Alkaloid profiling of the traditional Chinese medicine Rhizoma corydalis using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A strategy to distinguish similar traditional Chinese medicines by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, electronic senses, and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry: Marsdeniae tenacissimae Caulis and Paederiae scandens Caulis as examples

INTRODUCTION

Marsdeniae tenacissimae Caulis (MTC), a popular traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in the treatment of tumor diseases. Paederiae scandens Caulis (PSC), which is similar in appearance to MTC, is a common counterfeit product. It is difficult for traditional methods to effectively distinguish between MTC and PSC. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a rapid and accurate method to identify MTC and PSC.

OBJECTIVES

The aim is to distinguish between MTC and PSC by analyzing the differences in nonvolatile organic compounds (NVOCs), taste, odor, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

METHODS

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was utilized to analyze the NVOCs of MTC and PSC. Electronic tongue (E-tongue) and electronic nose (E-nose) were used to analyze their taste and odor respectively. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) was applied to analyze VOCs. Finally, multivariate statistical analyses were conducted to further investigate the differences between MTC and PSC, including principal component analysis, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, discriminant factor analysis, and soft independent modeling of class analysis.

RESULTS

The results of this study indicate that the integrated strategy of LC-MS, E-tongue, E-nose, GC-IMS, and multivariate statistical analysis can be effectively applied to distinguish between MTC and PSC. Using LC-MS, 25 NVOCs were identified in MTC, while 18 NVOCs were identified in PSC. The major compounds in MTC are steroids, while the major compounds in PSC are iridoid glycosides. Similarly, the distinct taste difference between MTC and PSC was precisely revealed by the E-tongue. Specifically, the pronounced bitterness in PSC was proven to stem from iridoid glycosides, whereas the bitterness evident in MTC was intimately tied to steroids. The E-nose detected eight odor components in MTC and six in PSC, respectively. The subsequent statistical analysis uncovered notable differences in their odor profiles. GC-IMS provided a visual representation of the differences in VOCs between MTC and PSC. The results indicated a relatively high relative content of 82 VOCs in MTC, contrasted with 32 VOCs exhibiting a similarly high relative content in PSC.

CONCLUSION

In this study, for the first time, the combined use of LC-MS, E-tongue, E-nose, GC-IMS, and multivariate statistical analysis has proven to be an effective method for distinguishing between MTC and PSC from multiple perspectives. This approach provides a valuable reference for the identification of other visually similar traditional Chinese medicines.

Exploring Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, Enzyme Inhibitory and Cytotoxic Properties of Glaucium acutidentatum Hausskn. & Bornm. from Turkey Flora: A Novel Source of Bioactive Agents to Design Functional Applications

The present study was performed to determine the chemical constituents, cytotoxicity, antioxidant and enzyme inhibition activities of the aerial parts of Glaucium acutidentatum Hausskn. and Bornm. (family Papaveraceae). Methanolic and aqueous extracts were prepared by maceration, homogenizer-assisted extraction (HAE) and infusion. Results showed that the highest total phenolic and flavonoids contents were obtained from the methanol extracts obtained by HAE (53.22 ± 0.10 mg GAE/g) and maceration (30.28 ± 0.51 mg RE/g), respectively. The aporphine, beznyltetrahydroisoquinoline, and protopine types of Glaucium alkaloids have been tentatively identified. Among them, glaucine was identified in all extracts. Flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, organic acids and fatty acids were also detected. Methanolic extract obtained using the HAE method displayed the highest anti-DPPH (41.42 ± 0.62 mg TE/g), total antioxidant (1.20 ± 0.17 mmol TE/g), Cu2+ (113.55 ± 6.44 mg TE/g), and Fe3+ (74.52 ± 4.74 mg TE/g) reducing properties. The aqueous extracts obtained by infusion and HAE methods exerted the best anti-ABTS (103.59 ± 1.49 mg TE/g) and chelating (19.81 ± 0.05 mg EDTAE/g) activities, respectively. Methanolic extract from HAE recorded the highest acetylcholinesterase (2.55 ± 0.10 mg GALAE/g) and α-amylase (0.51 ± 0.02 mmol ACAE/g) inhibition activities, while that obtained by maceration showed the best butyrylcholinesterase (3.76 ± 0.31 mg GALAE/g) inhibition activity. Both extracts revealed the best tyrosinase inhibitory activity (25.15 ± 1.00 and 26.79 ± 2.36 mg KAE/g, p ≥ 0.05). G. acutidentatum maceration-derived aqueous extract showed selective anticancer activity against cells originating from human hypopharyngeal carcinoma. In conclusion, these findings indicated that G. acutidentatum is a promising source of alkaloids and phenolic compounds for variable pharmaceutical formulations.

