Buyang-huanwu decoction (BHD) is a classic prescription that has great potential to be developed into antifatigue functional food. It may activate blood circulation to relieve fatigue in some clinical cases by unclear mechanisms. In this study, a metabolomics approach was conducted to investigate the antifatigue mechanism of BHD. The murine fatigue model was established in rats by endurance swimming, and hemorheology, blood biochemistry, and ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics were conducted on serum samples. The rate of weight gain, hemorheological parameters, and serum creatine kinase activities were significantly altered in model rats and they returned to a normal level after BHD administration. Pattern recognition screened 18 potential biomarkers, which are mainly involved in glycerophospholipid, arachidonic acid, and cholesterol metabolisms. The results demonstrate that the antifatigue mechanism of BHD is mainly related to the function of enhancing nerve conduction, relieving inflammation and regulating cholesterol metabolism and energy metabolism.
Keywords: Buyang-huanwu decoction; antifatigue mechanism; metabolomics.