Rapid classification and identification of chemical constituents in Epimedium koreanum Nakai by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with data post-processing techniques

Mechanism of action of Sambucus williamsii Hance var. miquelii in the treatment of osteoporosis analyzed by UHPLC-HRMS/MS combined network pharmacology and experimental validation

Sambucus williamsii Hance var. miquelii(SWH) is a precious wild Chinese herb whose fruit, rhizome, leaves and root bark can be used as medicine. Sambucus Linn has pharmacological effects such as anti-osteoporosis, promoting fracture healing, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory. In this study, the main chemical components of the alcoholic extracts from SWH were rapidly identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole orbit trap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC- HRMS MS), and a total of 42 compounds were characterized from the alcoholic extracts of SWH. The results of network pharmacological validation showed that kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin, isorhamnetin and morroniside were the main active components, and KEGG enrichment demonstrated that SWH mainly affected the signaling pathways such as PI3K-Akt, TNF and FoxO by modulating the related targets such as AKT1, PIK3R1, EGFR, RELA SRC and PTGS2. The molecular docking results showed binding solid activity between the main active components of SWH and the targets. The network pharmacology was validated by establishing an animal model of osteoporosis (OP) in rats by gavage administration of vitamin A acid. The results of the pharmacological experiments showed that SWH could improve the degree of bone loss in the femur of osteoporotic rats, increase the number of trabeculae and decrease trabeculae porosity, up-regulate the Ca and P content in the serum of OP rats, down-regulate the scope of ALP and BGP in the serum, and promote the calcification of the bone matrix, and then exert the anti-OP efficacy. In this study, network pharmacology and pharmacological experiments verified the pharmacological mechanism of SWH in anti-OP rats. This provides a theoretical basis for the research and development of anti-OP drugs and a reference for the application of other traditional Chinese medicines in treating OP diseases.

The Analysis of Leontopodium leontopodioides (Willd.) Beauv. Chemical Composition by GC/MS and UPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS

Leontopodium leontopodioides (Willd.) Beauv. (L. leontopodioides.) has been used to treat lung diseases in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, a systematic analysis of its chemical components has not been reported so far. In this study, UPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS and GC-MS were applied to investigate the chemical composition of the water extracts and essential oils of L. leontopodioides. UPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS adopts a heating electrospray ionization source, collecting primary and secondary mass spectrometry data in positive and negative ions, respectively, and uses Compound Discoverer 3.2 software to analyze the collected raw data. As a result, a total of 39 compounds were identified from their high-resolution mass spectra in both positive and negative ionization modes, including 13 flavonoids and their glycosides, 15 phenolic acids, 4 oligosaccharides and glycosides, 4 pentacyclic triterpenoids, and 3 other compounds. Among them, 18 chemical components have not been reported in L. leontopodioides. In the GC-MS section, two common organic solvents (n-hexane and diethyl ether) were used to extract essential oils, and the mass spectra were recorded at 70 eV (electron impact) and scanned in the range of 35∼450 m/z. Compounds were identified using NIST (version 2017), and the peak area normalization method was used to calculate their relative amounts. Finally, 17 components were identified in the volatile oil extracted with n-hexane, accounting for 80.38% of the total volatile oil, including monoterpenoids, phenylpropene, fatty acids, and aliphatic hydrocarbons. In the volatile oil extracted with diethyl ether, 16 components were identified, accounting for 73.50% of the total volatile oil, including phenylpropene, aliphatic hydrocarbons, monoterpenoids, fatty acids, and esters. This study was the first to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the chemical composition of the L. leontopodioides water extract and its essential oil, and a comprehensive chemical composition spectrum was constructed, to lay a foundation for its further pharmacodynamic material basis and quality evaluation.

Identification and Characterization of the Chemical Constituents of Qianlie Shule Capsules by UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS

BACKGROUND

The Qianlie Shule capsule is a classical Chinese medicine compound preparation frequently used in therapeutic settings to alleviate astringent pain in the urethra, prostatic hypertrophy, and chronic prostatitis or urinary frequency. However, a comprehensive analysis of the chemical composition of Qianlie Shule capsules has not been reported.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a quick and effective analytical method based on hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS) for the identification and characterization of chemical components in Qianlie Shule capsules.

METHOD

Using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry and data post-processing, the samples of Qianlie Shule capsules were examined. First, the whole extract of the Qianlie Shule capsules was separated using a UPLC machine, and the fragmentation data were collected in both positive and negative ion mode. The target molecule is then quickly identified by comparing the fragmentation information of the neutral loss (NLs) and characteristic fragments (CFs) reported in the literature.

