Metabolomics analysis of baicalin on ovalbumin-sensitized allergic rhinitis rats

Abstract

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a global health problem that appears in all age groups and affects approximately 15-30% of people. Baicalin has been used for the treatment of various allergic diseases, including AR. However, the metabolic mechanisms of AR and baicalin against AR have not been systematically studied. Here, ovalbumin-sensitized AR rats were used as a model, and animal behaviour, histological analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and metabolomics were used to elucidate the mechanism of baicalin for AR. The results indicated that baicalin has a protective effect on AR rats by inhibiting the release of immunoglobulin E (IgE), histamine, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1b), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a). In addition, ovalbumin-induced AR included modulation of arachidonic acid, leukotriene A4 (LTA4), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a-ketoglutaric acid, phosphatidylcholine PC (20: 4/0: 0), PC (16: 0/0: 0), citric acid, fumarate, malate, 3-methylhistidine, histamine and other amino acids that are involved in arachidonic acid, histidine metabolism, the TCA cycle and amino acid metabolism. Thus, AR could be alleviated or reversed by baicalin.