Qualitative and quantitative simultaneous determination of six marker compounds in Soshiho-tang by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS

Advances and challenges in ginseng research from 2011 to 2020: the phytochemistry, quality control, metabolism, and biosynthesis

Covering: 2011 to the end of 2020Panax species (Araliaceae), particularly P. ginseng, P. quinquefolius, and P. notoginseng, have a long history of medicinal use because of their remarkable tonifying effects, and currently serve as crucial sources for various healthcare products, functional foods, and cosmetics, aside from their vast clinical preparations. The huge market demand on a global scale prompts the continuous prosperity in ginseng research concerning the discovery of new compounds, precise quality control, ADME (absorption/disposition/metabolism/excretion), and biosynthesis pathways. Benefitting from the ongoing rapid development of analytical technologies, e.g. multi-dimensional chromatography (MDC), personalized mass spectrometry (MS) scan strategies, and multi-omics, highly recognized progress has been made in driving ginseng analysis towards "systematicness, integrity, personalization, and intelligentization". Herein, we review the advances in the phytochemistry, quality control, metabolism, and biosynthesis pathway of ginseng over the past decade (2011-2020), with 410 citations. Emphasis is placed on the introduction of new compounds isolated (saponins and polysaccharides), and the emerging novel analytical technologies and analytical strategies that favor ginseng's authentic use and global consumption. Perspectives on the challenges and future trends in ginseng analysis are also presented.

Research Progress on Quality Control Methods for Xiaochaihu Preparations

Xiaochaihu (XCH) is a classic Chinese medicine formula. XCH tablet, XCH granule, XCH capsule, and XCH effervescent tablet are included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. In this review, the formula and quality standards of XCH preparations at home and abroad were compared. The differences in manufacturing process of XCH preparations are discussed. The progress of research on the qualitative identification, quantitative detection and fingerprint chromatogram/specific chromatogram of XCH preparations was reviewed. The characteristic components of Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum Cum Zingibere Et Alumine and Jujubae Fructus was rarely analyzed for XCH preparations. It is suggested that the specificity of drug quality detection methods should be improved. Considering drug safety and drug efficacy, it is suggested to set the upper and lower limits of the content of saikosaponins. The standards for heavy metals and other limited items for XCH preparations are also suggested to be set.

Simultaneous Determination of 6-Shogaol and 6-Gingerol in Various Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) Extracts and Commercial Formulations Using a Green RP-HPTLC-Densitometry Method

Various analytical methodologies have been reported for the determination of 6-shogaol (6-SHO) and 6-gingerol (6-GIN) in ginger extracts and commercial formulations. However, green analytical methods for the determination of 6-SHO and 6-GIN, either alone or in combination, have not yet been reported in literature. Hence, the present study was aimed to develop a rapid, simple, and cheaper green reversed phase high-performance thin-layer chromatography (RP-HPTLC) densitometry method for the simultaneous determination of 6-SHO and 6-GIN in the traditional and ultrasonication-assisted extracts of ginger rhizome, commercial ginger powder, commercial capsules, and commercial ginger teas. The simultaneous analysis of 6-SHO and 6-GIN was carried out via RP-18 silica gel 60 F254S HPTLC plates. The mixture of green solvents, i.e., ethanol:water (6.5:3.5 v/v) was utilized as a mobile phase for the simultaneous analysis of 6-SHO and 6-GIN. The analysis of 6-SHO and 6-GIN was performed at λmax = 200 nm for 6-SHO and 6-GIN. The densitograms of 6-SHO and 6-GIN from traditional and ultrasonication-assisted extracts of ginger rhizome, commercial ginger powder, commercial capsules, and commercial ginger teas were verified by obtaining their single band at Rf = 0.36 ± 0.01 for 6-SHO and Rf = 0.53 ± 0.01 for 6-GIN, compared to standard 6-SHO and 6-GIN. The green RP-HPTLC method was found to be linear, in the range of 100-700 ng/band with R2 = 0.9988 for 6-SHO and 50-600 ng/band with R2 = 0.9995 for 6-GIN. In addition, the method was recorded as "accurate, precise, robust and sensitive" for the simultaneous quantification of 6-SHO and 6-GIN in traditional and ultrasonication-assisted extracts of ginger rhizome, commercial ginger powder, commercial capsules, and commercial ginger teas. The amount of 6-SHO in traditional extracts of ginger rhizome, commercial ginger powder, commercial capsules, and commercial ginger teas was obtained as 12.1, 17.9, 10.5, and 9.6 mg/g of extract, respectively. However, the amount of 6-SHO in ultrasonication-assisted extracts of ginger rhizome, commercial ginger powder, commercial capsules, and commercial ginger teas were obtained as 14.6, 19.7, 11.6, and 10.7 mg/g of extract, respectively. The amount of 6-GIN in traditional extracts of ginger rhizome, commercial ginger powder, commercial capsules, and commercial ginger teas were found as 10.2, 15.1, 7.3, and 6.9 mg/g of extract, respectively. However, the amount of 6-GIN in ultrasonication-assisted extracts of ginger rhizome, commercial ginger powder, commercial capsules, and commercial ginger teas were obtained as 12.7, 17.8, 8.8, and 7.9 mg/g of extract, respectively. Overall, the results of this study indicated that the proposed analytical technique could be effectively used for the simultaneous quantification of 6-SHO and 6-GIN in a wide range of plant extracts and commercial formulations.

