Thrombocytopenia is one of the most common complications of
cancer therapy. Until now, there are still no satisfactory medications to treat
chemotherapy and radiation-induced
thrombocytopenia (
CIT and RIT, respectively). Caulis Polygoni Multiflori (CPM), one of the most commonly used Chinese herbs, has been well documented to nourish blood for tranquilizing the mind and treating
anemia, suggesting its beneficial effect on hematopoiesis. However, it is unknown whether CPM can accelerate megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis. Here, we employ a UHPLC Q-Exactive HF-X mass spectrometer (UHPLC QE HF-X MS) to identify 11 ingredients in CPM. Then, in vitro experiments showed that CPM significantly increased megakaryocyte (MK) differentiation and maturation but did not affect apoptosis and
lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release of K562 and Meg-01 cells. More importantly, animal experiments verified that CPM treatment markedly accelerated platelet recovery, megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis in RIT mice without hepatic and renal toxicities in vivo. Finally,
RNA-sequencing (
RNA-seq) and western blot were used to determine that CPM increased the expression of
proteins related to PI3K/Akt and
MEK/ERK (MAPK) signaling pathways. On the contrary, blocking PI3K/Akt and
MEK/ERK signaling pathways with their specific inhibitors suppressed MK differentiation induced by CPM. In conclusion, for the first time, our study demonstrates that CPM may be a promised thrombopoietic agent and provide an experimental basis for expanding clinical use.