Metabolomics and transcriptomics reveal the mechanism of alkaloid synthesis in Corydalis yanhusuo bulbs

Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang is a traditional herb. Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are the main pharmacological active ingredients that play an important role in sedation, relieving pain, promoting blood circulation, and inhibiting cancer cells. However, there are few studies on the biosynthetic pathway of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids in Corydalis yanhusuo, especially on some specific components, such as tetrahydropalmatine. We carried out widely targeted metabolome and transcriptomic analyses to construct the biosynthetic pathway of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids and identified candidate genes. In this study, 702 metabolites were detected, including 216 alkaloids. Protoberberine-type and aporphine-type alkaloids are the main chemical components in C. yanhusuo bulbs. Key genes for benzylisoquinoline alkaloids biosynthesis, including 6-OMT, CNMT, NMCH, BBE, SOMT1, CFS, SPS, STOX, MSH, TNMT and P6H, were successfully identified. There was no significant difference in the content of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids and the expression level of genes between the two suborgans (mother-bulb and son-bulb). The expression levels of BIA genes in the expansion stage (MB-A and SB-A) were significantly higher than those in the maturity stage (MB-C and SB-C), and the content of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids was consistent with the pattern of gene regulation. Five complete single genes were likely to encode the functional enzyme of CoOMT, which participated in tetrahydropalmatine biosynthesis in C. yanhusuo bulbs. These studies provide a strong theoretical basis for the subsequent development of metabolic engineering of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (especially tetrahydropalmatine) of C. yanhusuo.

Chemical Characterization of Corydalis chaerophylla D.C. Extracts and Preliminary Evaluation of Their in Vitro and in Vivo Biological Properties

Genus Corydalis is a rich source of isoquinoline alkaloids reported to having potential bioactivities. Corydalis chaerophylla collected from Nepal at an altitude of 2400-4800 m was extracted using hexane, methanol and chloroform as solvents. The resulting hexane, methanol and chloroform extracts were subjected to LC-DAD-MSn analysis to yield fifteen different alkaloids. To assess any potential pharmacological properties, antimicrobial activity against two Gram-positive, two Gram-negative bacterial strains and one fungal strain was assessed, revealing significant inhibitive action of the methanol and chloroform extracts. Of the extracts obtained using chloroform contained the highest content of phenolic compounds at 113 mg GAE/g, while the highest total flavonoid content was found for the hexane extract with a value of 46.45 mg QE/g. The chloroform extract also exhibited a considerable antioxidant activity at IC50 value, 261.5±3 μg/mL, for the DPPH assay. Conversely, the methanol extract exhibited the highest LC50 value for Brine Shrimp cytotoxicity at 196±3 μg/mL being least potential for the test. The methanol extract was found to be the most active against α-amylase inhibition with an IC50 of 51.52±2 μg/mL. In an in vivo acute oral toxicity study against mice, methanol and chloroform extracts presented harmful effects with 1000.36 mg/kg BW and 515 mg/kg BW for LD50 , respectively. By analyzing all the results of the solvents used, the chloroform extract was found to be the most active, a feature that will be used in future isolation procedures and other pharmacological tests.

Deciphering the chemical profile and pharmacological mechanism of Jinlingzi powder against bile reflux gastritis using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q exactive focus mass spectrometry, network pharmacology, and molecular docking

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate the chemical profile and the pharmacological mechanism by which Jinlingzi powder (, JLZP) treats bile reflux gastritis (BRG).

METHODS

A BRG model was established in rats by oral administration of the model solution. JLZP was orally administered for 35 d. Residual gastric rate and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and gastrin levels in the serum were measured, and stomach tissues were collected for histopathological analysis. We used ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q Exactive Focus mass spectrometry to identify the chemical ingredients in JLZP. Then, protein-protein interaction and herb-compound-target networks were constructed to screen potential bioactive compounds and targets. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis was then performed to elucidate the pathway involved in the JLZP-mediated treatment of BRG. After constructing the core compound-target-pathway interaction network, molecular docking was performed to study the binding free energy of core bioactive compounds and two candidate targets [RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha isoform (PIK3CA)].

RESULTS

JLZP extracts significantly promoted gastric emptying, regulating the release of cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and improving gastrin secretion and mucosal repair. Fifty-six compounds were tentatively characterized in JLZP. Moreover, the network pharmacology and molecular docking results showed that alkaloids and flavonoids might be the bioactive compounds in JLZP that treat BRG. JLZP might improve mucosal repair during BRG progression by modulating the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase-protein kinase B, hypoxia inducible factor-1, mitogen-activated protein kinase, forkhead box O, TNF, and IL-17 signaling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

We elucidated the chemical constituents and the pharmacological mechanism of JLZP in treating BRG and provided a basis for clinical application.

Morphine Withdrawal-Induced Hyperalgesia in Models of Acute and Extended Withdrawal Is Attenuated by l-Tetrahydropalmatine

Effective pain control is an underappreciated aspect of managing opioid withdrawal, and its absence presents a significant barrier to successful opioid detoxification. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for effective non-opioid treatments to facilitate opioid detoxification. l-Tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP) possesses powerful analgesic properties and is an active ingredient in botanical formulations used in Vietnam for the treatment of opioid withdrawal syndrome. In this study, rats receiving morphine (15 mg/kg, i.p.) for 5 days per week displayed a progressive increase in pain thresholds during acute 23 h withdrawal as assessed by an automated Von Frey test. A single dose of l-THP (5 or 7.5 mg/kg, p.o.) administered during the 4th and 5th weeks of morphine treatment significantly improves pain tolerance scores. A 7-day course of l-THP treatment in animals experiencing extended withdrawal significantly attenuates hyperalgesia and reduces the number of days to recovery to baseline pain thresholds by 61% when compared to vehicle-treated controls. This indicates that the efficacy of l-THP on pain perception extends beyond its half-life. As a non-opioid treatment for reversing a significant hyperalgesic state during withdrawal, l-THP may be a valuable addition to the currently limited arsenal of opioid detoxification treatments.

