Fingerprint analysis, multi-component quantitation, and antioxidant activity for the quality evaluation of Salvia miltiorrhiza var. alba by high-performance liquid chromatography and chemometrics

Screening of bioactive ingredients of Tsantan Sumtang in ameliorating H9c2 cells injury

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Tsantan Sumtang (TS), a traditional Tibetan medicine, has been used in the clinic for the treatment of myocardial ischemia (MI) for ages, however, the bioactive ingredients that are responsible for improving MI remain unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study investigated the chemical components of TS and their medicinal efficacies at cell levels, in order to expound the bioactive ingredients in TS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, a response-surface methodology was employed to determine the optimum ethanol reflux extraction process of polyphenols in TS (PTS) due to their close correlation with MI improvement. Second, a serum pharmacochemistry technique was used to analyze the compounds of PTS absorbed into the blood of rats. Third, hypoxia-, H₂O₂-, and adriamycin (ADM)-induced H9c2 cell injury models were used to investigate the cardioprotective effects of these compounds in vitro. Fourth, protective effects of isovitexin, quercitrin, and isoeugenol on mitochondrial function were further tested.

RESULTS

The optimum extraction conditions for obtaining PTS were an ethanol concentration of 78.22%, an extraction time of 67.4 min, and a material-liquid ratio of 1:72.60 mL/g. Serum pharmacochemistry analysis detected 21 compounds, of which 11 compounds were always present in the blood within 5 h. Cytotoxicity and the protective effect of 11 compounds in hypoxia-, H₂O₂-, and ADM-induced H9c2 cell injury models shown that isovitexin, quercitrin, and isoeugenol had almost no cytotoxicity, and they could elevate the survival rate in injured H9c2 cells. Furthermore, isovitexin, quercitrin, and isoeugenol could decrease mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) releasion, inhibite mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening, ameliorate the change of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) to exert mitochondrial protection effect.

CONCLUSION

Isovitexin, quercitrin, and isoeugenol exhibited cardioprotective effect at cell levles, these three compounds might be the bioactive ingredients in TS. These findings elucidate the pharmacodynamic substances and mechanisms of TS, guiding its clinical use.

Discrimination between Zingiberis Rhizoma Praeparatum and carbonised ginger by colour measurement and fingerprint analysis

INTRODUCTION

Zingiberis Rhizoma (ZR) has been used as a traditional Chinese herb and culinary food for thousands of years. Its two processed products, Zingiberis Rhizoma Praeparatum (ZRP) and carbonised ginger (CG), possess different therapeutic effects.

OBJECTIVES

To establish an objective and comprehensive method to differentiate ZRP from CG and to evaluate their qualities.

METHODOLOGY

Colour values of ZRP and CG were tested to establish the colour models by spectrophotometry. Moreover, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed for fingerprint and quantitative analysis, and chemometric approaches were applied to discriminate between ZRP and CG. Finally, Spearman's correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between the colour values and the peak areas of the common chemical compositions.

RESULTS

Colour reference ranges of colour parameters and mathematical functions were built to distinguish ZRP from CG. In fingerprint analysis, 26 common peaks were detected in these two processed products, among which 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 6-shogaol, 10-gingerol, 8-shogaol and 10-shogaol were identified. Meanwhile, ZRP could be differentiated from CG by chemometrics analysis. In addition, the correlation between colour parameters and common peak areas was found and the contents of 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 6-shogaol, 10-gingerol, and 8-shogaol were determined simultaneously.

CONCLUSIONS

An objective approach of colour measurement, HPLC fingerprint coupled with chemometrics analysis and quantitative assessment could be applied to discriminate ZRP from CG and evaluate the qualities of ZRP and CG rapidly.

Effects and mechanisms of Danshen-Shanzha herb-pair for atherosclerosis treatment using network pharmacology and experimental pharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The danshen (the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge.)-shanzha (the fruit of Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. major N.E.Br.) (DS) herb combination is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine with cardiovascular disease (CVD) treatment potential.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, we investigated the anti-atherosclerotic effects and mechanisms of DS by the integration of network pharmacology and polypharmacology. Eight main components were selected for target fishing by PharmMapper.

RESULTS

The network pharmacological study indicated that DS may target 41 proteins and 16 pathways associated with inflammation, lipid metabolism and endothelial protection, which indicates that DS probably adjusts these processes as part of its anti-atherosclerotic activities. Furthermore, this hypothesis was verified by polypharmacology using an atherosclerotic model. Histopathological examination showed that DS inhibited pathological changes in the arteries of atherosclerotic rats and reduced the intima-media thickness (IMT). DS significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and increased the high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) level in the blood. DS also decreased the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, indicating anti-inflammation activity. In addition, DS increased the serum levels of nitric oxide (NO) and 6-keto-prostaglandin F_1α (6-keto-PGF_1α) and decreased the serum levels of endothelin (ET) and thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂), indicating an endothelial protective effect.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, DS has an anti-atherosclerotic ability to lower lipid concentrations and to protect endothelial function, and it also has anti-inflammatory activity.

