Method for rapidly discovering active components in Yupingfeng granules by UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS

Simultaneous quantitation of 15 bioactive components in Yupingfeng granules by LC-MS/MS

Yupingfeng granules (YPFG) is commonly used in the treatment of immunological diseases, inflammations, and pulmonary diseases. Several studies have found that chromones, flavones, and saponins were the major bioactive compounds of YPFG. However, few studies have reported accurate quantification methods of these compounds. This study aimed to establish a simple and rapid method by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to determine 15 bioactive compounds in YPFG. The experimental parameters including extraction methods, extraction solvents, extraction time, solid-liquid ratio, and LC-MS/MS condition were optimized. The linearity, precision, repeatability, stability, and recovery of the established method were evaluated. The contents of 15 bioactive compounds in seven batches of YPFG samples were analyzed by the established method and the results were compared with the values determined by HPLC. The optimal extraction condition was to extract 0.1 g of YPFG by ultrasound with 50 mL 50% ethanol for 30 min. A Waters ACQUITY UPLCBEH C18 column using the 0.1% formic acid water solution and acetonitrile as mobile phase with a gradient elution was applied to the chromatographic separation. The linearity, precision, repeatability, stability, and recovery of the method were within acceptable ranges. Compared with HPLC analysis methods in Chinese Pharmacopoeia and literature, the established method was faster, simpler, more accurate, and more reliable. The method of simultaneous determination of 15 components in YPFG by LC-MS might provide a basis for the study of the bioactive compounds and the improvement of the quality standard of YPFG.

A global profiling strategy for identification of the total constituents in Chinese herbal medicine based on online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry combined with intelligentized chemical classification guidance

A comprehensive strategy for effective identification of total constituents in Chinese patent medicine has been advanced applying full scan-preferred parent ions capture-static and active exclusion (FS-PIC-SAE) acquisition coupled with intelligent deep-learning supported mass defect filter (MDF) process, with Naoxintong capsule (NXT) as a case. Online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2DLC) coupled with Q-TOF-MS/MS system was established for obtaining the excellent separation and detection performance of total components, which could exhibit excellent peak capacity with 1052 and orthogonality with 0.69. In addition, a total of 901 unknown compounds could be classified into nine chemical classes rapidly and effectively, based on the intelligent deep-learning algorithm supported MDF model with 96.4% accuracy. Consequently, 276 compounds were successfully identified from NXT, especially including 44 flavonoids, 27 phenolic acids, 25 fatty acids, 17 saponins, 21 phthalocyanines, 20 triterpenes, 10 monoterpenes, 13 diterpenoid ketones, 14 amino acids, and others. It is concluded that the proposed program is an effective and practical strategy enabling the in-depth chemical profiling of complex herbal and biological samples.

Advances in the chemical constituents, pharmacological properties and clinical applications of TCM formula Yupingfeng San

Yupingfeng San (YPFS) is a famous and commonly used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, respiratory tract infections, and pneumonia in China. It is composed of three Chinese herbs, including Astragali Radix, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma and Saposhnikoviae Radix. In this review, the relevant references on YPFS were searched in the Web of Science, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and other databases. Literatures published from 2000 to 2022 were screened and summarized. The constituents in YPFS could be classified into nine groups according to their structures, including flavonoids, saponins, essential oils, coumarins, lactones, amino acids, organic acids, saccharides, chromones and others. The importance of chemical constituents in YPFS were demonstrated for specific pathological processes including immunoregulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and pulmonary diseases. This article systematically reviewed the up-to-date information on its chemical compositions, pharmacology and safety, that could be used as essential data and reference for clinical applications of YPFS.

Network pharmacology and in vivo experiment-based strategy to investigate mechanisms of JingFangFuZiLiZhong formula for ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic inflammatory disease, often cause carcinogenesis, disability, and intestinal perforation. The JingFangFuZiLiZhong formula (JFFZLZ) shows a good effect against UC in the clinic. Hence, we aim to investigate the mechanisms between JFFZLZ and UC via network pharmacology data mining and in vivo experiments.

METHODS

We obtained active constituents and related targets from public databases. The overlapped genes between JFFZLZ and UC targets were further analysed by enrichment analysis. The active constituents and hub targets were used to construct molecule docking analysis. We finally screened out nine hub targets and their expressions were verified in the Gene Expression Omnibus database and UC rats' colon tissues after JFFZLZ treatment.