A Study of the Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Michelia macclurei Dandy Heartwood: New Sources of Natural Antioxidants, Enzyme Inhibitors and Bacterial Inhibitors

The wood of Michelia macclurei Dandy (MD) is an excellent material that is widely used in the furniture, handicraft, and construction industries. However, less research has been conducted on the chemical composition and biological activity of heartwood, which is the main valuable part of the wood. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and biological activities of the heartwood of Michelia macclurei Dandy (MDHW) and to confirm the active ingredients. Triple quadrupole gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to characterize the volatile components of MDHW, while ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze the non-volatile components (UPLC-MS). The total reducing power, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assays, acetylcholinesterase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays, and an antimicrobial test of 4 gram bacteria were used to describe the in vitro bioactivities. The GC-MS analysis showed that the volatile components of MDHW were mainly fatty compounds and terpenoids, with sesquiterpenes and their derivatives dominating the terpene composition. β-elemene was the main terpene component in the steam distillation (11.88%) and ultrasonic extraction (8.2%) methods. A total of 67 compounds, comprising 45 alkaloids, 9 flavonoids, 6 lignans, and others, were found by UPLC-MS analysis. The primary structural kinds of the non-volatile components were 35 isoquinoline alkaloids. Alkaloids were the predominant active constituent in all MDHW extracts, including crude extracts, alkaloid fractions, and non-alkaloid fractions. These extracts all demonstrate some biological effects in terms of antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and bacterial inhibition. The findings of this study show that MDHW is abundant in chemical structure types, has great bioactivity assessment, and has the potential to be used to create natural antioxidants, products that postpone Alzheimer's disease and lower blood sugar levels and antibacterial agents.

Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Coptis chinensis Franch: Focus on Coptisine as a Potential Therapeutic Candidate against Gastric Cancer Cells

Gastric cancer (GC) has high incidence rates and constitutes a common cause of cancer mortality. Despite advances in treatment, GC remains a challenge in cancer therapy which is why novel treatment strategies are needed. The interest in natural compounds has increased significantly in recent years because of their numerous biological activities, including anti-cancer action. The isolation of the bioactive compounds from Coptis chinensis Franch was carried out with the Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC) technique, using a biphasic solvent system composed of chloroform (CHCl₃)—methanol (MeOH)—water (H₂O) (4:3:3, v/v) with an addition of hydrochloric acid and trietylamine. The identity of the isolated alkaloids was confirmed using a high resolution HPLC-MS chromatograph. The phytochemical constituents of Coptis chinensis such as berberine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine and coptisine significantly inhibited the viability and growth of gastric cancer cell lines ACC-201 and NCI-N87 in a dose-dependent manner, with coptisine showing the highest efficacy as revealed using MTT and BrdU assays, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed the coptisine-induced population of gastric cancer cells in sub-G1 phase and apoptosis. The combination of coptisine with cisplatin at the fixed-ratio of 1:1 exerted synergistic and additive interactions in ACC-201 and NCI-N87, respectively, as determined by means of isobolographic analysis. In in vivo assay, coptisine was safe for developing zebrafish at the dose equivalent to the highest dose active in vitro, but higher doses (greater than 10 times) caused morphological abnormalities in larvae. Our findings provide a theoretical foundation to further studies on more detailed mechanisms of the bioactive compounds from Coptis chinensis Franch anti-cancer action that inhibit GC cell survival in in vitro settings.

Identification of bioactive natural products using yeast：Application to monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor extraction from Corydalis Rhizoma

Identification of bioactive principles from natural products is considered a challenging task in drug discovery. Recently, ligand fishing has been growing in interest as a sustainable strategy. In this study, a yeast-based drug discovery strategy was investigated to screen and fish active ingredients from natural products. Human monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) was first displayed on the cell wall of Pichia pastoris. The expression of MAGL on the cell surface was confirmed by immunofluorescence analysis. The activity toward 7-HCA which was consistent with free enzymes in solution. Recombinant yeast strains were used to screen the potential inhibitors from traditional Chinese medicines. Preliminary screening showed that the extracts of 12 herbs showed inhibition on MAGL activity, among which Corydalis Rhizoma had the highest inhibition rate of 60.66 ± 2.44%. Recombinant yeast fishing combined with HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis was further used to identify the potential MAGL inhibitors. Finally, dehydrocorydaline (DHC) in Corydalis Rhizoma was determined as a ligand to MAGL with the IC₅₀ value at 154.7 μΜ. Corydalis Rhizoma has been used as a pain reliever in TCM. Intraperitoneal injection of 7 mg kg^- 1 DHC in chronic constriction injury model rats significantly attenuated the mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. Meanwhile, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, the major MAGL substrate in the brain, was significantly increased both in the hippocampus and striatum. In conclusion, yeast-based ligand fishing combined with HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS is a powerful strategy for drug discovery in complex mixtures and DHC from Corydalis Rhizoma was confirmed with high inhibitory activity to MAGL either in vitro or in vivo .

