{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,19]],"date-time":"2026-09-19T20:39:02Z","timestamp":1789850342110,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,2]],"date-time":"2017-11-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1509580800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"the National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["30973867"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["30973867"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Coptis chinensis Franch has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for treating infectious and inflammatory diseases for over two thousand years. Berberine (BN), an isoquinoline alkaloid, is the main component of Coptis chinensis. The pharmacological basis for its therapeutic effects, which include hepatoprotective effects on liver injuries, has been studied intensively, yet the therapy of liver injuries and underlying mechanism remain unclear. We investigated the detoxification mechanism of Coptis chinensis and berberine using metabolomics of urine and serum in the present study. After the treatment with Coptis chinensis and berberine, compared with the cinnabar group, Coptis chinensis and berberine can regulate the concentration of the endogenous metabolites. PLS-DA score plots demonstrated that the urine and serum metabolic profiles in rats of the Coptis chinensis and berberine groups were similar those of the control group, yet remarkably apart from the cinnabar group. The mechanism may be related to the endogenous metabolites including energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism and metabolism of intestinal flora in rats. Meanwhile, liver and kidney histopathology examinations and serum clinical chemistry analysis verified the experimental results of metabonomics.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules22111855","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,3]],"date-time":"2017-11-03T04:43:13Z","timestamp":1509684193000},"page":"1855","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["1H-NMR-Based Metabonomics of the Protective Effect of Coptis chinensis and Berberine on Cinnabar-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Nephrotoxicity in Rats"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"given":"Guangyue","family":"Su","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Functional Food and Wine, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2344-1066","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Haifeng","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuxian","family":"Gao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gang","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuehu","family":"Pei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jiao","family":"Bai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.1016\/j.taap.2017.05.021","article-title":"Zuotai and hgs differ from HgCl2 and methyl mercury in Hg accumulation and toxicity in weanling and aged rats","volume":"331","author":"Zhang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"386","article-title":"Ototoxicity induced by cinnabar (a naturally occurring hgs) in mice through oxidative stress and down-regulated Na+\/K+-atpase activities","volume":"29","author":"Huang","year":"2008","journal-title":"Neuro Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"572","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2013.01.026","article-title":"A metabolic profiling analysis of the acute hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity of zhusha anshen wan compared with cinnabar in rats using 1H-NMR spectroscopy","volume":"146","author":"Wang","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"134","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cbi.2010.11.006","article-title":"Realgar- and cinnabar-containing An-Gong-Niu-Huang Wan (AGNH) is much less acutely toxic than sodium arsenite and mercuric chloride","volume":"189","author":"Lu","year":"2011","journal-title":"Chem-Biol. Interact."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"340","article-title":"A review of cinnabar and\/or realgar-containing traditional medicines","volume":"31","author":"Liu","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"194","DOI":"10.1016\/j.toxlet.2010.11.015","article-title":"Nephrotoxicity of mercuric chloride, methylmercury and cinnabar-containing Zhu-Sha-An-Shen-Wan in rats","volume":"200","author":"Shi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Toxicol. Lett."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"683","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2011.09.032","article-title":"Hepatoprotective effect and its possible mechanism of coptidis rhizoma aqueous extract on carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic liver hepatotoxicity in rats","volume":"138","author":"Feng","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2010.09.032","article-title":"Preventive effect of coptis chinensis and berberine on intestinal injury in rats challenged with lipopolysaccharides","volume":"49","author":"Zhang","year":"2011","journal-title":"Food Chem. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"369","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2016.03.064","article-title":"The effective components of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction against sepsis evaluated by a lipid A-based affinity biosensor","volume":"186","author":"Chen","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"130","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2009.04.003","article-title":"Hepatoprotective effects of coptidis rhizoma aqueous extract on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver hepatotoxicity in rats","volume":"124","author":"Ye","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20110","DOI":"10.1038\/srep20110","article-title":"Naturally occurring proteinaceous nanoparticles in Coptidis rhizoma extract act as concentration-dependent carriers that facilitate berberine absorption","volume":"6","author":"Ma","year":"2016","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xie, W., Gu, D., Li, J., Cui, K., and Zhang, Y. (2011). Effects and action mechanisms of berberine and rhizoma coptidis on gut microbes and obesity in high-fat diet-fed C57BL\/6J mice. PLoS ONE, 6.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0024520"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1093\/ecam\/nem070","article-title":"Inhibitory effects of coptidis rhizoma and berberine on cocaine-induced sensitization","volume":"6","author":"Lee","year":"2009","journal-title":"Evid-Based Complement. Alternat. Med."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhu, X., Bian, H., and Gao, X. (2016). The potential mechanisms of berberine in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Molecules, 21.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules21101336"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, Y.