Quality assessment of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) from different sources by multiple fingerprint profiles combined with quantitative analysis, antioxidant activity and chemometric methods

Quality evaluation of natural monomer flavors for Chinese tobacco industry based on dual mode combined Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and isotopic fine structures

RATIONALE

Natural monomer flavors can modify the taste of cigarettes. However, no report was published to establish the quality control method for their chemical compositions.

METHODS

In this study, licorice, a traditional natural monomer flavor used in tobacco aroma processing, was selected, and the fingerprint was developed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Next, the chemical markers of samples from different places of origin were discovered by multivariate statistical analysis. Then, its chemical constituents were identified by combination of HPLC-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS), direct infusion FT-ICR-MS (DI-FT-ICR-MS), and the technology of isotopic fine structures (IFSs). Moreover, its characteristic constituents were quantitatively analyzed using HPLC.

RESULTS

The 14 common peaks were assigned in the fingerprint, and 8 of them were considered as qualitative markers by multivariate statistical analysis. A total of 42 chemical constituents were detected using HPLC-FT-ICR-MS, and 13 of them were unambiguously identified by references. Meanwhile, the elemental compositions of other eight unknown chemical components were decisively determined using IFSs. Subsequently, the contents of five characteristic constituents in 11 batches of samples were determined.

CONCLUSIONS

The integration strategy established here can discover and quantify the chemical markers for improving the quality control standard of natural monomer flavor of licorice. It is expected that the strategy will be valuable for further quality control of other natural monomer flavors in Chinese tobacco industry.

Potential Role of Dietary Phenolic Compounds in the Prevention and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Current Reports

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex illness with both hereditary and environmental components. Globally, in 2019, 18 million people had RA. RA is characterized by persistent inflammation of the synovial membrane that lines the joints, cartilage loss, and bone erosion. Phenolic molecules are the most prevalent secondary metabolites in plants, with a diverse spectrum of biological actions that benefit functional meals and nutraceuticals. These compounds have received a lot of attention recently because they have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-rheumatoid activity by modulating tumor necrosis factor, mitogen-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, and c-Jun N-terminal kinases, as well as other preventative properties. This article discusses dietary polyphenols, their pharmacological properties, and innovative delivery technologies for the treatment of RA, with a focus on their possible biological activities. Nonetheless, commercialization of polyphenols may be achievable only after confirming their safety profile and completing successful clinical trials.

Quality Consistency Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicines: Current Status and Future Perspectives

Quality consistency evaluation of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) is a crucial factor that determines the safe and effective application in clinical settings. However, TCMs exhibit diverse, heterogeneous, complex, and flexible chemical compositions, as well as variability in preparation processes. These characteristics pose greater challenges in researching the consistency of TCMs compared to chemically synthesized and biological drugs. Therefore, it is paramount to develop effective strategies for evaluating the quality consistency of TCMs. From the starting point of quality properties, this review explores the strategy used to evaluate quality consistency in terms of chemistry-based strategy (chemical consistency) and the biology-based strategy (bioequivalence). Among them, the chemistry-based strategy is the mainstream, and biology-based strategy complements the chemistry-based strategy each other. Furthermore, the emerging chemistry-biology strategies (overall evaluation) is discussed, including individually combining strategy and integration strategy. Finally, this review provides insights into the challenges and future perspectives in this field. By highlighting current status and trends in TCMs quality consistency, this review aims to contribute to establishment of generally applicable chemistry-biology integrated evaluation strategy for TCMs. This will facilitate the advancement toward a higher stage of overall quality evaluation.

