Mass spectrometry assessment of the protective effects of Zhizi Dahuang decoction on alcoholic liver injury

Liquid-assisted surface desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry(LA-DAPCI-MS)was used directly for the analysis of healthy rat liver(normal control group), acute alcoholic injury rat liver(alcohol model group)and Zhizi Dahuang decoction-treated rat liver(ZZDHD group)sections with the mass spectrometry images obtained simultaneously. Principal component analysis(PCA)was employed for the differentiation of livers of the groups, and 3 phospholipids, PC(34 ∶2), PC(36 ∶4)and PC(38 ∶4), were found to be the main factors. LA-DAPCI mass spectrometry images showed that the 3 phospholipids were evenly distributed in liver under the spatial resolution of 0. 01 mm². Contents of 3 PCs in the model group were decreased in alcohol model group compared to the normal control group and the ZZDHD group, which revealed the relationship between acute alcoholic liver injury and intrahepatic phospholipid variation. The results showed that ZZDHD had protective effect on acute alcoholic liver injury-induced intrahepatic phospholipid variations at the molecular level.