PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Zhong Xian
AU  - Jingzhuo Tian
AU  - Lianmei Wang
AU  - Yushi Zhang
AU  - Jiayin Han
AU  - Nuo Deng
AU  - Suyan Liu
AU  - Yong Zhao
AU  - Chunying Li
AU  - Yan Yi
AU  - Dunfang Wang
AU  - Jing Meng
AU  - Chen Pan
AU  - Aihua Liang
TI  - Effects of rhein on bile acid homeostasis in rats
AID  - 10.1101/2020.01.29.925297
DP  - 2020 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 2020.01.29.925297
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/01/30/2020.01.29.925297.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/01/30/2020.01.29.925297.full
AB  - Rhein, the active ingredient of rhubarb, a medicinal and edible plant, is widely used in clinical practice. In this work, we investigated the alterations of 14 bile acids and hepatic transporters after rats were administered rhein for 5 consecutive weeks. There was no obvious injury to the liver and kidney, and there were no significant changes in biochemical indicators. However, 1,000 mg/kg rhein increased the liver total bile acid (TBA) levels, especially taurine-conjugated bile acids (t-CBAs), inhibited the expression of Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and (bile salt export pump) BSEP mRNA, and upregulated the expression of (cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase) CYP7A1 mRNA. Rhein close to the clinical dose reduced the amounts of TBAs, especially unconjugated bile acids (UCBAs), and elevated the expression of FXR and multidrug resistance-associated protein 3 (Mrp3) mRNA. These results denote that rhein is not toxic and is safe to use at a reasonable dose and timing.