Quality evaluation of Keteling capsules based on fingerprinting, multicomponent quantification, and quantitative prediction

The Keteling capsule (KC) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) made from the dried extract of Ficus microphylla and an appropriate amount of chlorpheniramine maleate. It is widely used to treat cough and relieve asthma. Despite its extensive usage, a rapid and comprehensive quality evaluation strategy for KC remains a challenge. This study introduces an electrochemical fingerprint analysis technique, in addition to the commonly employed HPLC fingerprints, for efficient and convenient quality evaluation. Moreover, a cost-effective, rapid, and accurate multi-component quantification technique known as the "Multi-markers assay by the monolinear method (MAML)" and the "FT-IR quantitative model" were explored. The HPLC fingerprints were evaluated using a systematically quantified fingerprint method, while the electrochemical fingerprints, based on the Belousov-Zhabotinsky oscillation reaction principle, were effectively analyzed and characterized using oxidation induction times and oscillation lifetimes. Multi-component quantitative analysis was carried out through the MAML and FT-IR quantitative models. The HPLC fingerprint successfully classified the 22 samples into eight grades with excellent discrimination. Active ingredient content analysis was achieved using reliable parameters obtained from electrochemical fingerprinting. The no significant difference in the quantitative results proves the accuracy of the MAML method. Additionally, successful FT-IR quantitative prediction models were developed for chlorogenic acid, isovitexin, and chlorpheniramine maleate. This study offers a dependable and effective approach for enhancing the quality control of KC, and it can provide new insights for improving the quality analysis methods in the field of TCM.

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma: The popular occurrence of herbal medicine applied in classical prescriptions

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma is a well-known herbal medicine with a wide range of pharmacological functions that has been used throughout Chinese history. This review presents a comprehensive introduction to this herb and its classical prescriptions. The article discusses the resources and distribution of species, methods of authentication and determination chemical composition, quality control of the original plants and herbal medicines, dosages use, common classical prescriptions, indications, and relevant mechanisms of the active content. Pharmacokinetic parameters, toxicity tests, clinical trials, and patent applications are discussed. The review will provide a good starting point for the research and development of classical prescriptions to develop herbal medicines for clinical use.

Quality control of Hugan capsule based on four-wavelength fusion profiling and electrochemical fingerprint combined with antioxidant activity and chemometric analysis

Improving the quality standard system of herbal preparations (HPs) is an arduous task for the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). At present, an urgent task is to establish a comprehensive, scientific and effective evaluation method for improving the safety, effectiveness and quality consistency of HPs. In this study, Hu Gan capsules (HGCs) were used as an example. Firstly, the three quality markers (Q-markers) in 21 batches of HGCs from 4 manufacturers were determined by HPLC and great difference in content of each sample was found. Furthermore, four-wavelength fusion profiling (FWFP) was established and evaluated by systematically quantified fingerprint method (SQFM). Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to make a preliminary analysis of the FWFP and distinguish the fluctuation of differences in chemical composition and content. Then, 9 characteristic parameters were recorded through the B-Z oscillating system, and the electrochemical fingerprint (ECFP) was constructed for jointing evaluation with the FWFP, using the equal weight of SQFM results to comprehensively evaluate the sample quality. The 21 batches of samples were divided into four groups and six grades, which indicated that there were significant differences in the content of indicator components and electrochemical active substances in samples. Finally, taking vitamin C as a positive control, 2, 2'-azino-bis (3 - ethyl -benzthiazoline - 6 - sulfonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging assay was applied to study the antioxidant activity of samples. Partial Least Squares (PLS) and bivariate correlation analysis (BCA) were used to analyze the fingerprint-efficacy relationships of FWFP-ABTS and FWFP-ECFP. Consequently, it was found that there were similar antioxidant capacities in electrochemistry and ABTS tests, and 31 of the 40 HPLC fingerprint peaks of HGCs were discovered to have antioxidant activity. The two methods supported each other, to effectively and corporately reflect the antioxidant components in HGCs. In this research, the FWFP and ECFP established could realize the quality detection of HGCs, and provide a novel direction for the improvement of the quality standard of HPs and the research of the quality standard method of TCM.

