[Subacute toxicity metabonomics of Jinlingzi powder based on LC-MS]

To further understand the metabolic characteristics of Jinlingzi powder toxicity effect in rats and explore the effect of Jinlingzi powder on unknown biological pathways in the treatment process. In this experiment, the effect of three doses of Jinlingzi powder decoction on rat liver and kidney was investigated to explore the characteristics and rules of Jinlingzi powder on in vivo metabonomic changes in rats. First, urine and serum samples of the rats were used for LC-MS analysis. Under the XCMS online analysis, 44 differential substances were found in the identification of metabolites. Finally, Metpa was used for metabolic pathways enrichment and analysis, and five related metabolic pathways were obtained: steroid hormone biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, as well as glutathione metabolism. Metabolic network diagram showed that the toxicity-related pathways were mainly associated with lysine metabolism in living organisms, glucuronic acid conversion, and hormone metabolism, especially the metabolism imbalance of lysine and glutathione would result in the disorder of energy metabolism or oxidative stress regulation, and thus inducing the damage in rats. Subacute toxicity test results for three doses groups (low, middle and high doses) showed that, Jinlingzi powder with doses of 19.7 g•kg⁻¹ and 39.4 g•kg⁻¹ caused obvious toxic effect, indicating Jinlingzi powder could produce toxic effect in vivo in a dose-dependent manner, and cause irreversible damage to the body.