RESULTS

A total of 145 chemical components were identified. It includes flavonoids, triterpenoids, phenylpropanoids, organic acids, alkaloids, phenylethanoids, iridoids, and anthraquinones.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is a method for the rapid qualitative analysis of the chemical composition of Qianlie Shule capsules, which provides a method for the rapid, sensitive, and high-throughput identification of the prescription components of Chinese medicine.

HIGHLIGHTS

Systematic identification of the chemical composition of QLSL capsules provides a theoretical basis for studying the substance basis of QLSL capsules and the improvement of the quality control level.

Rapid identification of chemical constituents and dynamic metabolic profile of Shenqi-Tiaoshen formula in rat plasma based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MSE

Shenqi-Tiaoshen formula (SQTSF) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription that has been employed in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Clinical practice has demonstrated that SQTSF is an effective prescription for stable COPD. However, owing to the complexity of TCM prescription, there is a lack of in-depth understanding of the chemical components of SQTSF and its in vivo metabolism studies. In this study, a comprehensive analytical strategy based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was established to identify the chemical components, the absorbed components, and the metabolites of SQTSF given by gavage in rats, and analyze their dynamic changes. As a result, 86 chemical components of SQTSF were characterized, which were mainly categorized into flavonoids, saponins, organic acids, terpenoids, etc. Among them, 13 compounds were confirmed unambiguously by reference standards. Furthermore, 20 prototype components and 46 metabolites were detected in rat plasma at different time points. It was found that one prototype component and thirteen metabolites could be detected during the entire 24 h, indicating that these compounds were slowly eliminated and thus accumulated in vivo over a prolonged duration. Interestingly, the phenomenon that three prototype components and fourteen metabolites reappeared after a period of disappearance from the plasma was found. It was also observed that different prototype components may generate the same metabolite. The metabolic processes of SQTSF in rats mainly included oxidation, reduction, hydration, demethylation, deglycosylation, methylation, acetylation, glucuronidation, glutathionylation, and associated combination reactions. Overall, the present study identified the chemical components of SQTSF and their dynamic metabolic profile in rat plasma, which provided a systematic and applicable strategy for screening and characterization of the prototype components and metabolites of TCM compound preparations.

Rapid identification and determination of chemical components of huai yam based on UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS and fragmentation patterns

Huai Yam (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) contains many active ingredients such as flavonoids, saponins, and amino acids. In this study, an efficient method for the classification and rapid identification of yam components was established based on UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS and data post-processing techniques. First, the mass spectrometry information including the characteristic fragmentations (CFs) and neutral losses (NLs) of yam reported in the literature were summarised and a database of compounds was established. Then, the mass spectrometry data detected by the yam sample are compared with those described in database for rapid identification of target compounds. Finally, 60 compounds were identified, including 18 flavones, 2 saponins, 10 amino acids, 7 organic acids, 3 carbohydrates, 8 fatty acids and 12 others. A new strategy for identifying target constituents based on CFs and NLs was successfully established, laying the foundation for further research on yam and promoting the development of composition analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Mechanism of Yixishu lotion in the treatment of vaginitis based on network pharmacology combined with experimental validation: an experimental research study

Objective

Yixishu lotion (YXSL) originates from the summary of traditional Chinese medicine clinical experience and constantly improves in practice in clinical validation of the exact efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine prescription. To explore the mechanism of YXSL in treating vaginitis and the potential mechanisms based on network pharmacology and experimental verification.

Methods

The active components and drug-related targets of YXSL were retrieved from the TCMSP (Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform) database, and the target was predicted by the UniProt database. Searching for genes related to 'vaginitis' disease in the GeneCards database, a total of 2581 drug targets were obtained. The interaction between proteins (PPI - protein-protein interaction) relationship was obtained by STRING database and visualized by Cytoscape software. Finally, the 'Bioconductor' installation package in R software was used to analyze the GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways of the target.

Results

In this study, by the method of network pharmacology, the key active components of YXSL were flavonoids such as quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol, luteolin, β-sitosterol; the main core proteins included MAPK14, TP53, FGF2, ESR1, MAPK3, MAPK1, VEGFA, JUN, IL-6, and the KEGG pathway was mainly involved in MAPK pathway, Th17 pathway, Malaria, TNF pathway, and other signaling pathways. Animal experiments showed that the clinical symptoms and vaginal tissue lesions of the YXSL group and the fluconazole group were improved, and the levels of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor alpha), IL-6 (interleukin-6), MDA (malondialdehyde), SOD (superoxide dismutase), IL-4, and IFN-γ (interferon-γ) in vaginal tissue and serum were better than the model group.