Dual control system for comprehensive evaluation of quality consistency of herbal preparations

This study was undertaken to establish an integrated quality control method based on the fingerprint of different testing instruments and a four-dimensional antioxidant activity profile. Firstly, the comprehensive ratio quantitative fingerprint method was used to rapidly calculate the similarity of GC fingerprint, UV-vis quantized fingerprint, HPLC fingerprint and ATR-FT-IR quantized fingerprint. In addition, a comprehensive evaluation strategy was proposed using the variation coefficient weighting algorithm, incorporating four complementary inputs, to achieve highly accurate analysis. At the same time, multi-markers assay by monolinear method was used for the first time for the quantitative analysis of multiple components. Based on this, the fingerprint-efficacy relationship was investigated, and substances that might be biologically active and the wavelength range of their distribution were predicted using the online-HPLC-DPPH-FIA method in conjunction with a PLS model built from individual and combined data matrices. The results showed that all 20 batches of samples were within 1-3 grades, with good quality consistency. According to index E, the samples' overall antioxidant capacity was also highly correlated with the year of production. The four-dimensional antioxidant activity profile also led to the conclusion that variations in antioxidant characteristics were caused by differences in the concentration and volatility of particular bioactive chemicals. Finally, mid-level data fusion produced better classification results than a single technique, further demonstrating the synergistic effects that may occur when the four types of data were combined. This study demonstrated that the combination of GC, UV-vis, ATR-FT-IR and HPLC can be used for the consistency control of herbal preparations and can elucidate the potential in predicting the antioxidant capacity of herbal preparations.

Licorice zinc suppresses melanogenesis via inhibiting the activation of P38MAPK and JNK signaling pathway in C57BL/6J mice skin

PURPOSE

The active melanocytes in the skin were affected by hormones and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Licorice zinc has a whitening effect, which may have a prominent potential in the treatment of pigmented skin disease.

METHODS

Modeling chloasma C57BL/6J mice by daily progesterone injection (15 mg/kg) and ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation (λ = 312 nm, 2 h/day) for 30 days. Then, mice were given 0.65, 1.3, and 2.6 (g/kg) of licorice zinc and tranexamic acid 250 mg daily by oral administration for 14 days, respectively. Hematoxylin and eosin and Fontana-Masson staining, and Western blotting (WB) were performed to test the inhibitory of melanogenesis and activation of c-Jun-N-terminal (JNK)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) for licorice zinc. Melanogenesis was induced by α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in vitro. Cell counting kit-8, melanin content determination, and WB were performed to verify the inhibitory effect of licorice zinc on melanogenesis.

RESULTS

The present study showed that licorice zinc decreased melanin formation, cutaneous tissue injury, and the phosphorylation of JNK and P38MAPK, which was caused by UVB irradiation in vivo. In vitro, licorice zinc showed opposite effects from JNK/p38 activator. Meanwhile, tyrosinase-related protein-1, tyrosinase, and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor were decreased too.

CONCLUSIONS

Licorice zinc induced a decrease in melanin synthesis by inhibiting the JNK and the P38MAPK signaling pathway, suggesting licorice zinc is a potential agent of anti-chloasma.

Compound synthesizing profiling based on quantitative HPLC fingerprints combined with antioxidant activity analysis for Zhizi Jinhua pills

BACKGROUND

Compound drug Zhizi Jinhua Pills (ZZJHP) is composed of 8 herbal medicines (HMs), and it is necessary to control the HMs to ensure its holistic quality.

PURPOSE

To establish a quality monitoring method for ZZJHP from precise control of multiple active ingredients to contour control of fingerprint, to calculate the contribution of HMs and predict the quality of compound drugs.

METHODS

In this study, HPLC method was established for content determination of 11 analytes and fingerprint assessment. In vivo and in vitro studies of antioxidant activity were performed, Orthogonal Partial Least Squares analysis was applied for spectrum-effect correlation between antioxidant activity and HPLC fingerprint. The compound synthesizing fingerprint (CSF) of ZZJHP was fitted with 8 HMs, and the contribution of the single herb to prescription was evaluated by Sub-quantified profiling method.

RESULTS

The content of 11 analytes and fingerprints of ZZJHP were measured simultaneously, 32 batches of samples were divided into 6 grades. In vivo and in vitro researches suggested significant antioxidant activity capacity of ZZJHP. Then, spectrum-effect relationship study showed that 24 of the 30 fingerprint peaks had antioxidant activity. By prescription and decomposition profiling, the qualitative and quantitative contributions of the 8 herbs were revealed in turn. The negative solution experiment proved that CSF could accurately predict the quality of composite drugs.

