A metabolomic analysis of the toxicity of Aconitum sp. alkaloids in rats using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

A metabolomic investigation of intoxication with Aconitum sp. alkaloids was carried out. Plasma obtained from Wistar rats administered these alkaloids was analyzed using gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Samples were analyzed following protein precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction, and derivatization. Thirty-six metabolites were identified among the detected compounds. Subsequent data analysis using the t test and principal component analysis revealed metabolic differences between the control rats and treated groups as well as between the groups of rats administered different alkaloids. Twenty-seven metabolites were significantly different between plasma samples from the controls and treated groups. The significant decreased plasma levels of glutamine and creatinine in all treated groups suggested impaired heart and muscle function caused by alkaloids. The plasma levels of 22 metabolites in the hypaconitine group were significantly decreased. In contrast, only 8 and 13 metabolites were observed with significantly decreased levels in the aconitine and mesaconitine groups, respectively.These results indicated that Aconitum sp. alkaloids can cause metabolic disorders in rats. The toxicity and corresponding mechanism of hypaconitine was different from those of aconitine and mesaconitine, based on the differences of perturbed metabolic patterns between groups.