Metabolomics has been frequently used in pharmacodynamic studies, especially those on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Radix Paeoniae Alba and Radix Paeoniae Rubra are popularly used in TCM, and both have hepatoprotective effects. In this study, a CCl₄-induced acute liver injury rat model was established and confirmed by the observed serum aminotransferase activities. The metabolomics approach was applied to study the influence of Radix Paeoniae Alba and Radix Paeoniae Rubra on the metabolic changes in rats with acute liver injury. The partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) of rat serum and their ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) fingerprints allowed discrimination of controlled, acute liver injury-model rats after administration of the two types of TCMs. The time-dependent PLS-DA plots showed that the changes in the metabolic patterns of the rats, which were administered with the TCMs, had stabilized within 2 h after they received the intraperitoneal CCl₄ injection. The results indicated the protective effect of TCMs against liver injury. Several potential biomarkers were detected and identified, which included creatine, deoxycholic acid, choline, 5-methylenetetrahydrofolate, folic acid, and glycocholic acid. The physiological significance of these metabolic changes was discussed.

The therapeutic effect on HCl/ethanol induced gastric injury of Gardenia jasminoides (JXGJ-1 and JXGJ-2) were determined by a animal model. JXGJ-2 group reduced area of its gastric injury as compared to the control group, JXGJ-2 also helped in decreasing the gastric secretion volume results raised in pH value. The NO contents in serum, heart, liver, kidney and stomach of JXGJ-2 group were more than JXGJ-1 and control groups. JXGJ-2 reduce cytokine levels as compared to JXGJ-1 and control group. The serum and gastric tissue SOD, GSH-Px, GSH levels in JXGJ-2 treated mice were higher than JXGJ-1 treated and control mice, but the MDA, PC levels showed the crosscurrents, these levels were close to normal mice. Gardenia jasminoides could increase the occludin, EGF, EGFR, VEGF, IκB-α, nNOS, eNOS, Cu/Zn-SOD, Mn-SOD, CAT, GSH-Px (GSH1) mRNA and protein expressions and decrease the p38MAPK (p38), NF-κB, Bcl-2, COX-2, iNOS expressions in gastric tissues unlike to the control mice, JXGJ-2 had much better effect than JXGJ-1. JXGJ-1contained the higher genipin gentiobioside and gardenoside, they might be the key components of gastric injury inhibition. Gardenia jasminoides had a remarkable effect on gastric injury, and they were derived from two important components of genipin gentiobioside and gardenoside.

A simple and reliable method of ultra-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (UPLC-PDA) was developed to control the quality of Radix Isatidis (dried root of Isatis indigotica) for chemical fingerprint analysis and quantitative analysis of eight bioactive constituents, including R,S-goitrin, progoitrin, epiprogoitrin, gluconapin, adenosine, uridine, guanosine, and hypoxanthine. In quantitative analysis, the eight components showed good regression (R > 0.9997) within test ranges, and the recovery method ranged from 99.5% to 103.0%. The UPLC fingerprints of the Radix Isatidis samples were compared by performing chemometric procedures, including similarity analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis, and principal component analysis. The chemometric procedures classified Radix Isatidis and its finished products such that all samples could be successfully grouped according to crude herbs, prepared slices, and adulterant Baphicacanthis cusiae Rhizoma et Radix. The combination of quantitative and chromatographic fingerprint analysis can be used for the quality assessment of Radix Isatidis and its finished products.

Gardenia jasminoides is a plant that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine. It has four key active components (genipin gentiobioside, geniposide, crocin 1 and crocin 2). The aim of the present study was to determine the anti‑hypertension effects of Gardenia jasminoidesin vivo. The chemical composition of Gardenia jasminoides was determined using liquid chromatography. The anti‑hypertensive effects of Gardenia jasminoides were determined by a L‑NG‑nitroarginine (L‑NNA)‑induced hypertension animal model. Both Gardenia jasminoides plants of the Jiangjin County variety (CJGJ) and the Lichuan City variety (HLGJ) were used. HLGJ contained more geniposide than CJGJ. L‑NNA was used to induce hypertension in mice, and the mice were subsequently treated with CJGJ and HLGJ. The Gardenia jasminoides‑treated mice exhibited lower systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP) and mean blood pressure (MBP) than the experimental control mice. Additionally, HLGL has a more potent effect on SBP, MBP and DBP than CJGJ. Following Gardenia jasminoides treatment, the nitric oxide contents in serum, heart, liver, kidney and stomach of mice were higher than the L‑NNA‑induced control mice, and the malondialdehyde contents were lower; the levels in HLGJ‑treated mice were closer to those normal mice than the levels in CJGJ‑treated mice were. Serum levels of endothelin‑1 and vascular endothelial growth factor were reduced by HLGJ treatment in hypertensive mice, whereas the calcitonin gene‑related peptide level was raised. Reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction analysis of mouse heart and vessel tissue demonstrated that HLGJ‑treated mice exhibited higher heme oxygenase‑1, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), endothelial NOS, Bax, caspase‑3, caspase‑8, caspase‑9 mRNA expression levels and lower adrenomedullin, receptor activity modifying protein, interleukin‑1β, tumor necrosis factor‑α, inducible NOS, Bcl‑2, monocyte chemoattractant protein‑1, nuclear factor‑κB and matrix metalloproteinase‑2 and ‑9 mRNA expression compared with control hypertensive mice and CJGJ‑treated mice. In conclusion, Gardenia jasminoides has anti‑hypertensive effects, and these effects may be associated with the active component, geniposide.