CONCLUSION

The intelligent prediction strategy could intervene at the source to realize rapid screening of HMs and prediction of the quality of preparations, which could provide guidance for the use of HMs and improve the quality of composite drugs.

Chemistry Combining Elemental Profile, Stable Isotopic Ratios, and Chemometrics for Fine Classification of a Chinese Herb Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) from 37 Producing Area

A method based on elemental fingerprint, stable isotopic analysis and combined with chemometrics was proposed to trace the geographical origins of Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch) from 37 producing areas. For elemental fingerprint, the levels of 15 elements, including Ca, Cu, Mg, Pb, Zn, Sr, Mn, Se, Cd, Fe, Na, Al, Cr, Co, and K, were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Three stable isotopes, including δ ¹³C, δ ¹⁵N, and δ ¹⁸O, were measured using an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS). For fine classification, three multiclass strategies, including the traditional one-versus-rest (OVR) and one-versus-one (OVO) strategies and a new ensemble strategy (ES), were combined with two binary classifiers, partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) and least squares support vector machines (LS-SVM). As a result, ES-PLSDA and ES-LS-SVM achieved 0.929 and 0.921 classification accuracy of GUF samples from the 37 origins. The results show that element fingerprint and stable isotope combined with chemometrics is an effective method for GUF traceability and provides a new idea for the geographical traceability of Chinese herbal medicine.

Quality grade evaluation and related antioxidant activity research of different medicinal parts of Catalpa fruit

Catalpa fruit is a traditional Chinese medicine used in the treatment of diuresis and detumescence; however one-sided quantitative or qualitative investigation limits its overall quality evaluation. Hence, this study proposed to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the quality consistency of Catalpa fruit from the perspectives of chromatography and spectroscopy. First, the fusion fingerprints of 15 batches of Catalpa fruit pericarp and 15 batches of Catalpa fruit seed were established by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy in equal weights, respectively, to avoid the unilaterality of a single analytical technique. The different medicinal parts of Catalpa fruit were graded and evaluated based on a systematically quantified fingerprint method, and the quality of the pericarp and seed was further investigated. The results revealed that the quality of most pericarp and seed samples was within the acceptable level range (grade ≤ 5), and that seed quality was clearly superior to pericarp quality. Furthermore, according to the research findings, the content of p-hydroxybenzoic acid in Catalpa fruit pericarp was generally higher than that in Catalpa fruit seed, while the content of catalposide was generally lower than that in Catalpa fruit seed. Additionally, the fingerprint-efficacy relationship with HPLC was discussed by binary correlation analysis, which indicated that catalposide had the strongest antioxidant activity. This study demonstrated that the analytical techniques based on chromatographic fingerprinting, spectral fingerprinting and antioxidant activity provided new theoretical foundation as well as technical guidance for Catalpa fruit quality control and rational utilization.

Rapid Identification for the Pterocarpus Bracelet by Three-Step Infrared Spectrum Method

In order to explore a rapid identification method for the anti-counterfeit of commercial high value collections, a three-step infrared spectrum method was used for the pterocarpus collection identification to confirm whether a commercial pterocarpus bracelet (PB) was made from the precious species of Pterocarpus santalinus (P. santalinus). In the first step, undertaken by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum, the absorption peaks intensity of PB was slightly higher than that of P. santalinus only at 1594 cm⁻¹, 1205 cm⁻¹, 1155 cm⁻¹ and 836 cm⁻¹. In the next step of second derivative IR spectra (SDIR), the FTIR features of the tested samples were further amplified, and the peaks at 1600 cm⁻¹, 1171 cm⁻¹ and 1152 cm⁻¹ become clearly defined in PB. Finally, by means of two-dimensional correlation infrared (2DIR) spectrum, it revealed that the response of holocellulose to thermal perturbation was stronger in P. santalinus than that in PB mainly at 977 cm⁻¹, 1008 cm⁻¹, 1100 cm⁻¹, 1057 cm⁻¹, 1190 cm⁻¹ and 1214 cm⁻¹, while the aromatic functional groups of PB were much more sensitive to the thermal perturbation than those of P. santalinus mainly at 1456 cm⁻¹, 1467 cm⁻¹, 1518 cm⁻¹, 1558 cm⁻¹, 1576 cm⁻¹ and 1605 cm⁻¹. In addition, fluorescence microscopy was used to verify the effectiveness of the above method for wood identification and the results showed good consistency. This study demonstrated that the three-step IR method could provide a rapid and effective way for the anti-counterfeit of pterocarpus collections.

