Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–High-Definition Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics to Reveal the Potential Anti-Arthritic Effects of Illicium verum in Cultured Fibroblast-like Synoviocytes Derived from Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. The fruits ofIllicium verum, which is a medicinal and edible resource, have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Methods: In this study, we investigated the effects ofI. verumextracts (IVEs) on human RA fibroblasts-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS) by using a sensitive and selective ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with high-definition mass spectrometry (UPLC-HDMS) method. We subsequently analyzed the metabolites produced after the incubation of cultured RA-FLS with IVEs. Results: IVEs inhibited the proliferation and suppressed the migration of RA-FLS, and reduced the levels of inflammatory factors including TNF-α and IL-6. Twenty differential metabolites responsible for the effects of IVEs were screened and annotated based on the UPLC-HDMS data by using a cell metabolomics approach. Discussion: Our findings suggest that treating RA-FLS with IVEs can regulate lipid and amino acid metabolism, indicating that this extract has the potential to modify the metabolic pathways that cause inflammation in RA. Conclusions: This might lead to novel therapeutic strategies for managing patients with RA.