Skip to main content
Log in

Application of metabolomics technology in the research of Chinese medicine

  • Interdisciplinary Knowledge
  • Published:
Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In recent years, a novel analytical technology, metabolomics is widely used in the modern research of Chinese medicine (CM). Metabolomics adopts a “top-down” strategy to reflect the function of organisms from terminal symptoms of metabolic network and understand metabolic changes of a complete system caused by interventions. As a holistic approach, metabolomics technology, including nuclear magnetic resonance, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, favorable to express the meaning of basic theories of CM, CM syndrome and Chinese herb. Therefore, we believe that metabolomics technology will greatly benefit to development for the research of CM in the light of modern sciences.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zhou MM, Fan ZQ, Jia W, Zhao AH. The integrity of traditional medicine and modern medicine: application of metabolomics in the study of traditional Chinese prescription. J Nat Med 2009;7:97–101.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Liu CX, Si RY, Wan RZ, Lin YP, Xu YY. Metabonomics in research of natural drugs and traditional Chinese medicines. Chin J Nat Med (Chin) 2008;6(2):82–88.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Li P, Yang LP, Gong YW. Application of systems biology technology in research of traditional Chinese medicine. J Tradit Chin Med (Chin) 2009;29:153–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Wang M, Lamers RJ, Korthout HA, Witkamp RF, Voshol PJ, Havekes LM. Metabolomics in the context of systems biology: bridging traditional Chinese medicine and molecular pharmacology. Phytother Res 2005;19:173–182.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wu B, Yan SK, Shen ZY, Zhang WD. Metabonomic technique and prospect of its application in integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine research. J Chin Integr Med 2007;5:475–480.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Liang YZ, Yu Y, Yi ZB, Yi LZ, Wang P, Wang YL. Metabonomics and the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Acta Aca Med Sin 2007;29:823–826.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Zhu C, Hu P, Liang QL, Wang YM, Luo GA. Integration of metabonomics technology and its application in modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Acta Pharm Sin 2008;43:683–689.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Lao YM, Jiang JG, Yan L. Application of metabonomic analytical techniques in the modernization and toxicology research of traditional Chinese medicine. Br J Pharmacol 2009;157:1128–1141.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Lu YH, Hao HP, Wang GJ, Chen XH, Zhu XX, Xiang BR. Metabolomics approach to the biochemical differentiation of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome types of hypertension. Chin J Clin Pharmacol Ther (Chin) 2007;12:1144–1150.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Wei L, Liao PQ, Wu HF, Li XJ, Pei FK, Li WS, et al. Toxicological effects of cinnabar in rats by NMR-based metabolic profiling of urine and serum. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2008;227:417–429.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Chen MJ, Zhao LP, Jia W. Metabolomic study on the biochemical profiles of a hydrocortisone-induced animal model. J Proteome Res 2005;4:2391–2396.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Sofia M, Raoul J, Ric V, Jacques V. Metabolomics technologies and metabolite identification. Trend Anal Chem 2007;26:855–866.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Bernhard P. Metabolic systems biology. FEBS Lett 2009;583:3900–3904.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lukman S, He Y, Hui SC. Computational methods for traditional Chinese medicine: A survey. Comput Meth Prog Bio 2007;88:283–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Li L, Wang JN, Ren JX, Xiang JF, Tang YL, Liu JX. Metabonomics study of urine from rat model of qi-dificiency and blood-stasis syndrome using NMR spectroscopy. Sci Bull 2007;52:1758–1762.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Luo HG, Ding J, Yue GX, Chen JX. Metabonomic study of syndrome of Liver qi stagnation and Spleen deficiency in rats. J Chin Integr Med 2007;5:307–313.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lu X, Xiong Z, Li J, Zheng S, Huo T, Li F. Metabonomics study of “Kidney-yang deficiency syndrome” and intervention effects of Rhizoma Drynariae extracts in rats using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Talanta 2011;83:700–708.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Jian WX, Yuan ZK, Huang XP. Detection and analysis on plasma metabolomics in patient with coronary heart disease of Xin-blood stasis syndrome pattern. J Chin Integr Tradit West Med (Chin) 2010;30:579–584.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Wang M, Rang W, Zhang Q, Huo C, Ma Z, Wang Y, et al. NMR-spectroscopy-based metabonomic approach to analysis of Siwutang, a novel prescription, treated blood deficiency in mice. Chin Mater Med (Chin) 2010;35:630–634.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Yan B, A JY, Hao HP, Wang GJ, Zhu XX, Zha WB, et al. Metabonomic phenotype and identification of “Heart blood stasis obstruction pattern” and “qi and yin deficiency pattern” of myocardial ischemia rat models. Sci China C Life Sci 2009;52:1081–1090.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Zhao X, Zhang Y, Meng X, Yin P, Deng C, Chen J, et al. Effect of a traditional Chinese medicine preparation Xindi Soft Capsule on rat model of acute blood stasis: a urinary metabonomics study based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2008;873:151–158.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Zhou MM, Jia W, Xiao PG. Systemic biologic study on traditional Chinese medicine—a short-lived fad or a long-term policy? Chin J Integr Tradit West Med (Chin) 2008;28:773–778.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Dou SS, Liu RH, Jiang P, liu L, Zhang C, Luo GA, et al. System biology and its application in compound recipe of traditional Chinese medicine study. Modern Tradit Chin Med Mater Med (Chin) 2008;10:116–121.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Wang XJ, Sun WJ, Sun H, Zhou DX, Wu ZM, Wang P. Metabonomics of CCl4-induced rat liver injury and interfering effects of the Yin Chen Hao Tang extract. Modern Tradit Chin Mater Med (Chin) 2006;8:101–106.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Lu YH, Wang GJ, Huang Q, A YY, Hao HP, Hao H. Investigations into metabonomic profiling of spontaneously hypertensive rat and metabolic effect of total ginsenoside on SHR using GC/MS. Chin J Nat Med (Chin) 2007;5:443–447.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Liu P, Ge YC, Ma TS, Ren HJ, Xu YJ, Xu DM. Effects of the extracts from Decoction for resuscitation and its component herbs on PGI2, TXA2 and NO release from rat vascular. Chin J Chin Mater Med (Chin) 2004;29:988–992.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Gu Y, Zhang Y, Shi X, Li X, Hong J, Chen J, et al. Effect of traditional Chinese medicine berberine on type 2 diabetes based on comprehensive metabonomics. Talanta 2010;81(3):76–72.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Ma C, Bi K, Zhang M, Su D, Fan X, Ji W, et al. Metabonomic study of biochemical changes in the urine of Moring Glory seed treated rat. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2010;53:559–566.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Sun B, Li L, Wu S, Zhang Q, Li H, Chen H, et al. Metabolomic analysis of biofluids from rats treated with Aconitum alkaloids using nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Anal Biochem 2009;395:125–133.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Li P, Yang LP. Application of system biology method in the research of traditional Chinese medicine. J Chin Integr Med 2008;6:454–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ping Wang  (王 平).

Additional information

Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, No. 2009CB522707) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30901925)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liu, P., Wang, P. Application of metabolomics technology in the research of Chinese medicine. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 20, 307–310 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-014-1348-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-014-1348-8

Keywords

Navigation