RESULTS

The results implied that JFFZLZ mainly regulated signal transduction, metabolites production, and inflammation pathways. The expression of STAT3, CXCL8, IL6, CXCL12, TNF, TP53, and PTPN11 were both upregulated in colon tissues of UC patients and UC rats. While RELA, EGFR, and TP53 were downregulated in UC patients, but upregulated in UC rats. Furthermore, JFFZLZ could repair UC rats' colon mucosal damage and promote the healing of ulcers via regulating the hub targets.

CONCLUSION

These results elucidated that the anti-UC effect of JFFZLZ was closely related to the inhibition of inflammatory response, inhibition of oxidative stress, and repairing colon mucosal damage through different signal pathways. The findings could contribute to a better understanding of the regulation mechanisms in JFFZLZ against UC.Key messagesJFFZLZ could reduce the inflammatory infiltration and repair UC rats' colon mucosal damage.Through the network pharmacology-based strategy and public database mining, we obtained the hub targets and key pathways between JFFZLF and UC.The mechanism of JFFZLZ against UC was inhibition of inflammatory response and oxidative stress by regulating the expression of the hub targets.

UPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of the herb composition of Tangshen formula and the in vivo pharmacokinetics of its metabolites in rat plasma

INTRODUCTION

Tangshen formula (TSF) is a traditional Chinese medicine composed of seven medicinal herbs including Astragalus membranaceus, Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch, Citrus aurantium L., etc. which is used to treat diabetic nephropathy III, IV qi and yin deficiency and stasis syndrome. Most of the studies on TSF are pharmacological and pharmacodynamic experiments. There are few basic studies on its chemical substances, and the effective constituents are not clear.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the main chemical components of TSF and the absorbed components in rat plasma following oral administration based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Moreover, providing a rapid and valid analytical strategy for simultaneous determination of six components in rat plasma and use it in pharmacokinetic studies.

RESULTS

A total of 132 components were identified in TSF, and 44 components were identified in rat plasma after oral TSF, 35 of which were prototype components and nine were metabolic components. A sensitive and reliable LC-MS/MS method was developed for simultaneous determination of six components in rat plasma. The intra-day and inter-day precision relative standard deviation (RSD) was lower than 15%; the accuracy of low, medium and high concentrations ranged from 80% to 120%. The recovery met the requirements and the RSD of the recoveries was less than 15%.

CONCLUSION

A total of 132 components were identified in TSF. The LC-MS/MS quantitative method for the simultaneous determination of morroniside, loganin, notoginsenoside R₁ , ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rb₁ and astragaloside IV in rat plasma was established for the first time. The pharmacokinetic parameters are clarified, which can guide the clinical medication of TSF.

Phytochemical Analysis Using UPLC-MS/MS Combined with Network Pharmacology Methods to Explore the Biomarkers for the Quality Control of Lingguizhugan Decoction

As a classic TCM prescription, LGZG has been widely used in clinical prevention and treatment of heart failure, nonalcoholic fatty liver, and hyperlipidemia. However, there are few studies on chemical components in recent years, and the basis of quality evaluation is not sufficient. This study was to find the active ingredients of the Lingguizhugan decoction using UPLC-MS/MS and network pharmacology. By comparing the retention time and MS dates of the reference and self-building database, the cleavage rules of chemical composition whose mass errors are less than 1 ppm(FL less than 3 ppm) are analyzed. On this basis, a network pharmacology method was used to find biomarkers for quantitative analysis. The results show that 149 compounds were preliminaries identified or inferred, including 63 flavonoids, 30 triterpenes, 22 phenylpropanoids, 13 organic acids, 6 lactones, 5 alkaloids, 4 anthraquinones, and 6 other compounds. According to the network pharmacology results, 20 chemical constituents were selected as the biomarkers, which were determined simultaneously for the first time, including poricoic acid A, poricoic acid B, glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritin apioside, cinnamic acid, caffeic acid, neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, B, and C, atractylenolide I, II, and III, and coumarin. The methodological results show that the linearity, stability, precision, repeatability, and recovery of the method are satisfactory. Therefore, a comprehensive quality assessment system for LGZG was established on the basis of a systematic study of chemical substances and network pharmacology, which provided an important reference for the foundation of pharmacological action and its mechanics.