Ion pair-based mobile phase additives to improve the separation of alkaloids in supercritical fluid chromatography

In this study, a supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) method based on ion pair reagents was used to separate alkaloids. The chromatographic parameters, including the stationary phase, additive type, additive concentration, outlet pressure, temperature and flow rate, were optimized. Baseline separation was completed in 20 min on an Agilent Pursuit 5 PFP column (4.6 × 150 mm) using carbon dioxide as the mobile phase and 7.5 mM sodium 1-pentanesulfonate as an additive with gradient elution at 140 bar, 60 °C, and a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min. The retention rate and resolution of the analytes were satisfactory. The limits of detection were 27.04-298.03 ng/mL, and the limits of quantification were 90.15-993.42 ng/mL. The recoveries of low and high concentrations were 77.46-111.86% and 83.84-111.00%, respectively. This ion pair additive greatly improved the separation efficiency of alkaloids. Consequently, this SFC method was successfully applied to the separation of alkaloids from Rhizoma corydalis.

An integrated two-step filtering strategy of collision cross-section interval predicting and mass defect filtering for targeted identification of analogues in herbal medicines using liquid chromatography-ion mobility-mass spectrometry

Rapid identification of chemical analogues in herbal medicines using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was an efficient tool for discoveries of potentially active ingredients. Multi-dimensional combination of various separation technologies could significantly enhance the capacities for detection of trace components and discrimination of multiple isomers. In this study, an integrated two-step filtering strategy on liquid chromatography-ion mobility tandem with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-IM-QTOF MS) was developed for identification of analogues in complex matrixes. The extracted raw data were preliminarily filtered by a collision-cross section (CCS) interval generated from power regression with confidence level at 99% for prediction of analogues. Then, the remained ions were further screened using a mass defect filtering (MDF) window based on m/z and decimal m/z of potential skeletons and substituents. By applying this strategy, 86, 102, 73, and 57 isoquinoline alkaloids were identified in herbal materials of Coptis chinensis Franch (CC), C. deltoidea C.Y.Cheng et Hsiao (CD), C. teeta Wall (CT), and Corydalis yanhusuo W.T.Wang (CY). The integrated two-step filtering presented higher efficiencies on exclusion of the background interference and reducing the false-positive rates than previously reported approaches. This study facilitated the application of LC-IM-MS on small molecular analysis and promoted the discoveries of bioactive components of herbal medicines for further pharmacological researches and quality control.

An integrated strategy for the establishment of a protoberberine alkaloid profile: Exploration of the differences in composition between Tinosporae radix and Fibraurea caulis

INTRODUCTION

Accurate species and content identification of major active components in herbals are the guarantee of the safety and effectiveness for medical and commodity purposes.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, an integrated strategy used to establish the protoberberine alkaloid profile was applied to explore the differences in composition between the pieces of Tinosporae radix and Fibraurea caulis, both of which had morphological similarities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, an in-house library including possible protoberberine alkaloids based on different substituents was predicted by systematic literature survey. Meanwhile, diagnostic fragments of protoberberine alkaloids were investigated using the corresponding standards. Second, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) was used to obtain multidimensional mass spectral data. Then, the identifications were confirmed by targeted filter of the acquired data based on the library.

RESULTS

As a result, 10 protoberberine alkaloid molecules including 46 isomers were identified or characterised. The qualitative distribution and relative content of protoberberine alkaloids revealed the fundamental difference between Tinosporae radix and Fibraurea caulis. 25 alkaloids were present in both herbals, while five compounds were detected only in Tinosporae radix. Furthermore, the contents of four alkaloids in Tinosporae radix were significantly higher than those in its adulterant, Fibraurea caulis.

CONCLUSION

The five unique ingredients in Tinosporae radix can be used as a better indicator for distinguishing the pieces of Tinosporae radix and Fibraurea caulis. The protoberberine alkaloid profile established in this study can be applied to quality evaluation of the two herbals or other herbals containing major protoberberine alkaloids.

Development of validated UHPLC–PDA with ESI–MS-MS method for concurrent estimation of magnoflorine, berbamine, columbamine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine and berberine in Berberis aristata

A validated UHPLC-PDA with an ESI-MS/MS method has been developed for simultaneous estimation of six bioactive alkaloids (magnoflorine, berbamine, columbamine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine and berberine) in the different extracts of the roots of Berberis aristata DC (Family:Berberdiaceae). It is an important medicinal herb native to Northern Himalaya and commonly known as ‘daruharidra’, ‘daruhaldi’, ‘Indian barberry’ or ‘tree turmeric’. An insight into the research literature uncovered reports on isoquinoline alkaloids like magnoflorine, berbamine, columbamine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, and berberine as major bioactives in B. aristata roots, possessing different pharmacological and therapeutic effects. In the present study, these aforementioned alkaloids were separated on Phenomenex Luna®, 5 µm-C8 analytical column. The HPLC-MS analysis was performed at a flow rate of 0.90 mL min−1. Each alkaloid that is resolved was characterized by precursor ions and fragment ions with electrospray ionization (ESI) source in both positive and negative ionization using scan mode. The limit of detections (LODs) were 0.087, 0.727, 0.035, 0.124, 0.782 and 0.794 μg mL−1 for magnoflorine, berbamine, columbamine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine and berberine, respectively. The proposed UHPLC-PDA method was fully validated according to international (ICH) guidelines and was found to be selective, sensitive and highly accurate for the concomitant estimation of the aforementioned symbolic bio-markers of B. aristata roots.

