[Study on multiple organ injury induced by Haematitum in mice]

Haematitum is a commonly used mineral medicine. It is toxic, as recorded in the second volume of Chinese Materia Medica. Therefore, it should not be taken for a long time. In this study, the effects of Haematitum and calcined Haematitum on multiple organ injuries in mice were investigated, and the mechanism of the toxicity of the related organs was explored by metabolomics. The mice were randomly divided into the control group, Haematitum low-dose group(ZS-L group), Haematitum high-dose group(ZS-H group), and calcined Haematitum high-dose group(DZS-H group), with 12 mice in each group. Haematitum decoction was given by continuous intragastric administration for 10 days. Then the life situation was observed, and samples were taken to detect various indicators. The results showed that the ZS-H group showed obvious toxicity, with different degrees of toxicity damage in the intestinal tract,liver, spleen, and lung. ZS-L group had no toxic reaction. The toxicity of the DZS-H group was significantly reduced, and only the lung was damaged. Metabolomics technology was used to detect the lung tissue of mice in the control group and the ZS-H group, and a total of 15 kinds of significant difference metabolites were detected, mainly involved in choline metabolism in cancer, sphingolipid metabolism, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Immunohistochemical results showed that the INSIG1 protein expression level in the lung tissue of mice in the ZS-H group was significantly higher than that in the control group. In summary, large doses and long-time use of Haematitum decoction will cause a variety of organ damage, and the same dose of calcined Haematitum is less toxic than Haematitum. In addition, a low dose of Haematitum has no obvious toxic effect. The dysfunction of lipid metabolic pathways such as sphingolipid and glycerophospholipid metabolism may be an important factor in Haematitum-induced pulmonary toxicity. This study provides a reference for further research on the mechanism of Haematitum pulmonary toxicity.