-X., Liu, L., Zeng, Q.-X., Fan, T.-Y., Jiang, J.-D., Deng, H.-B., and Song, D.-Q. (2017). Synthesis and identification of novel berberine derivatives as potent inhibitors against TNF-\u03b1-induced NF-\u03baB activation. Molecules, 22.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules22081257"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2014.04.012","article-title":"The potential effect of berberine in mercury-induced hepatorenal toxicity in albino rats","volume":"69","author":"Othman","year":"2014","journal-title":"Food Chem. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"260","DOI":"10.1016\/S1359-6446(04)03027-2","article-title":"Metabolic profiling: Pathways in discovery","volume":"9","author":"Goodacre","year":"2004","journal-title":"Drug Discov. Today"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1831","DOI":"10.1039\/C6MB00137H","article-title":"UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS based serum metabonomics revealed the metabolic perturbations of ischemic stroke and the protective effect of rkip in rat models","volume":"12","author":"Su","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mol. Biosyst."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tox.2017.04.008","article-title":"Metabolomic analysis for combined hepatotoxicity of chlorpyrifos and cadmium in rats","volume":"384","author":"Xu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Toxicology"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1016\/j.forsciint.2016.08.027","article-title":"Plasma metabolic profiling analysis of toxicity induced by brodifacoum using metabonomics coupled with multivariate data analysis","volume":"267","author":"Yan","year":"2016","journal-title":"Forensic Sci. Int."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Dunn, W.I., and Ellis, D. (2005). Metabolomics: Current Analytical Platforms and Methodologies, Elsevier."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Liang, J., Chen, Y., Ren, G., Dong, W., Shi, M., Xiong, L., Li, J., Dong, J., Li, F., and Yuan, J. (2017). Screening hepatotoxic components in euodia rutaecarpa by UHPLC-QTOF\/MS based on the spectrum-toxicity relationship. Molecules, 22.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules22081264"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Su, G., Chen, G., An, X., Wang, H., and Pei, Y.-H. (2017). Metabolic profiling analysis of the alleviation effect of treatment with baicalin on cinnabar induced toxicity in rats urine and serum. Front. Pharmacol., 8.","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2017.00271"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"154","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecoenv.2016.12.036","article-title":"Oxidative stress biomarkers, cholinesterase activity and biotransformation enzymes in the liver of dice snake (Natrix tessellata Laurenti) during pre-hibernation and post-hibernation: A possible correlation with heavy metals in the environment","volume":"138","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"82","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmbbm.2017.06.026","article-title":"Cytokine IL1\u03b1 and lactate as markers for tissue damage in spineboard immobilisation. A prospective, randomised open-label crossover trial","volume":"75","author":"Hemmes","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Mech. Behav. Biomed. Mater."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"582","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbabio.2017.02.006","article-title":"Mitochondrial metabolism and energy sensing in tumor progression","volume":"1858","author":"Iommarini","year":"2017","journal-title":"Biochim. Biophys. Acta (BBA) Bioenerg."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jchromb.2016.10.017","article-title":"Determination of trimethylamine, trimethylamine N-oxide, and taurine in human plasma and urine by UHPLC-MS\/MS technique","volume":"1038","author":"Awwad","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Chromatogr. B"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jnutbio.2017.04.002","article-title":"Effect of pistachio consumption on the modulation of urinary gut microbiota-related metabolites in prediabetic subjects","volume":"45","author":"Giardina","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Nutr. Biochem."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nowi\u0144ski, A., and Ufnal, M. (2017). Trimethylamine N-oxide: A harmful, protective or diagnostic marker in lifestyle diseases?. Nutrition.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nut.2017.08.001"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1210","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biotechadv.2016.08.003","article-title":"The gut microbiota: A treasure for human health","volume":"34","author":"Li","year":"2016","journal-title":"Biotechnol. Adv."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"317","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2012.10.007","article-title":"Taurine ameliorate alloxan induced oxidative stress and intrinsic apoptotic pathway in the hepatic tissue of diabetic rats","volume":"51","author":"Rashid","year":"2013","journal-title":"Food Chem. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"548","DOI":"10.1007\/BF01973715","article-title":"Taurine, a possible urinary marker of liver damage: A study of taurine excretion in carbon tetrachloride-treated rats","volume":"65","author":"Waterfield","year":"1991","journal-title":"Arch. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"307","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tice.2017.01.008","article-title":"Liver and kidney toxicity induced by afzal smokeless tobacco product in oman","volume":"49","author":"Eltayeb","year":"2017","journal-title":"Tissue Cell"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.1016\/j.molcel.2015.12.002","article-title":"TCA cycle and mitochondrial membrane potential are necessary for diverse biological functions","volume":"61","author":"Diebold","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mol. Cell"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ab.2010.07.015","article-title":"Differences in metabolite profile between blood plasma and serum","volume":"406","author":"Liu","year":"2010","journal-title":"Anal. Biochem."}],"container-title":["Molecules"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/22\/11\/1855\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T18:47:52Z","timestamp":1760208472000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/22\/11\/1855"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,2]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,11]]}},"alternative-id":["molecules22111855"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/molecules22111855","relation":{},"ISSN":["1420-3049"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1420-3049","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,2]]}}}