Multi-target regulatory effects of rhaponticin in a rat model of hepatic fibrosis revealed by non-targeted metabolomics

IntroductionHepatic fibrosis (HF), a progressive chronic liver disease, is a serious threat to global public health. The lack of preventive and therapeutic strategies has created an urgent need for effective anti-fibrosis agents. There is growing evidence that natural products might provide safe and...

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Main Authors: Min Yang, Dihua Jiang, Longfei Huang, Tao Zhang, Wenfen Guo, Wenyan Lin, Jiali Zhao, Yunsheng Wei, Lang Peng, Yong-Jia Hao, Ying Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Pharmacology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1505309/full
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author Min Yang
Dihua Jiang
Longfei Huang
Tao Zhang
Wenfen Guo
Wenyan Lin
Jiali Zhao
Yunsheng Wei
Lang Peng
Yong-Jia Hao
Ying Zhou
author_facet Min Yang
Dihua Jiang
Longfei Huang
Tao Zhang
Wenfen Guo
Wenyan Lin
Jiali Zhao
Yunsheng Wei
Lang Peng
Yong-Jia Hao
Ying Zhou
author_sort Min Yang
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionHepatic fibrosis (HF), a progressive chronic liver disease, is a serious threat to global public health. The lack of preventive and therapeutic strategies has created an urgent need for effective anti-fibrosis agents. There is growing evidence that natural products might provide safe and effective interventions for HF. Among them, rhaponticin (RHA), a stilbenoid glucoside natural product isolated from medicinal plants of Rheum L. of Polygonaceae Juss. has many pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and antithrombotic properties. However, its effects on HF remain unclear.MethodsHerein, we investigated the effects of RHA against HF on the carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic fibrosis and the underlying mechanism in rats. Functional, histopathological, and protein-level indicators of liver insult were evaluated. Moreover, serum metabolites were assessed by non-targeted metabolomics.Results and discussionThe results showed that RHA improved liver functions and histopathological features in the liver of CCl4-treated rats, and alleviated the expression of α-SMA and type I collagen. Meanwhile, RHA also modulated endogenous metabolite levels in rats with HF, targeting glycerophospholipid metabolism signaling and other pathways. These findings confirmed the protective effects of RHA against hepatic fibrosis in rats by exerting multi-target effects via multiple signaling and metabolic pathways. Which may be of use in developing more effective RHA-based therapeutic strategies for hepatic fibrosis.
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spelling doaj-art-4d3cd07d79294c999dfb168f9580d64b2025-08-20T02:35:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122025-01-011510.3389/fphar.2024.15053091505309Multi-target regulatory effects of rhaponticin in a rat model of hepatic fibrosis revealed by non-targeted metabolomicsMin YangDihua JiangLongfei HuangTao ZhangWenfen GuoWenyan LinJiali ZhaoYunsheng WeiLang PengYong-Jia HaoYing ZhouIntroductionHepatic fibrosis (HF), a progressive chronic liver disease, is a serious threat to global public health. The lack of preventive and therapeutic strategies has created an urgent need for effective anti-fibrosis agents. There is growing evidence that natural products might provide safe and effective interventions for HF. Among them, rhaponticin (RHA), a stilbenoid glucoside natural product isolated from medicinal plants of Rheum L. of Polygonaceae Juss. has many pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and antithrombotic properties. However, its effects on HF remain unclear.MethodsHerein, we investigated the effects of RHA against HF on the carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic fibrosis and the underlying mechanism in rats. Functional, histopathological, and protein-level indicators of liver insult were evaluated. Moreover, serum metabolites were assessed by non-targeted metabolomics.Results and discussionThe results showed that RHA improved liver functions and histopathological features in the liver of CCl4-treated rats, and alleviated the expression of α-SMA and type I collagen. Meanwhile, RHA also modulated endogenous metabolite levels in rats with HF, targeting glycerophospholipid metabolism signaling and other pathways. These findings confirmed the protective effects of RHA against hepatic fibrosis in rats by exerting multi-target effects via multiple signaling and metabolic pathways. Which may be of use in developing more effective RHA-based therapeutic strategies for hepatic fibrosis.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1505309/fullhepatic fibrosistraditional Chinese medicinerhaponticinmetabolomicmolecular mechanism
spellingShingle Min Yang
Dihua Jiang
Longfei Huang
Tao Zhang
Wenfen Guo
Wenyan Lin
Jiali Zhao
Yunsheng Wei
Lang Peng
Yong-Jia Hao
Ying Zhou
Multi-target regulatory effects of rhaponticin in a rat model of hepatic fibrosis revealed by non-targeted metabolomics
Frontiers in Pharmacology
hepatic fibrosis
traditional Chinese medicine
rhaponticin
metabolomic
molecular mechanism
title Multi-target regulatory effects of rhaponticin in a rat model of hepatic fibrosis revealed by non-targeted metabolomics
title_full Multi-target regulatory effects of rhaponticin in a rat model of hepatic fibrosis revealed by non-targeted metabolomics
title_fullStr Multi-target regulatory effects of rhaponticin in a rat model of hepatic fibrosis revealed by non-targeted metabolomics
title_full_unstemmed Multi-target regulatory effects of rhaponticin in a rat model of hepatic fibrosis revealed by non-targeted metabolomics
title_short Multi-target regulatory effects of rhaponticin in a rat model of hepatic fibrosis revealed by non-targeted metabolomics
title_sort multi target regulatory effects of rhaponticin in a rat model of hepatic fibrosis revealed by non targeted metabolomics
topic hepatic fibrosis
traditional Chinese medicine
rhaponticin
metabolomic
molecular mechanism
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1505309/full
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