of Tea Polyphenols in Humans
Polyphenols, a ubiquitous group of secondary plant metabolites
sharing at least one aromatic ring structure with one or more hydroxyl
groups, represent a large group of natural antioxidants abundant in
fruits, vegetables, and beverages, such as grape juice, wine, and
tea, and are widely considered to contribute to health benefits in
humans. However, little is yet known concerning their bioactive forms <i>in vivo</i> and the mechanisms by which they may alter our metabolome,
which ultimately contribute toward disease prevention. Here we report
a study to determine the metabolic fate of polyphenolic components
in a Chinese tea (Pu-erh) in human subjects using a metabonomic profiling
approach coupled with multivariate and univariate statistical analysis.
Urine samples were collected at 0 h, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 9 h, 12 h, and
24 h within the first 24 h and once a day during a 6 week period including
a 2 week baseline phase, a 2 week daily Pu-erh tea ingestion phase,
and a 2 week “wash-out” phase, and they were analyzed
by gas chromatography mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography
mass spectrometry. The dynamic concentration profile of bioavailable
plant molecules (due to <i>in vivo</i> absorption and the
hepatic and gut bacterial metabolism) and the human metabolic response
profile were measured and correlated with each other. This study demonstrates
that the metabonomic strategy will enable us to integrate the overwhelming
amount of metabolic end points as a systems' response to the absorption,
metabolism, and disposition of a multicomponent botanical intervention
system, leading to a direct elucidation of their mechanisms of action
Global and Targeted Metabolomics Evidence of the Protective Effect of Chinese Patent Medicine <i>Jinkui Shenqi</i> Pill on Adrenal Insufficiency after Acute Glucocorticoid Withdrawal in Rats
Glucocorticoids
are commonly used in anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory
therapies, but glucocorticoid withdrawal can result in life-threatening
risk of adrenal insufficiency. Chinese patented pharmaceutical product <i>Jinkui Shenqi</i> pill (JKSQ) has potent efficacy on clinical
adrenal insufficiency resulting from glucocorticoid withdrawal. However,
the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. We used an animal
model to study JKSQ-induced metabolic changes under adrenal insufficiency
and healthy conditions. Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with
hydrocortisone for 7 days with or without 15 days of JKSQ pretreatment.
Sera were collected after 72 h hydrocortisone withdrawal and used
for global and free fatty acids (FFAs)-targeted metabolomics analyses
using gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry and ultraperformance
liquid chromatography/quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
Rats without hydrocortisone treatment were used as controls. JKSQ
pretreatment normalized the significant changes of 13 serum metabolites
in hydrocortisone-withdrawal rats, involving carbohydrates, lipids,
and amino acids. The most prominent effect of JKSQ was on the changes
of FFAs and some [product FFA]/[precursor FFA] ratios, which represent
estimated desaturase and elongase activities. The opposite metabolic
responses of JKSQ in adrenal insufficiency rats and normal rats highlighted
the “<i>Bian Zheng Lun Zhi</i>” (treatment
based on ZHENG differentiation) guideline of TCM and suggested that
altered fatty acid metabolism was associated with adrenal insufficiency
after glucocorticoid withdrawal and the protective effects of JKSQ