Evaluating the quality consistency of Keteling capsules by three-dimensional quantum fingerprints and HPLC fingerprint

Keteling capsules (KCs), as a kind of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), have been widely used in curing cough and relieving asthma. However, the complicated compositions make it challenging to evaluate their quality consistency by common methods. Herein, we explored comprehensive and efficient strategies by combining the multiple techniques to monitor and assess the characteristics of KCs. We employed the fingerprints and corresponding quantum fingerprints by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet (UV), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The antioxidant activity profiles were also studied combined with the result of three-dimensional quantum fingerprints and showed a good correlation with the internal structure and physical-chemical state. Furthermore, the 17 samples were separated and identified simultaneously by HPLC quantitative fingerprint, of which four active ingredients (chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, vitexin and isovitexin) were quantitatively determined. The 17 samples were successfully classified into different grades by the systematically quantified fingerprint method (SQFM) and the quality of the samples was integrated according to the mean algorithm. The mean algorithm fusion of different evaluation techniques was compared to reveal the relationship between them, which indicated the effective improvement in accuracy and integrality. The combination of multiple analytical techniques developed in this study would effectively improve the existing single analytical methods and provide new strategy for drug quality consistency control.

Multivariate assessment for predicting antioxidant activity from clove and pomegranate extracts by MCR-ALS and PLS models combined to IR spectroscopy

This study evaluated the feasibility of infrared (MIR/NIR) spectroscopy coupled to chemometrics as an alternative method for determining the antioxidant activity (AA%) of pomegranate (Punica granatum) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) alcoholic extracts versus the conventional DPPH method. Multivariate curve resolution with alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) and Partial least squares (PLS) regression were efficient to predict the AA%, thus providing good accuracy and low residuals compared to the standard method. The MCR-ALS combined with NIR data stood out among the other models with R² ≥ 0.962 and RMSEP ≤ 3.38 %; furthermore, this technique presents the great feature of recovering the pure spectral profile of the analytes and identifying interferents in the sample. The application of chemometrics tools to predict the antioxidant activity of natural extracts resulted in a greener, low-cost and efficient process for the food industry.

Evaluation of quality change in Salviae miltiorrhizae radix et rhizoma during drying by LF-NMR and HPLC

Salviae miltiorrhizae radix et rhizoma (Danshen, in Chinese) is one of the traditional Chinese medicines commonly used in clinical practice. In this study, low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) was used to detect changes in the moisture content during the drying of Danshen. Three water states (bound, immobilized, and free) in Danshen were investigated by multi-exponential fitting of the NMR data. Mass changes during drying were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography and partial least squares discriminant analysis. The results revealed that two components, salvianolic acid B and tanshinone, were the main chemical substances that produced the differences. Correlations were found among chemical substances, color, and moisture. LF-NMR can quickly assess the moisture content during drying. It also provides a practical tool for the production and processing of medicines or slices.

Pharmacological Effects and Underlying Mechanisms of Licorice-Derived Flavonoids

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma is the most frequently prescribed natural medicine in China and has been used for more than 2,000 years. The flavonoids of licorice have garnered considerable attention in recent decades due to their structural diversity and myriad pharmacological effects, especially as novel therapeutic agents against inflammation and cancer. Although many articles have been published to summarize different pharmacological activities of licorice in recent years, the systematic summary for flavonoid components is not comprehensive. Therefore, in this review, we summarized the pharmacological and mechanistic data from recent researches on licorice flavonoids and their bioactive components.