Rapid Quality Identification of Decoction Pieces of Crude and Processed Corydalis Rhizoma by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Coupled with Chemometrics

In order to identify the quality of crude and processed Corydalis Rhizoma decoction pieces, the research established a simple, fast, reliable, and validated near-infrared qualitative and quantitative model combined with chemometrics. 51 batches of crude and 40 batches of processed Corydalis Rhizoma from the Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces of China were collected and analyzed. Crude and processed Corydalis Rhizoma samples were crushed to obtain NIR spectra. The content of seven alkaloids in crude and processed Corydalis Rhizoma was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Pretreatment methods were screened such as normalization methods, offset filtering methods, and smoothing. Combined with partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and partial least squares (PLS), the qualitative and quantitative models of crude and processed Corydalis Rhizoma were established, and the correlation coefficient (R ²), root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC), and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) were used as evaluation indexes. Tetrahydropalmatine was used as an example for screening pretreatment methods; the results showed that MSC combined with the second derivative and no smoothing and the model with the wavelength range of 10000-5000 cm^-1 had the best predictive ability and applied to all seven alkaloid components. Among them, the correlation coefficients were all higher than 0.99, and RMSEC and RMSEP were all less than 1%. The qualitative and quantitative model of the seven alkaloids in Corydalis Rhizoma can effectively identify the crude and processed Corydalis Rhizoma and determine the content of the seven alkaloids. By studying the NIR qualitative and quantitative models of crude and processed Corydalis Rhizoma, we can achieve rapid discrimination and quantitative prediction of crude and processed Corydalis Rhizoma. These methods can greatly improve the efficiency of traditional Chinese medicine analysis and provide a strong scientific basis for the quality identification and control of traditional Chinese medicine.

Integration of full-length transcriptomics and targeted metabolomics to identify benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes in Corydalis yanhusuo

Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang is a classic herb that is frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine and is efficacious in promoting blood circulation, enhancing energy, and relieving pain. Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are the main bioactive ingredients in Corydalis yanhusuo. However, few studies have investigated the BIA biosynthetic pathway in C. yanhusuo, and the biosynthetic pathway of species-specific chemicals such as tetrahydropalmatine remains unclear. We performed full-length transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to identify candidate genes that might be involved in BIA biosynthesis and identified a total of 101 full-length transcripts and 19 metabolites involved in the BIA biosynthetic pathway. Moreover, the contents of 19 representative BIAs in C. yanhusuo were quantified by classical targeted metabolomic approaches. Their accumulation in the tuber was consistent with the expression patterns of identified BIA biosynthetic genes in tubers and leaves, which reinforces the validity and reliability of the analyses. Full-length genes with similar expression or enrichment patterns were identified, and a complete BIA biosynthesis pathway in C. yanhusuo was constructed according to these findings. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a total of ten enzymes that may possess columbamine-O-methyltransferase activity, which is the final step for tetrahydropalmatine synthesis. Our results span the whole BIA biosynthetic pathway in C. yanhusuo. Our full-length transcriptomic data will enable further molecular cloning of enzymes and activity validation studies.

Neural bases for attenuation of morphine withdrawal by Heantos-4: role of l-tetrahydropalmatine

Severe withdrawal symptoms triggered by cessation of long-term opioid use deter many individuals from seeking treatment. Opioid substitution and α2-adrenergic agonists are the current standard of pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder in western medicine; however, each is associated with significant complications. Heantos-4 is a non-opioid botanical formulation used to facilitate opioid detoxification in Vietnam. While ongoing clinical use continues to validate its safety and effectiveness, a mechanism of action accounting for these promising effects remains to be specified. Here, we assess the effects of Heantos-4 in a rat model of morphine-dependence and present evidence that alleviation of naloxone-precipitated somatic withdrawal signs is related to an upregulation of mesolimbic dopamine activity and a consequent reversal of a hypodopaminergic state in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region implicated in opioid withdrawal. A central dopaminergic mechanism is further supported by the identification of l-tetrahydropalmatine as a key active ingredient in Heantos-4, which crosses the blood–brain barrier and shows a therapeutic efficacy comparable to its parent formulation in attenuating withdrawal signs. The anti-hypodopaminergic effects of l-tetrahydropalmatine may be related to antagonism of the dopamine autoreceptor, thus constituting a plausible mechanism contributing to the effectiveness of Heantos-4 in facilitating opioid detoxification.