Identification of Chemical Components of Qi-Fu-Yin and Its Prototype Components and Metabolites in Rat Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid via UPLC-Q-TOF-MS

Qi-Fu-Yin, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been used to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD, a neurodegenerative disorder) in clinical setting. In this study, the chemical components of Qi-Fu-Yin and its prototype components and metabolites in rat plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, after oral administration, were preliminarily characterized via ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). A total of 180 compounds, including saponins, flavonoids, organic acids, sucrose esters, oligosaccharide esters, phthalides, phenylethanoid glycosides, alkaloids, xanthones, terpene lactones, ionones, and iridoid glycoside, were tentatively characterized. For the first time, 51 prototypical components and 26 metabolites, including saponins, phthalides, flavonoids, sucrose esters, organic acids, alkaloids, ionones, terpene lactones, iridoid glycoside, and their derivatives, have been tentatively identified in the plasma. Furthermore, 10 prototypical components (including butylidenephthalide, butylphthalide, 20(S)-ginsenoside Rh₁, 20(R)-ginsenoside Rh₁, and zingibroside R₁) and 6 metabolites were preliminarily characterized in cerebrospinal fluid. These results were beneficial to the discovery of the active components of Qi-Fu-Yin anti-AD.

Comprehensive characterization and identification of chemical constituents in Yangwei decoction using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry

Yangwei decoction, a classical traditional Chinese medicine prescription, has been widely used to treat exogenous cold and internal injury with damp stagnation for many centuries. However, its systematic chemical profiling remains ambiguous, which has hampered the interpretation of pharmacology and the mechanism of its formula. In the present study, a ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry method was successfully established for the first time to separate and identify the complicated components of Yangwei decoction. The accurate mass data of the protonated molecules, deprotonated molecules, and fragment ions were detected in positive and negative ion modes. A total of 226 compounds in Yangwei decoction were tentatively identified and unambiguously characterized by comparing their retention times and mass spectrometry data with those of reference standards and literature, including 24 lignans, 18 alkaloids, 9 phenylpropanoid glycosides, 76 flavonoids, 59 triterpenoids, 17 organic acids, 7 gingerols, 8 lactones, and 8 other compounds. The present study provides a novel method of constituents characterization for well-known Chinese medicine prescriptions. The study aims to lay a robust foundation for future research, providing the holistic quality control and pharmacology of Yangwei decoction. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Discovery of minor quality evaluation marker compounds for Chinese patent medicine products using a two-leveled metabolomics strategy

Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) are popularly used in clinical practice. Though the composition is complex, the quality of CPM is usually evaluated by the contents of a few main compounds. In this study, a two-leveled metabolomics strategy was proposed to discover minor marker compounds for different CPM products. Zhenqi Fuzheng (ZQFZ) granule was studied an example, where 15 batches from 3 producers were analyzed. The samples were separated using UHPLC on an Acquity UPLC® HSS T3 column, and then detected using Q-Orbitrap-MS. In the first level, 1475 common peaks were extracted and 95 compounds were identified using diagnostic ions and a homemade database. In the second level, the data were subjected to a two-way hierarchical clustering analysis and screened by variable importance value. In total 14 marker compounds were discovered which were responsible for the grouping of different ZQFZ products. Echinacoside (22), oleoside (13), loganic acid (5), salidroside (7), ligustrosidic acid (42), 6α-hydroxygeniposide (28), and oleoside 11-methyl ester (15) could be used to reflect the quality difference for ZQFZ granule products. The proposed strategy could also contribute to the discovery of quality control markers for other CPMs.

Rapid characterization of the chemical constituents of Yinchen Wuling Powder by UPLC coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Yinchen Wuling Powder (YCWLP) is a classic Chinese medicine prescription with a long history and has been commonly used for treating jaundice hepatitis, liver fibrosis, hyperlipidemia and early diabetes in clinical applications. However, the chemical composition of YCWLP is still unclear. In order to obtain the chemical profile of YCWLP, a systematic ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (UPLC-FT-ICR-MS) method was developed in this study. As a result, a total of 138 compounds including terpenoid acids, organic acids, flavonoids, sesquiterpenes, coumarins and anthraquinones were identified by comparing the retention time, molecular ions and fragmentation behaviors with the reference compounds or the in-house database. This study comprehensively elucidated the chemical basis of YCWLP and provided a scientific basis for further quality control and pharmacology research.