Conclusion

YXSL may achieve its therapeutic effect on vaginitis by reducing the inflammatory response, improving oxidative stress response, and improving body immunity, and it provides a theoretical basis for further research on its pharmacodynamic material basis and mechanism of action.

Rapid classification and identification of chemical constituents in Leonurus japonicus Houtt based on UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS combined with data post-processing techniques

Leonurus japonicus Houtt (LJH) is a bulk medicinal material commonly used in clinical practice, but its complex constituents have not been completely understood, posing challenges to pharmacology, pharmacokinetic research, and scientific and rational drug use. As a result, it is critical to develop an efficient and accurate method for classifying and identifying the chemical composition of LJH. In this study, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole electrostatic field-orbital trap high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS) was successfully established, along with two data post-processing techniques, characteristic fragmentations (CFs) and neutral losses (NLs), to quickly classify and identify the chemical constituents in LJH. As a result, 44 constituents of LJH were identified, including four alkaloids, 20 flavonoids, two phenylpropanoids, 17 organic acids, and one amino acid. The method in this paper enables classification and identification of chemical compositions rapidly, providing a scientific foundation for further research on the effective and toxic substances of LJH.

Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry coupled with three-step data post-processing techniques for comprehensive profiling of the multiple components in Fufang Xianzhuli Ye

INTRODUCTION

Fufang Xianzhuli (FXZL) Ye, a classical formula of traditional Chinese medicine, is composed of Succus Bambusae, Houttuyniae herba, Pinelliae Rhizoma, Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens, Eriobotryae Folium, Platycodonis Radix, and peppermint oil. For many years, FXZL has been primarily utilised in China to treat cough and phlegm. The chemical composition of FXZL has not been reported, which seriously affects the safety of the clinical application.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a systematic method for rapidly classifying and recognising the chemical constituents in the FXZL for the safety of the clinical application.

METHODS

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry coupled with a three-step data post-processing strategy was developed to screen the chemical constituents of FXZL.

RESULTS

In this experiment, the diagnostic ions in FXZL were classified into six main compounds. A total of 106 compounds were unambiguously identified in FXZL based on their retention times, accurate masses, and tandem mass spectrometry data. These include 11 chlorogenic acids, three flavonoids, eight sesquiterpenoids, six organic acids, 65 triterpenoid saponins, and 13 other compounds.

CONCLUSION

The chemical composition of FXZL was identified and summarised, providing useful information for quality control and a basis for further exploration of its active ingredients in vivo.

Dissection of the Active Ingredients and Potential Mechanism of Han-Shi-Yu-Fei-Decoction in Treating COVID-19 Based on In Vivo Substances Profiling and Clinical Symptom-Guided Network Pharmacology

This work was aimed to elucidate the mechanism of action of Han-Shi-Yu-Fei-decoction (HSYFD) for treating patients with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on clinical symptom-guided network pharmacology. Experimentally, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography technique coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was used to profile the chemical components and the absorbed prototype constituents in rat serum after its oral administration, and 11 out of 108 compounds were identified. Calculatingly, the disease targets of Han-Shi-Yu-Fei symptoms of COVID-19 were constructed through the TCMIP V2.0 database. The subsequent network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis explored the molecular mechanism of the absorbed prototype constituents in the treatment of COVID-19. A total of 42 HSYFD targets oriented by COVID-19 clinical symptom were obtained, with EGFR, TP53, TNF, JAK2, NR3C1, TH, COMT, and DRD2 as the core targets. Enriched pathway analysis yielded multiple COVID-19-related signaling pathways, such as the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and JAK-STAT pathway. Molecular docking showed that the key compounds, such as 6-gingerol, 10-gingerol, and scopoletin, had high binding activity to the core targets like COMT, JAK2, and NR3C1. Our work also verified the feasibility of clinical symptom-guided network pharmacology analysis of chemical compounds, and provided a possible agreement between the points of views of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine on the disease.

Rapid classification and identification of chemical components of Astragali radix by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacological studies indicate that Astragalus (AR) has various bioactivities, including anticancer, antiaging, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antioxidant activities. Flavonoids, saponins, amino acids, and polysaccharides are the main active components in AR. However, its complex chemical compositions bring certain difficulties to the analysis of this traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish a method for rapid classification and identification of the chemical constituents in AR.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a method for rapid classification and identification of the main components of flavonoids, saponins, and amino acids in AR.

METHODS

The samples were analysed with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and data post-processing techniques. Firstly, fragmentation information was obtained in the positive and negative ion modes. Then, to realize the rapid classification and identification of AR components, the characteristic fragmentations (CFs) and neutral losses (NLs) were compared with information described in the literature.

