Metabolomics Profiles Reveal the Efficacy of Wuzhuyu Decoction on Patients with Chronic Non-Atrophic Gastritis

Drug Des Devel Ther. 2023 Nov 7:17:3269-3280. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S428783. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Objective: Chronic non-atrophic gastritis (CNAG) is a common clinical gastrointestinal disease with a long and recurrent course. In China, Wuzhuyu decoction (WZYD) has been used for centuries to treat gastrointestinal disorders. To unravel the efficacy and mechanism of WZYD for CNAG, a clinical study was conducted. And metabolomics was used to explore the mechanism of WZYD for CNAG patients.

Methods: Twenty patients in total were recruited in this study (Nos. ChiCTR2200062296) and the protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee (Approval number: KY-2022-2-6-1) and complied with the Declaration of Helsinki. The formula granule of WZYD were assessed by UHPLC-QQQ-TOF to discern the main potential active compounds. The endoscopy evaluation and histopathological changes were detected as effective indicators. Serum samples from patients were used for metabolomics. Inflammatory factors in patients' serum were determined by ELISA. Metabolomics revealed a series of differential metabolites and signaling pathways.

Results: WZYD was capable to prevent CNAG by ameliorating score of endoscopy evaluation including erosion, hemorrhage, as well as chronic inflammation and active chronic inflammation score after treatment were decreased. The results indicated that 10 core metabolic components were associated with the treatment of WZYD. Moreover, these metabolic components proved that pyrimidine metabolism and thiamine metabolism were critically responsible for CNAG. In addition, WZYD treatment effectively reduced serum levels of TNF-α, IL-10, and COX-2.

Conclusion: Altogether, WZYD can effectively alleviate CNAG by inhibiting inflammation and regulating related metabolic processes, which might be the molecular mechanism of WZYD treatment of CNAG. More studies are warranted to be conducted in this area.

Trial registration: ChiCTR, ChiCTR2200062296. Registered 1 August 2022, https://www.chictr.org.cn/com/25/showprojen.aspx?proj=174027.

Keywords: Wuzhuyu decoction; chronic non-atrophic gastritis; metabolomics; natural product.

MeSH terms

  • China
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Gastritis* / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Metabolomics*

Substances

  • Cyclooxygenase 2

Grants and funding

This paper was supported by the Major Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82192915), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 82174346), the Program of Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province (Grant No. 2023NSFSC0039).