Metabolomics study on serum of allergic bronchial asthma rabbits treated by Recuperating Lung decoction

Abstract

This study further completes the method of Recuperating Lung decoction by intervening in the mechanism of asthma on the basis of the successful foundation of the rabbit asthma model and the effective model evaluation guided by the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory and applying the method of metabolomics. A total of 34 types of metabolites were detected from the serum of rabbits, and 7 types of metabolites were statistically significant after statistic comparison, including valine, malic acid, gluconic acid, galactose, pyran glucose, 6-deoxidation mannopyranose and stearic acid. The content of some metabolites changed in the model and treatment groups compared with the blank group. It could be speculated that the change was affected by the modeling and drug treatment. According to the results of the study, the increased content of valine, gluconic acid and malic acid, as well as the decreased content of galactose, pyran glucose, 6-deoxidation mannopyranose and stearic acid, in the model group serum might be closely related to the inflammatory process in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. All the 7 types of metabolites changed obviously after treatment with the Recuperating Lung decoction. Therefore, the Recuperating Lung decoction is closely related to the abovementioned change in the 7 types of metabolites and to the regulation and control of the asthma cytokine network. This study explored a new mode in the study of Recuperating Lung decoction intervention in the metabolomics change of an asthmatic animal model, and it has important theoretical and practical significance in the deep discussion on the TCM clinical and basic theory in the application of the newest technique and achievement of life science.