Advances in phytochemical and modern pharmacological research of Rhizoma Corydalis

ABSRACTContext: Rhizoma Corydalis (RC) is the dried tubers of Corydalis yanhusuo (Y. H. Chou and Chun C. Hsu) W. T. Wang ex Z. Y. Su and C. Y. Wu (Papaveraceae). Traditionally, RC is used to alleviate pain such as headache, abdominal pain, and epigastric pain. Modern medicine shows that it has analgesic, anti-arrhythmia, and other effects.Objective: We provided an overview of the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of RC as a foundation for its clinical application and further research and development of new drugs.Methods: We collected data of various phytochemical and pharmacological effects of RC from 1982 to 2019. To correlate with existing scientific evidence, we used Google Scholar and the journal databases Scopus, PubMed, and CNKI. 'Rhizoma Corydalis', 'phytochemistry', and 'pharmacological effects' were used as key words.Results: Currently, more than 100 chemical components have been isolated and identified from RC, among which alkaloid is the pimary active component of RC. Based on prior research, RC has antinociceptive, sedative, anti-epileptic, antidepressive and anti-anxiety, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect, drug abstinence, anti-arrhythmic, antimyocardial infarction, dilated coronary artery, cerebral ischaemia reperfusion (I/R) injury protection, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, antigastrointestinal ulcer, liver protection, antimicrobial, anti-inflammation, antiviral, and anticancer effects.Conclusions: RC is reported to be effective in treating a variety of diseases. Current pharmacological studies on RC mainly focus on the nervous, circulatory, digestive, and endocrine systems, as well as drug withdrawal. Although experimental data support the beneficial effects of this drug, its physiological activity remains a concern. Nonetheless, this review provides a foundation for future research.

J, Unnithan JK, K.M. P, Balachandran I. Identification of suitable substitute for Sarpagandha (Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz) by phytochemical and pharmacological evaluation

Background

Sarpagandha is an important Ayurveda drug used for treating many diseases including high blood pressure. Rauvolfia serpentina is the genuine source plant for Sarpagandha and it is a critically endangered species belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The present study is aimed at finding out an appropriate substitute for the endangered species R. serpentina by evaluating the phytochemistry and biological activities of allied species such as Rauvolfia tetraphylla L, Rauvolfia hookeri S.R.Sriniv. & Chithra, Rauvolfia micrantha Hook.f., and Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill.

Results

The result indicated that the root of R. serpentina is phytochemically similar with that of R. tetraphylla. Chemical profiling using HPTLC showed similar chemical profiles for R. serpentina and R. tetraphylla. LC/MS characterization of various species showed that most of the active alkaloids are common for both R. serpentina and R. tetraphylla. Anti-hypertensive activity and analgesic activity were evaluated in experimental animal model. Rauvolfia serpentina and R. tetraphylla showed comparatively significant reduction in systolic and diastolic pressure. Comparable analgesic activity was also shown by R. serpentina and R. tetraphylla.

Conclusion

On the basis of phytochemical and pharmacological evaluation, it was concluded that the root of R. tetraphylla can be used as a validated substitute for Sarpagandha.

Graphical abstract

Characterization of aporphine alkaloids by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculations

RATIONALE

Aporphine alkaloids represent a large group of isoquinoline natural products with important roles in biological and biomedical areas. Their characterization by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) can contribute to their rapid identification in complex biological matrices.

METHODS

We report the fragmentation of protonated 7,7-dimethylaporphine alkaloids by ESI-MS/MS, and the putative annotation of aporphine alkaloids in plant extracts. We used low- and high-resolution MS/MS analyses to rationalize the fragmentation pathways, and employed the B3LYP/6-31 + G(d,p) density functional theory (DFT) model to provide thermochemical parameters and to obtain the reactive sites.

RESULTS

DFT calculations of a set of 7,7-dimethylaporphine alkaloids suggested the heterocyclic amino group as the most basic site due to the proton affinity of the nitrogen atom. Collision-induced dissociation experiments promoted ^• OCH₃ elimination instead of the expected neutral loss of the heterocyclic amino group, pointing to the [M - 15 + H]^•+ ion as the diagnostic fragment for 7,7-dimethylaporphine alkaloids. The analysis of plant extracts led to the annotation of 25 aporphine alkaloids. Their fragmentation initiated with the loss of the amino group followed by formation of a cyclic carbocation. Further reactions derived from consecutive charge-remote and/or charge-induced fragmentations of the substituents attached to the aromatic system. The mechanisms were re-examined based on plausible gas-phase ion chemistry reactions.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, the diagnostic product ions and the series of radical and neutral eliminations provided information about the location of methylenedioxy, aromatic methoxy, and vicinal methoxy and hydroxy groups in aporphine alkaloids, assisting their characterization via MS/MS.