A general procedure for establishing composite quality evaluation indices based on key quality attributes of traditional Chinese medicine

Licorice, a medicinal herb and food flavor ingredient, has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the past 4000 years. In this study, we propose a new quality evaluation approach for licorice quality control based on the key quality attributes commonly used in TCM. The high quality of TCM formulations is ensured by verifying the genuine origin and implementing good agricultural and collection practices for each medicinal herb. In our study, the genuine production area, the harvest season, and the number of growth years were considered the key quality attributes of TCM. To ensure the representativeness of our analysis, we obtained a total of 158 licorice sample batches that differed in the number of growth years, the location of the production areas, and the season for harvesting. Initially, the 158 sample batches were subjected to ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS). A preliminary screen identified 11 licorice compounds related to the three key quality attributes of TCM . An analysis by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TQ-MS/MS) verified the presence of 34 compounds in all licorice samples. These 34 compounds included the 11 compounds related to the three key quality attributes of the samples, along with other bioactive components identified in previous studies. After using UHPLC-TQ-MS/MS to assess the signal peak intensities of the 34 compounds, we selected 17 licorice compounds to establish sample content evaluation indices, which were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography at four different wavelengths in all 158 licorice sample batches. Finally, the screen identified nine compounds that were closely associated with the quality attributes of licorice based on principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Our results suggested that liquiritin and eight other compounds could be used as quality control indicators of licorice, which provided a foundation to establish the TCM quality composite evaluation index (TCM QCEI). In summary, this research concept can serve as a reference for research on quality markers and the evaluation of TCM.

The evaluation of the chemical quality and UV overall components dissolution consistency of Flos Chrysanthemi Indici preparation

In recent years, new chemical technology and chemical analysis methods have been widely used for the quality control of medicine to provide security for human life. However, for the increasingly popular traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparations, the traditional quality control technology has been challenged due the presence of multi-components. To solve this problem, this study proposed a comprehensive evaluation strategy from two aspects: chemical quality and in vitro dissolution consistency. Zhenju antihypertensive tablet (FCIP), as the research object of this study, is a compound preparation of Flos Chrysanthemi Indici with moderate antihypertensive effect. For the chemical quality, the capillary electrophoresis fingerprint (CE-FP) was established based on the characteristic multi-wavelength averaging fusion profiling (CMW-AFP) strategy, which can fuse peaks in the CE chromatogram at several select characteristic wavelengths into one profile through an averaging algorithm. All samples were clarified into 5 quality grades using the systematic quantified fingerprint method, and showed significant difference among the four manufacturers. Combined with the accurate determination of the marker components, the CE-FP evaluation results can provide a guarantee for the chemical quality consistency. For the in vitro dissolution consistency, a UV overall components dissolution method was proposed. Meanwhile, in order to match the established UV overall dissolution system, two f2 factors (f2-R and f2-MI) were calculated to compare the dissolution profiles. By comparing the chemical and UV overall dissolution results plus the PCA analysis, the holistic quality of the FCIP samples of four manufacturers were obtained as MA > MC > MD > MB. The established evaluation system is also a suitable strategy for controlling the chemical quality and dissolution consistency of other TCM preparations.

Chemometric analysis of active compounds and antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities for the quality evaluation of licorice from different origins

Contents of total flavonoids (TFc), total phenolics (TPc), and total crude polysaccharide (TCPc) in licorice from different origins were determined by optimized colorimetric methods, whereas five monomer ingredients (liquiritin [LQ], isoliquiritin [ILQ], liquiritigenin [LQG], isoliquiritigenin [ILQG], and glycyrrhizic acid [GA]) were simultaneously identified and quantified by HPLC-MS and HPLC. The results indicated that the contents of chemical compounds in licorice showed significant difference in different origins. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis further proved that producing area indeed affected the quality including compounds and pharmacological activity in licorice. Licorice from Inner Mongolia exhibited the excellent DPPH assay, whereas samples from Gansu and Xinjiang showed high scavenging capacity to OH and ABTS free radicals. Meanwhile, α-Glu inhibitory activity of licorice samples was four times higher than the antioxidant activity. Correlation analysis made clear that TFc and TCPc both strongly contribute to DPPH scavenge capacity at P < 0.01 level, whereas TCPc contributed to α-Glu inhibitory activity at P < 0.05 level. This study would contribute to the comprehensive quality evaluation based on the compounds and pharmacological activity of licorice, and provide a reference for the choice of producing area to ensure the quality of licorice as a medicine.

