In this study, we analyzed the metabonomics of intermingled phlegm and blood stasis (IPBS) and its three concurrent syndromes in patients with stable angina pectoris of coronary heart disease.
A total of 164 sera of separated outpatients from 12 national tradition Chinese medicine clinical research centers with IPBS or concurrent syndromes were collected for the study and assessed with LC-ESI-MS/MS (liquid chromatography—electrospray ionization tandem—mass spectrometry)-based metabolomics and multivariate statistical analysis.
Non-differential metabolites between IPBS and its separate syndrome combined with the top 100 most abundant metabolites in four groups were screened to reflect the essence of IPBS. Amino acid and its metabolomics and glycerol phospholipids were screened for common metabolites, and these metabolites were mainly enriched in valine, leucine, and isoleucine metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Principal component analysis revealed that the difference between IPBS and its separate concurrent syndromes was not distinct. Compared with IPBS, anserine, cytidine 5′-diphosphocholine, and 7,8-dihydro-L-biopterin separately significant increase in phlegm stasis and toxin (PST), phlegm stasis and Qi stagnation (PQS), and phlegm stasis and Qi deficiency (PQD). While these different metabolites were associated with histidine metabolism, beta-alanine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and folate biosynthesis. Three accurate identification models were obtained to identify the difference between IPBS and its concurrent syndromes.
Our study indicated that valine, leucine, and isoleucine metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism could represent the essence of IPBS; dysregulated metabolites were valuable in identifying PST from IPBS.