Simultaneous Determination of Ten Constituents in Chaiqin Qingning Capsule by High-performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Triple-quadrupole Mass Spectrometry

Background:

Chaiqin Qingning Capsule (CQQNC) was a prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine with the effects of clearing away heat and removing toxin, harmonizing the exterior and interior, it was widely used in Asian, for example, China and Japan, different batches of the raws materials and different processing time may be the vital factor which raised a challenge to control the quality of the CQQNC.

Experimental Methods:

In this experiment, a high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/MS (HPLC-MS/MS) method was developed to simultaneously determine ten bioactive components for the quality control of CQQNC. Chromatographic separation was achieved using an XBridge BEH C18 column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 2.5 μm) with a mobile phase composed of 10 mm aqueous ammonium acetate and acetonitrile using a gradient elution in 20 min. This study was conducted by multiple reaction monitoring mode through electrospray ionization resource with a negative ionization mode.

Results:

The established method was validated with good performance of precision, accuracy, stability, and reproducibility and was utilized to simultaneously quantify ten constituents of CQQNC obtained from seven different batches.

Conclusion:

It is the first time to report the rapid and simultaneous analysis of the ten compounds in CQQNC by HPLC-MS/MS and apply to determine 10 constituents in 7 batches of CQQNC bought from drug store in china. This method could be considered as good quality criteria to control the quality of CQQNC.

SUMMARY

In this paper, a simple, specific, and rapid high-performance liquid chromatogram coupled with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry method for simultaneous quantification of ten constituents in Chaiqin Qingning Capsule has been developed for the first time. This method could be considered as good quality criteria to control the quality of CQQNC.

Abbreviations used: CHM: Chinese herbal medicine; TCM: Traditional Chinese Medicine; CQQNC: Triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry Chaiqin Qingning Capsules; HPLC–MS/MS: High liquid chromatography equipped with tandem mass spectrometry; ESI: Electrospray ionization; DP: Declustering potential; CE: Collision energy; RSD: Relative standard deviation; LOD: Limit of detection; LOQ: Limit of quantity.

Soshiho-Tang Aqueous Extract Exerts Antiobesity Effects in High Fat Diet-Fed Mice and Inhibits Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

Soshiho-tang (SST; sho-saiko-to in Japanese; xiaochaihu-tang in Chinese) has generally been used to improve liver fibrosis- and cirrhosis-related symptoms in traditional Korean medicine. Although many studies have investigated the pharmacological properties of SST, its antiobesity effect has not been elucidated. Thus, our present study was carried out to evaluate the antiobesity effect of SST using a high fat diet- (HFD) induced obese mouse model and 3T3-L1 adipose cells. C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6/group), normal diet (ND), HFD-fed group, and HFD- and SST-fed groups (S200: 200 mg/kg of SST; S600: 600 mg/kg of SST) and given HFD with or without SST extract for 8 weeks. 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were differentiated into adipocytes for 8 days with or without SST. In the HFD-fed obese mice, body weight and fat accumulation in adipose tissue were significantly reduced by SST administration. Compared with control-differentiated adipocytes, SST significantly inhibited lipid accumulation by decreasing the triglyceride (TG) content and leptin concentration in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. SST also decreased the expression of adipogenesis-related genes including lipoprotein lipase (LPL), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-alpha (C/EBP-α), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ). Our findings suggest that SST has potential as a nontoxic antiobesity medication.

Quantitation of eleven active compounds of Aidi injection in rat plasma and its application to comparative pharmacokinetic study

Aidi injection has been widely used for the treatment of colorectal cancer. The purpose of this study was to develop a sensitive and reliable method for simultaneous quantitation of 11 main active ingredients in Aidi injection and to compare the pharmacokinetics of these ingredients in normal and colorectal model cancer rats after tail vein injection. After being extracted by isopropanol-ethyl acetate (1:1, v/v), the plasma samples were analyzed with domperidone as internal standard. Then the analytes were separated on a Venusil MP C18 column with 0.15% formic acid and methanol. The detection was performed on HPLC-MS/MS system with turbo ion spray source in the positive ion and multiple reaction-monitoring mode. The assay was shown to be linear over the range of 0.004-4.0μgmL(-1) of syringin B, astragaloside II and isofraxidin; 0.01-10.0μgmL(-1) of calycosin-7-O-β-d-glucoside and astragaloside IV; 0.02-20.0μgmL(-1) of ginsenoside Rg1, Rb1, Rc and Rd; 0.04-40.0μgmL(-1) of syringin E; 0.06-60.0μgmL(-1) of ginsenoside Re. And the validated method has been successfully applied to compare pharmacokinetic profiles of the 11 ingredients in plasma. The pharmacokinetic results showed here were significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters for eight analytes between two groups after injection, while no significant differences for astragaloside II, astragaloside IV and ginsenoside Rc. The present study has the advantages of short analysis time and easy sample preparation, which could more comprehensively reflect the quality of Aidi injection in single run. The method proposed could be of great use for pharmacokinetics, bioavailability or bioequivalence studies of Aidi injection in biological samples.