plasma metabolite profiles of healthy volunteers after administration of a thai herbal formula for dizziness

The thai herbal yahom 20 formula (yhf20), is traditionally used for dizziness and fainting and off-label use for sleep aid, with inadequate substantial evidence afterward. this study’s primary objective is to employ metabolomics to investigate yhf20's effects, comparing it with lorazepam and a placebo in healthy volunteers. phytochemical and metabolite profiling were performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (lc-ms/ms) and lc/ms q-tof, respectively, on plasma samples from 90 healthy participants aged 20 to 60 years. these participants were randomized into three groups: yhf20 (n=30), lorazepam (n=30), and placebo (n=30). principal component analysis (pca) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (opls-da) were then conducted to identify differential metabolites and pathways. six phytochemicals, including ellagic acid, glycyrrhizic acid, (e)-ferulic acid hexacosyl ester, 6-aldehydo-7-methoxy-isoophiopogonone b, melianol, and myristic acid were identified in yhf20. despite pca showing no significant overall metabolite profile differences among the groups, opls-da pinpointed eight yhf20-associated metabolites, such as dha ethyl ester, α-linolenic acid, (9z)-9-octadecenamide, ricinoleic acid methyl ester, idazoxan, 13-hpode, 12,13-dihode, and myristoleic acid, implying at anti-inflammatory pathway involvement, especially in α-linoleic and linoleic acid metabolism. no direct impact on sleep-related metabolites was found, the anti-inflammatory effects suggested by yhf20 could indirectly improve sleep quality by mitigating inflammation, a common sleep disruptor. these results highlight yhf20's potential for enhancing life quality through anti-inflammatory mechanisms. they offer a scientific basis for its traditional and anecdotal uses and suggest a novel approach to sleep quality improvement not previously documented.