Bivariate Correlation Analysis of the Chemometric Profiles of Chinese Wild Salvia miltiorrhiza Based on UPLC-Qqq-MS and Antioxidant Activities

To better understand the mechanisms underlying the pharmacological actions of Salvia miltiorrhiza, correlation between the chemical profiles and in vitro antioxidant activities in 50 batches of wild S. miltiorrhiza samples was analyzed. Our ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis detected twelve phenolic acids and five tanshinones and obtained various chemical profiles from different origins. In a principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis, the tanshinones cryptotanshinone, tanshinone IIA and dihydrotanshinone I exhibited higher weights in PC1, whereas the phenolic acids danshensu, salvianolic acids A and B and lithospermic acid were highly loaded in PC2. All components could be optimized as markers of different locations and might be suitable for S. miltiorrhiza quality analyses. Additionally, the DPPH and ABTS assays used to comprehensively evaluate antioxidant activities indicated large variations, with mean DPPH and ABTS scavenging potencies of 32.24 and 23.39 μg/mL, respectively, among S. miltiorrhiza extract solutions. Notably, samples that exceeded the mean IC₅₀ values had higher phenolic acid contents. A correlation analysis indicated a strong correlation between the antioxidant activities and phenolic acid contents. Caffeic acid, danshensu, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid and salvianolic acid B were major contributors to antioxidant activity. In conclusion, phenolic compounds were the predominant antioxidant components in the investigated plant species. These plants may be sources of potent natural antioxidants and beneficial chemopreventive agents.

A network pharmacology-based strategy deciphers the underlying molecular mechanisms of Qixuehe Capsule in the treatment of menstrual disorders

BACKGROUND

QiXueHe Capsule (QXHC) is a Chinese patent drug that is extensively used for the treatment of menstrual disorders. However, its underlying pharmacological mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.

METHODS

A list of QXHC putative targets were predicted using MetaDrug. An interaction network using links between QXHC putative targets and the known therapeutic targets of menstrual disorders was constructed. QXHC candidate targets were also identified via calculating the topological feature values of nodes in the network. Additionally, molecular docking simulation was performed to determine the binding efficiency of QXHC compound-putative target pairs.

RESULTS

A total of 1022 putative targets were predicted for 311 chemical components containing in QXHC. Following the calculation of topological features of QXHC putative target-known therapeutic target of menstrual disorder network, 66 QXHC candidate targets for the treatment of menstrual disorders were identified. Functionally, QXHC candidate targets were significantly associated with several biological pathways, such as VEGF and Chemokine signaling pathways, Alanine/aspartate/glutamate metabolism, Long-term depression and T/B cell receptor signaling pathway. Moreover, molecular docking simulation demonstrated that there were 20 pairs of QXHC chemical component-candidate target had the strong binding free energy.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel and scientific network pharmacology-based study holistically deciphers that the pharmacological mechanisms of QXHC in the treatment of menstrual disorders may be associated with its involvement into hemopoiesis, analgesia, nutrients absorption and metabolism, mood regulation, as well as immune modulation.

Quality Evaluation and Chemical Markers Screening of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. (Danshen) Based on HPLC Fingerprints and HPLC-MSn Coupled with Chemometrics

Danshen, the dried root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., is a widely used commercially available herbal drug, and unstable quality of different samples is a current issue. This study focused on a comprehensive and systematic method combining fingerprints and chemical identification with chemometrics for discrimination and quality assessment of Danshen samples. Twenty-five samples were analyzed by HPLC-PAD and HPLC-MSⁿ. Forty-nine components were identified and characteristic fragmentation regularities were summarized for further interpretation of bioactive components. Chemometric analysis was employed to differentiate samples and clarify the quality differences of Danshen including hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and partial least squares discriminant analysis. Consistent results were that the samples were divided into three categories which reflected the difference in quality of Danshen samples. By analyzing the reasons for sample classification, it was revealed that the processing method had a more obvious impact on sample classification than the geographical origin, it induced the different content of bioactive compounds and finally lead to different qualities. Cryptotanshinone, trijuganone B, and 15,16-dihydrotanshinone I were screened out as markers to distinguish samples by different processing methods. The developed strategy could provide a reference for evaluation and discrimination of other traditional herbal medicines.

Capillary electrophoresis fingerprints combined with chemometric methods to evaluate the quality consistency and predict the antioxidant activity of Yinqiaojiedu tablet

The quality consistency of Yinqiaojiedu tablets (YQJDTs) was monitored by extracting their electrophoretic fingerprint and marker compound data that were obtained using capillary electrophoresis. To select the suitable background electrolyte, wing-shape method was proposed. A background electrolyte composed of 103.1 mM boric acid, 51.6 mM sodium borate, 9.8 mM disodium hydrogen phosphate, and 15.6 mM sodium dihydrogen phosphate was used to separate compounds. Under the optimized conditions, the content of three marker compounds was determined in 25 YQJDT samples. The capillary electrophoresis fingerprints were developed simultaneously, then 25 samples from two manufacturers were clearly divided into two clusters based on the principal component analysis. In fingerprint assessments, systematic quantified fingerprint method was adopted for integrative quality discrimination of YQJDTs from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives, by which the qualities of 25 samples were well differentiated. In addition, partial least squares model was established to explore fingerprint-efficacy relationship between the fingerprints and the antioxidant activities in vitro, providing clinically useful information for quality control. The proposed method was reliable and comprehensive, which could be used for a valuable reference to monitor the quality consistency of traditional Chinese medicines.