Untargeted Metabolomics Analysis Combined With Network Pharmacology Reveals Differences in Chemical Profiles and Activities of Different Processed Products of Clematis chinensis Osbeck

RATIONALE: Clematis chinensis Osbeck (WLX), an herbal medicine, has been used to treat diseases for thousand years. In clinic, WLX presents four forms, including unprocessed WLX (SZ), WLX mixed with yellow wine (JB), WLX soaked in yellow wine (JJ), and WLX stir-fried with yellow wine (JC). However, few studies have focused on revealing differences in its composition and activity. METHODS: In this study, metabolomics was used to screen featured metabolites of WLX and its processed products. Subsequently, network pharmacology was applied to reveal the differences in their activity. RESULTS: The results showed that a total of 310 metabolites were identified, and 11 featured metabolites were selected, such as tracheloside, astilbin, and genistein. Network pharmacology analysis suggested that SZ samples mainly exert its specific therapeutic effects by regulating pain pathways, including glutamatergic synapse, spinocerebellar ataxia, and retrograde endocannabinoid signaling. JB, JJ, and JC groups predominantly exert their effects through pathways, including calcium signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway, and cAMP signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting the development of inflammatory and pain transmission. CONCLUSION: This study will provide a theoretical basis for clinical application of WLX and its processed products and offer a reference for their quality control.