Li Caifeng, Li Zhiyong, Wu Hongwei, Tang Shihuan, Zhang Yi, Yang Bin, Yang Hongjun, Huang Luqi
Academician Workstation of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330004, China; Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China; National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China; School of Pharmacy, Minzu University of China, Beijing, 100081, China; Yunnan Province Resources of Development and Collaborative Innovation Center for New Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, 650051, China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2022 Jan 10;282:114644. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114644. Epub 2021 Sep 14.
Moringa oleifera is native to India, and has been introduced to China in recent years. Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL), as Ayurvedic medicine, has efficacy of Pachana karma (digestive) and Virechana karma (purgative). Folium Sennae (FS), Rhubarb (RB), Aloe vera (AV), Hemp seed (HS) are commonly used as laxatives in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which have different characteristics. However, the intensity of the diarrheal effect of MOL and its mechanism of action are unclear.
The methods of pharmacology and omics were used to compare the purgative effects of MOL and FS, RB, AV, HS, and their effects on metabolomics, to analyze the purgative characteristics and related mechanisms of MOL.
C57BL/6J mouse model of constipation was established by feeding low-fiber food. Feces parameters and colon pathology were used to evaluate the effect of FS, RB, AV, HS and MOL. And mass spectrometry-based serum metabolomics was performed. The differential metabolites of these herbs in the treatment of constipation were obtained by OPLS-DA analysis. Furthermore, pathway analysis was conducted based on different metabolites.
Moringa leaves can adjust the stool number, wet fecal weight and fecal water content to varying degrees to achieve laxative effects, and recover colon muscle thickness and mucus. Analysis of metabolomics results showed that 71 metabolites from LC-MS datasets between model group and control group were obtained. 29, 12, 44, 29 and 20 metabolites were significantly reversed by FS, RB, AV, HS, MOL compared with model group respectively. According to the metabolic pathways, RB and AV may be clustered into a similar category, and MOL, FS and HS showed similarity of metabolic characteristics.
The purgative effect of MOL is inferior to that of FS, and stronger than that of AV, RB and HS. The metabolic pathway for constipation is more similar to that of FS. MOL has a long-lasting and mild effect of laxative, increasing defecation volume and water content of feces, and may become a fewer side effects medicine to treat constipation.
辣木原产于印度，近年来被引入中国。辣木叶（MOL）作为阿育吠陀医学中的药物，具有消食（消化）和泻下（通便）的功效。番泻叶（FS）、大黄（RB）、芦荟（AV）、火麻仁（HS）是中医常用的泻药，各有不同特点。然而，辣木叶的腹泻作用强度及其作用机制尚不清楚。
采用药理学和组学方法比较辣木叶与番泻叶、大黄、芦荟、火麻仁的泻下作用及其对代谢组学的影响，分析辣木叶的泻下特性及相关机制。
通过喂食低纤维食物建立C57BL/6J小鼠便秘模型。采用粪便参数和结肠病理学评估番泻叶、大黄、芦荟、火麻仁和辣木叶的作用。并进行基于质谱的血清代谢组学研究。通过OPLS-DA分析获得这些草药治疗便秘的差异代谢物。此外，基于不同代谢物进行通路分析。
辣木叶可不同程度调节小鼠粪便粒数、湿粪重和粪便含水量以达到通便效果，并使结肠肌层厚度和黏液恢复正常。代谢组学结果分析显示，模型组与对照组之间的LC-MS数据集中获得了71种代谢物。与模型组相比，番泻叶、大黄、芦荟、火麻仁、辣木叶分别使29、12、44、29和20种代谢物显著逆转。根据代谢途径，大黄和芦荟可能聚为相似类别，辣木叶、番泻叶和火麻仁表现出代谢特征的相似性。
辣木叶的泻下作用弱于番泻叶，强于芦荟、大黄和火麻仁。其治疗便秘的代谢途径与番泻叶更为相似。辣木叶具有持久温和的通便作用，可增加粪便排便量和含水量，有望成为副作用较小的便秘治疗药物。