RESULTS

A total of 45 chemical constituents were successfully screened out, including 22 flavonoids, 13 saponins, and 10 amino acids.

CONCLUSION

The established method realised the efficient classification and identification of flavonoids, saponins, and amino acid compounds in AR, which provided a basis for further study on AR.

The Application of UHPLC-HRMS for Quality Control of Traditional Chinese Medicine

UHPLC-HRMS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry) is a new technique that unifies the application of UHPLC with HRMS. Because of the high sensitivity and good separation ability of UHPLC and the sensitivity of HRMS, this technique has been widely used for structure identification, quantitative determination, fingerprint analysis, and elucidation of the mechanisms of action of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) in recent years. This review mainly outlines the advantages of using UHPLC-HRMS and provides a survey of the research advances on UHPLC-HRMS for the quality control of TCMs.

Rapid Identification of Characteristic Chemical Constituents of Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, and Panax japonicus Using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS

Saponins are the main active components in Panax ginseng C. A. Mey. (PG), Panax quinquefolius L. (PQ), and Panax japonicus C. A. Mey. (PJ), which belong to the genus Panax in the Araliaceae family. Because the chemical components in the three species are similar, they are often mixed and misused in functional foods and pharmaceuticals applications. Therefore, it is urgent to establish a method to quickly distinguish among PG, PQ, and PJ. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was combined with data postprocessing to identify the main characteristic fragments (CFs) and the related neutral losses (NLs) of protopanaxadiol (PPD), protopanaxatriol (PPT), oleanolic acid (OLE), and ocotillol- (OCO-) type saponins. By comparing the mass spectral data, it was possible to rapidly classify and identify saponins in PG, PQ, and PJ. A total of twenty-three chemical components were identified in the PG samples, twenty-three components were identified in the PQ samples, and twenty-seven components were identified in the PJ samples. Among them, OCO-type saponins were characteristic of PQ and PJ. Ginsenoside Rf, which was absent from PQ, allowed for differentiation between PQ and PJ. The CFs and NLs in the mass spectra of the characteristic components of PG, PQ, and PJ allowed for the rapid classification and identification of these species. Additionally, these results provide technical support for the quality evaluation of Chinese herbal medicine and for constructing a scientific regulatory system.

Identification of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bge.) Regel and look-alike species by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry using multivariate statistical analysis

Pulsatillae Radix, the root of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bge.) Regel, is recorded in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China and has been widely used for its pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antitumor, and cardiovascular benefits. However, there are several look-alike species that can be marketed as Pulsatillae Radix. To distinguish Pulsatilla chinensis (Bge.) Regel from its look-alikes, viz. Pulsatilla cernua (Thunb.) Bercht et Opiz., Pulsatilla dahurica (Fisch.) Spreng., Anemone tomeutosa (Maxim.) Pei., and Rhaponticum uniflorum (L.) DC, we used ultra-performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry combined with principal component analysis to compare their chemical compositions. Four ions, a (RT 8.98 min, m/z 1381.6671), b (RT 10.64 min, m/z 1219.6143), c (RT 11.52 min, m/z 1217.5978), and d (RT 13.6 min, m/z 749.4463) from Pulsatillae chinensis (Bge.) Regel were identified as potential chemical markers to distinguish it from look-alike species using an unsupervised statistical model combined with orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis. The results of this study provide an effective method for identifying and distinguishing Pulsatilla chinensis (Bge.) Regel from similar plants. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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.

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.

Rapid characterization of the constituents in Jigucao capsule using ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Jigucao capsule is a well-known Chinese patent medicine for the treatment of acute and chronic hepatitis and cholecystitis. The chemical components of Jigucao capsule were not clear resulting from the paucity of relevant studies, which hindered the research of the pharmacological mechanism, the comprehensive development, and utilization of Jigucao capsule in clinical studies. By establishing a high-throughput ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry in combination with intelligent UNIFI software data processing platform to automatically characterize and identify the chemical profile of Jigucao capsule, 144 compounds were determined rapidly, including 34 terpenoids, 25 flavonoids, 22 steroids, 21 phenylpropanoids, 10 glycosides, six alkaloids, 13 organic acids, and other 13 components. These compounds may be the active components of Jigucao capsule. In this study, a rapid and robust method for comprehensively analyzing the chemical composition of Jigucao capsule was described and established for the first time. The results will provide a reference for the quality control of Jigucao capsule and the establishment of a higher quality standard, as well as for the pharmacodynamic material basis research.