Qin Zifei, Li Yuan, Liu Dongmei, Hua Yuzhuo, Lv Yuandong, Zhang Xiaojian, Fan Cailian, Yang Jing
Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
College of Medicine, Henan Engineering Research Center of Funiu Mountain's Medicinal Resources Utilization and Molecular Medicine, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, 467000, China.
Chin Med. 2024 Jul 15;19(1):99. doi: 10.1186/s13020-024-00957-3.
Allii Macrostemonis Bulbus is also named Xiebai in China. It is an edible vegetable, and also a famous herb for treating coronary heart disease. Allium chinense G. Don (ACGD) and Allium macrostemon Bunge (AMB) are it botanical sources. The aim of this study was to explore the cardioprotective effects, and decipher the visual spatial distribution and absolute content of primary metabolites derived from these two herbs.
H9c2 cells were used to perform the hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R)-induced myocardial injury model. Their protective effects were evaluated by apoptosis levels. Furthermore, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry imaging approach (MALDI-TOF MSI) was carried out to present the spatial location of primary metabolites including fatty acids, amino acids, carotenoids, and vitamins in these two Allium herbs. Multiple analytical methods were applied to perform quantitative analysis of these primary metabolites in AMB and ACGD bulbs by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS).
First, AMB and ACGD extracts both could increase the cell viability in H9c2 cells, and attenuate H/R-induced injury. They markedly decreased apoptosis, accompanied by activating the BCL-2/BAX pathway. Further, MALDI-TOF MSI-based relative quantification results showed several amino acids, fatty acids, carotenoids, and vitamins were largely rich in the tunics and outside scales of fresh bulbs, while some primary metabolites were abundant in their developing flower buds. Absolute quantification results displayed total contents of amino acids in ACGD bulbs were higher than those in AMB, while total contents of fatty acids and vitamins provides opposite trends in these two Allium herbs. The total contents of carotenoids and trace elements showed no significant differences between AMB and ACGD samples.
This study would be helpful to understand the myocardial injury protection effects of these two Allium herbs, and the spatial accumulation and quantitative content levels of their main nutrients.
薤白在中国也被称为“Xiebai”。它是一种可食用蔬菜，也是治疗冠心病的著名草药。葱属植物薤白（Allium chinense G. Don，ACGD）和小根蒜（Allium macrostemon Bunge，AMB）是其植物来源。本研究旨在探讨这两种草药的心脏保护作用，并解析其主要代谢产物的视觉空间分布和绝对含量。
使用H9c2细胞建立缺氧复氧（H/R）诱导的心肌损伤模型。通过凋亡水平评估其保护作用。此外，采用基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间串联质谱成像方法（MALDI-TOF MSI）呈现这两种葱属草药中脂肪酸、氨基酸、类胡萝卜素和维生素等主要代谢产物的空间位置。应用多种分析方法通过液相色谱串联质谱（LC-MS）对AMB和ACGD鳞茎中的这些主要代谢产物进行定量分析。
首先，AMB和ACGD提取物均能提高H9c2细胞的活力，并减轻H/R诱导的损伤。它们显著降低凋亡，同时激活BCL-2/BAX通路。此外，基于MALDI-TOF MSI的相对定量结果显示，几种氨基酸、脂肪酸、类胡萝卜素和维生素在新鲜鳞茎的外皮和外层鳞片中含量丰富，而一些主要代谢产物在其发育中的花蕾中含量丰富。绝对定量结果显示，ACGD鳞茎中氨基酸的总含量高于AMB，而脂肪酸和维生素的总含量在这两种葱属草药中呈现相反趋势。AMB和ACGD样品中类胡萝卜素和微量元素的总含量无显著差异。
本研究有助于了解这两种葱属草药对心肌损伤的保护作用及其主要营养成分的空间积累和定量含量水平。