Determination of Selected Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Mahonia Aquifolia; Meconopsis Cambrica; Corydalis Lutea; Dicentra Spectabilis; Fumaria Officinalis; Macleaya Cordata Extracts by HPLC-DAD and Comparison of Their Cytotoxic Activity

Alkaloids have protective functions for plants and can play an important role in living organisms. Alkaloids may have a wide range of pharmacological activities. Many of them have cytotoxic activity. Nowadays, cancer has become a serious public health problem. Searching for effective drugs with anticancer activity is one of the most significant challenges of modern scientific research. The aim of this study was the investigation of cytotoxic activity of extracts obtained from Corydalis lutea root and herb, Dicentra spectabilis root and herb, Fumaria officinalis, Macleaya cordata leaves and herb, Mahonia aquifolia leaves and cortex, Meconopsis cambrica root and herb on FaDu, SCC-25, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. The cytotoxic activity of these extracts has not been previously tested for these cell lines. The aim was also to quantify selected alkaloids in the investigated extracts by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The analyses of alkaloid content were performed using HPLC in reversed phase (RP) mode using Polar RP column and mobile phase containing acetonitrile, water and ionic liquid (IL). Cytotoxic effect of the tested plant extracts and respective alkaloid standards were examined using human pharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells (FaDu), human tongue squamous carcinoma cells (SCC-25), human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7), human triple-negative breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MDA-MB-231). All investigated plant extracts possess cytotoxic activity against tested cancer cell lines: FaDu, SCC-25, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231. The highest cytotoxic activity against FaDu, SCC-25, and MCF-7 cell lines was estimated for Macleaya cordata leaf extract, while the highest cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 cell line was obtained for Macleaya cordata herb extract. Differences in cytotoxic activity were observed for extracts obtained from various parts of investigated plants. In almost all cases the cytotoxic activity of investigated plant extracts, especially at the highest concentration against tested cell lines was significantly higher than the activity of anticancer drug etoposide. Our investigations exhibit that these plant extracts can be recommended for further in vivo experiments to confirm their anticancer activity.

Quantitative Analyses of the Functional Constituents in SanYangSam and SanYangSanSam

Objective

SanYangSam and SanYangSanSam are traditional Korea-medical herbs that are grown from Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. In our previous studies, we found that the functional compounds in SanYangSam and SanYangSanSam were different and depended on the type and the cultivation environment of ginseng. This study aimed to profile the functional constituents in SanYangSam and SanYangSanSam.

Methods

To profile the functional aspects of the many compounds that have therapeutic activities in SanYangSam and SanYangSanSam extracts, we used liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and quadrupole orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Results

A total of four major compounds were detected; two of which were the natural flavonoids kaempferol and quercetin. Among others, two polyacetylene compounds, including panaxydol and panaxynol, were detected.

Conclusion

In this study, we found that panaxydol, one of the polyacetylene constituents of ginseng, is a candidate anti-cancer agent in SanYangSam and SanYangSanSam pharmacopuncture. In addition, we found that the panaxydol levels in the SanYangSanSam extract were over 30 times those in the SanYangSam extract.

Alkaloids Profiling of Fumaria capreolata by Analytical Platforms Based on the Hyphenation of Gas Chromatography and Liquid Chromatography with Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Two analytical platforms, gas chromatography (GC) coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight (QTOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and reversed-phase ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to diode array (DAD) and QTOF detection, were applied in order to study the alkaloid profile of Fumaria capreolata. The use of these mass analyzers enabled tentatively identifying the alkaloids by matching their accurate mass signals and suggested molecular formulae with those previously reported in libraries and databases. Moreover, the proposed structures were corroborated by studying their fragmentation pattern obtained by both platforms. In this way, 8 and 26 isoquinoline alkaloids were characterized using GC-QTOF-MS and RP-UHPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS, respectively, and they belonged to the following subclasses: protoberberine, protopine, aporphine, benzophenanthridine, spirobenzylisoquinoline, morphinandienone, and benzylisoquinoline. Moreover, the latter analytical method was selected to determine at 280 nm the concentration of protopine (9.6 ± 0.7 mg/g), a potential active compound of the extract. In conclusion, although GC-MS has been commonly used for the analysis of this type of phytochemicals, RP-UHPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS provided essential complementary information. This analytical method can be applied for the quality control of phytopharmaceuticals containing Fumaria extracts currently found in the market.

Chinese Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Drug Addiction

This chapter summarizes recent developments in preclinical and clinical research on Chinese herbal medicines and their neurochemical mechanism of action for the treatment of drug addiction. We searched Chinese and English scientific literature and selected several kinds of Chinese herbal medicines that have beneficial effects on drug addiction. Ginseng (Renshen) may be clinically useful for the prevention of opioid abuse and dependence. Rhizoma Corydalis (Yanhusuo) may be used to prevent relapse to chronic drug dependence. Alkaloids of Uncaria rhynchophylla (Gouteng) appear to have positive effects on methamphetamine and ketamine addiction. Both Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) and Radix Pueraiae (Gegen) have beneficial inhibitory effects on alcohol intake. Sinomenine has been shown to have preventive and curative effects on opioid dependence. l-Stepholidine, an alkaloid extract of the Chinese herb Stephania intermedia (Rulan), attenuated the acquisition, maintenance, and reacquisition of morphine-induced conditioned place preference and antagonized the heroin-induced reinstatement of heroin seeking. Traditional Chinese herbal medicines may be used to complement current treatments for drug addiction, including withdrawal and relapse. As the molecular mechanisms of action of traditional Chinese herbal medicines are elucidated, further advances in their use for the treatment of drug addiction are promising.

