{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ScholarlyArticle","headline":"Deciphering the Metabolic Mechanisms of Damp Retention in the Middle-Jiao Syndrome using High-throughput UPLC-Q-TOF-MS.","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Na Li"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Tongyan Zhu"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Jianhui Chen"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Yuxin Dong"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Chunying Zhao"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Yuxuan Tian"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Yuling Liu"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Xia Hong"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Hui Xiong"}],"datePublished":"2026","isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening"},"identifier":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0113862073404881251115075326","description":"\n Background:\n Damp retention in the middle-jiao syndrome (DRMS), a common manifestation\nin Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), results from stagnation of damp pathogens in\nthe middle jiao and impaired transport of food and fluids. Given the complex pathogenesis of\nDRMS, this study aimed to investigate its biological mechanisms using an advanced analytical\napproach.\n \n \n Methods:\n A DRMS rat model was established based on three etiological factors: dietary disorders,\ndepletion of vital qi, and excessive external dampness. Model validity was assessed via\nsmall intestinal carbon propulsion rate and histopathological examination. Urine metabolomics,\nusing ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass\nspectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), systematically characterized metabolic profile changes and\npotential biomarkers.\n \n \n Results:\n DRMS rats exhibited significantly reduced small intestinal propulsion, along with varying\ndegrees of edema, disorganized tissue structures, and inflammatory cell infiltration in gastric,\nrenal, and small intestinal tissues. Metabolomic analysis identified 52 differential metabolites as\npotential DRMS biomarkers, primarily involved in phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis,\nphenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism, the citrate cycle, and cysteine and methionine\nmetabolism pathways. Metabolic correlation networks further validated the model’s accuracy.\n \n \n Discussion:\n The identified metabolites and pathways provide insight into the mechanisms underlying\nDRMS, complement existing TCM research, and offer a foundation for further studies.\nHowever, the findings are currently limited to the rat model and require human validation.\n \n \n Conclusions:\n This study successfully established a DRMS animal model under clinically relevant\nTCM conditions and demonstrated the utility of metabolomics in elucidating DRMS mechanisms,\nproviding experimental evidence for TCM syndrome characterization and advancing understanding\nof its etiology.\n ","url":"https://innscience.ca/en/community/literature/doi_10_2174_0113862073404881251115075326"}