Metabolic routes along digestive system of licorice: multicomponent sequential metabolism method in rat

Abstract

This study was conducted to establish the multicomponent sequential metabolism (MSM) method based on comparative analysis along the digestive system following oral administration of licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., leguminosae), a traditional Chinese medicine widely used for harmonizing other ingredients in a formulae. The licorice water extract (LWE) dissolved in Krebs-Ringer buffer solution (1 g/mL) was used to carry out the experiments and the comparative analysis was performed using HPLC and LC-MS/MS methods. In vitro incubation, in situ closed-loop and in vivo blood sampling were used to measure the LWE metabolic profile along the digestive system. The incubation experiment showed that the LWE was basically stable in digestive juice. A comparative analysis presented the metabolic profile of each prototype and its corresponding metabolites then. Liver was the major metabolic organ for LWE, and the metabolism by the intestinal flora and gut wall was also an important part of the process. The MSM method was practical and could be a potential method to describe the metabolic routes of multiple components before absorption into the systemic blood stream. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Simultaneous Determination and Pharmacokinetic Characterization of Glycyrrhizin, Isoliquiritigenin, Liquiritigenin, and Liquiritin in Rat Plasma Following Oral Administration of Glycyrrhizae Radix Extract

“…The results suggested that liquiritin in GRE could be a precursor for isoliquiritigenin and liquiritigenin and is a more potent pharmacological component [25]; therefore, the hydrolysis of liquiritin could be attributed to an increased plasma concentration of isoliquiritigenin and liquiritigenin during the absorption period (from 4 to 10 h in this study). The results were consistent with the previous report that isoliquiritigenin and liquiritigenin, which were generated from liquiritin, were absorbed from the jejunum to colon with the help of gut wall enzymes and intestinal flora [26].…”

An Approach to Characterizing the Complicated Sequential Metabolism of Salidroside in Rats

“…The complex surgical procedure and the in situ closed-loop experiments were conducted in accordance with the methods described previously [20,23]. The rats were divided into two groups.…”

“…Hence, the primary goal of this study was to develop a holistic, sequential and reproducible approach to describe the complicated sequential metabolism of salidroside before absorption into the systemic blood stream. In brief, the approach includes four fundamental steps: (1) enzymatic transformation in digestive juice, (2) biotransformation by intestinal flora tract, (3) gut wall metabolism, and (4) hepatic metabolism [20]. The approach was based on comparative analysis and a carefully designed mix of metabolic techniques such as in vitro incubation, in situ closed-loop and in vivo blood sampling.…”

Human Gastrointestinal Metabolism of the Cistanches Herba Water Extract in Vitro: Elucidation of the Metabolic Profile Based on Comprehensive Metabolite Identification in Gastric Juice, Intestinal Juice, Human Intestinal Bacteria, and Intestinal Microsomes

“…14,15 However, the gastrointestinal metabolic profile of the Cistanches Herba water extract, which is frequently administered orally, may be absolutely different from that of the individual compounds because of competitive effects and exposure to components at different concentrations. 6,16 Additionally, polysaccharides and oligosaccharides that are present in the Cistanches Herba water extract are potential sources of prebiotics, which may affect the composition of intestinal microbiota and in turn influence the metabolic profile of Cistanches Herba. 17 Hence, it becomes extremely necessary to elucidate the human gastrointestinal metabolism of the Cistanches Herba water extract, i.e., the stems of CD and CT. Four in vitro incubation models, including simulated gastric juice (GJ), simulated intestinal juice (IJ), human intestinal bacteria (HIB), and human intestinal microsomes (HIM), were employed independently and sequentially to investigate the bioconversion of the Cistanches Herba water extract in the stomach, intestine, gut microbiota, and gut wall.…”