Applying target data screening followed by characteristic fragment filtering for the comprehensive screening and identification of alkaloids in Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang by UPLC-Q-TOF/MSE

A target data screening strategy followed by characteristic fragment filtering by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS^E was developed for rapidly and comprehensively identifying alkaloids in Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang (Yanhusuo).

In vitro metabolism of l-corydalmine, a potent analgesic drug, in human, cynomolgus monkey, beagle dog, rat and mouse liver microsomes

l-Corydalmine (l-CDL) was under development as an oral analgesic agent, exhibiting potent analgesic activity in preclinical models. The objective of this study was to compare metabolic profiles of l-CDL in liver microsomes from mouse, rat, monkey, dog and human. Six metabolites (M1-M6) were identified using LC-Q/TOF in liver microsomes from the five species. The metabolism of l-CDL included O-demethylation (M1-3) and hydroxylation (M4-6). The desmethyl metabolites were the major ones among the five species, which accounted for more than 84%. Data from chemical inhibition in human liver microsomes (HLM) and human recombinant CYP450s demonstrated that CYP2D6 exhibited strong catalytic activity towards M1 and M2 formations, while CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 also catalyzed M2 formation. Formations of M3 and hydroxyl metabolites (M4 and M5) were mainly catalyzed by CYP3A4. Further studies showed that M1 and M2 were main metabolites in HLM. The kinetics of M1 and M2 formations in HLM and recombinant CYP450s were also investigated. The results showed that M1 and M2 formations in HLM and recombinant CYP2D6 characterized biphasic kinetics, whereas sigmoid Vmax model was better used to fit M2 formation by recombinant CYP2C9 and CYP2C19. The contributions of CYP2D6 to M1 and M2 formations in HLM were estimated to be 75.3% and 50.7%, respectively. However, the contributions of CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 to M2 formation were only 5.0% and 4.1%, respectively. All these data indicated that M1 and M2 were main metabolites in HLM, and CYP2D6 was the primary enzyme responsible for their formations.

Analysis of phytochemical variations in dioecious Tinospora cordifolia stems using HPLC/QTOF MS/MS and UPLC/QqQLIT -MS/MS

INTRODUCTION

The stem of dioecious Tinospora cordifolia (Menispermaceae) is a commonly used traditional Ayurvedic medicine in India having several therapeutic properties.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate LC-MS methods for the identification and simultaneous quantitation of various secondary metabolites and to study metabolomic variations in the stem of male and female plants.

METHODS

Ethanolic extract of stems were analysed by HPLC/ESI-QTOF-MS/MS for rapid screening of bioactive phytochemicals. High resolution MS and MS/MS in positive ESI mode were used for structural investigation of secondary metabolites. An UPLC/ESI-QqQ(LIT) -MS/MS method in MRM mode was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantitation of five bioactive alkaloids.

RESULTS

Identification and characterisation of 36 metabolites including alkaloids, sesquiterpenes and phytoecdysteroids were performed using LC-MS and MS/MS techniques. The bioactive alkaloids such as jatrorrhizine, magnoflorine, isocorydine, palmatine and tetrahydropalmatine were successfully quantified in male and female plants. The mean abundances of magnoflorine jatrorrhizine, and oblongine were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in male plants while mean abundances of tetrahydropalmatine, norcoclaurine, and reticuline were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in female plants.

CONCLUSIONS

Phytochemicals in the stem of male and female Tinospora cordifolia showed significant qualitative and quantitative variations. LC-MS and MS/MS methods can be used to differentiate between male and female plants based on their chemical profiles and quantities of the marker bioactive alkaloids. This chemical composition difference was also evident during vegetative stage when there were no male and female flowers.

Identification and developmental expression profiling of putative alkaloid biosynthetic genes in Corydalis yanhusuo bulbs

Alkaloids in bulbs of Corydalis (C.) yanhusuo are the major pharmacologically active compounds in treatment of blood vessel diseases, tumors and various pains. However, due to the absence of gene sequences in C. yanhusuo, the genes involved in alkaloid biosynthesis and their expression during bulb development remain unknown. We therefore established the first transcriptome database of C. yanhusuo via Illumina mRNA-Sequencing of a RNA composite sample collected at Bulb initiation (Day 0), early enlargement (Day 10) and maturation (Day 30). 25,013,630 clean 90 bp paired-end reads were de novo assembled into 47,081 unigenes with an average length of 489 bp, among which 30,868 unigenes (65.56%) were annotated in four protein databases. Of 526 putative unigenes involved in biosynthesis o f various alkaloids, 187 were identified as the candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs), the only alkaloid type reported in C. yanhusuo untill now. BIAs biosynthetic genes were highly upregulated in the overall pathway during bulb development. Identification of alkaloid biosynthetic genes in C. yanhusuo provide insights on pathways and molecular regulation of alkaloid biosynthesis, to initiate metabolic engineering in order to improve the yield of interesting alkaloids and to identify potentially new alkaloids predicted from the transcriptomic information.

Zeolite based solid-phase extraction coupled with UPLC-Q-TOF-MS for rapid analysis of acetylcholinesterase binders from crude extract of Corydalis yanhusuo

A very convenient, sensitive and precise solid-phase extraction approach was established for extract and analysis of acetylcholinesterase binders from crude extract of Corydalis yanhusuo.