Studies on effect of Ginkgo biloba L. leaves in acute gout with hyperuricemia model rats by using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS metabolomic approach

Abstract

Gout is a result of sodium urate deposition in and around the joints that is caused by long-standing hyperuricemia. In the present study, Ginkgo biloba L. leaves have been used for the treatment of acute gout and hyperuricemia, but the pathogenesis of acute gout with hyperuricemia and the mechanism of action of Ginkgo biloba L. leaves in gout remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the pathogenesis of acute gout with hyperuricemia in rats and investigate the therapeutic effects of extract of Ginkgo biloba L. leaves (GBE) by using the metabolomic method. In this study, the rat model of acute gout with hyperuricemia was established by intraperitoneal injection of xanthine and oxonic acid potassium salt and intra-articular injection of monosodium urate (MSU). Serum level of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) was evaluated to compare the model group with the group with GBE by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Joint swelling was used for testing the effects of MSU and the pathological changes of joint and kidney were assessed by hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining. Potential biomarkers were identified from urinary samples by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS) combined with principal component analysis (PCA) which was used to observe the metabonomic alterations and the separations of the scatter points of different groups. Results show that joint swelling and serum level of IL-1β significantly decreased, and pathological abnormalities of the joint and kidney were ameliorated after GBE treatment. 27 potential biomarkers were identified and the primary metabolism pathways involved tryptophan metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, pentose phosphate pathway, TCA cycle, tyrosine metabolism, lysine degradation and purine metabolism. The disturbed pathways were restored after treatment with GBE. This study indicated that GBE possessed evident therapeutic effects on acute gout with hyperuricemia rats.