A smart spectral analysis strategy-based UV and FT-IR spectroscopy fingerprint: Application to quality evaluation of compound liquorice tablets

This study focuses on development of a smart spectral analysis strategy for rapid quality evaluation of complex sample. Firstly, the ultraviolet (UV) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were established. Secondly, the second derivative UV spectral was obtained and showed 7 major absorption peaks, which was the projection of the 3D-spectrum profile. It can perform peak matching like chromatogram, thus, helpful for 3D UV spectrum analysis, qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative and quantitative similarity results based on systematic quantified fingerprint method displayed basically a consistency with their hierarchical cluster analysis results. Notably, the quality evaluation of the first proposed FT-IR spectral quantized fingerprints and the good correlation of P_m% with PA (R² = 0.80296), as well as the excellent quantitative prediction model for liquiritin, glycyrrhizinic acid and sodium benzoate all indicated the promising of FT-IR spectral quantized fingerprint in quantitative analysis and QC of compound liquorice tablets. Finally, an integrated evaluate strategy was developed by mean algorithm to reduce the error caused by single technique. 54 samples integrally had a good quality consistency as their quality ranged grade 1-5. This study illustrated that the smart data analysis strategy based on spectral fingerprint has potential to enhance existing methodologies for further rapid and integrated studies evaluating the quality of herbal medicine and its related products.

Study on multiple fingerprint profiles control and quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker method combined with chemometrics based on Yankening tablets

In this study, we explored the quality consistent evaluation method of Yankening Tablets (YKNT) from different manufacturers by using multiple fingerprint profiles, including dual-wavelength ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) serial fingerprint and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) fingerprint, combined with quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS) method. In the Average method of systematic quantified fingerprint method (AMSQFM), three fingerprint parameters of macro qualitative similarity (S_m-UPLC-FTIR), macro quantitative similarity (P_m-UPLC-FTIR), and the variation coefficient of fingerprint homogeneity (α_UPLC-FTIR) were calculated based on the ratio method. The S_m-UPLC-FTIR values of all the samples were greater than 0.80, the α_UPLC-FTIR values were less than 0.20, and the P_m-UPLC-FTIR values range from 72.8% to 119.8%. Method validation results showed the established fingerprint method had good precision, solution stability, and method repeatability, all samples could be roughly divided into different levels. The contents of berberine (BBR) and baicalin (BCL) measured by the calibration curve method (CCM) and QAMS method were compared, and t-test results (Pvalue > 0.05) indicated there was no significant difference between the two methods, which showed that QAMS could accurately quantify the markers of the YKNT. The explanatory ability (R²Y) values of BBR and BCL in the PLS model were both greater than 0.94, and the root mean square error of estimation (RMSEE) and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) values were both less than 2.5, indicating that the established model was reliable. Hierarchical cluster analysis divided all samples into four categories. This research made a major contribution to the quality consistent evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and food.

Advanced Analytical Approaches for the Analysis of Polyphenols in Plants Matrices—A Review

Phenolic compounds are plants’ bioactive metabolites that have been studied for their ability to confer extensive benefits to human health. As currently there is an increased interest in natural compounds identification and characterization, new analytical methods based on advanced technologies have been developed. This paper summarizes current advances in the state of the art for polyphenols identification and quantification. Analytical techniques ranging from high-pressure liquid chromatography to hyphenated spectrometric methods are discussed. The topic of high-resolution mass spectrometry, from targeted quantification to untargeted comprehensive chemical profiling, is particularly addressed. Structure elucidation is one of the important steps for natural products research. Mass spectral data handling approaches, including acquisition mode selection, accurate mass measurements, elemental composition, mass spectral library search algorithms and structure confirmation through mass fragmentation pathways, are discussed.

An integrated strategy of MS-network-based offline 2DLC-QTOF-MS/MS coupled with UHPLC-QTRAP®-MS/MS for the characterization and quantification of the non-polysaccharides in Sijunzi decoction

Sijunzi decoction (SJZD), a classic recipe in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been applied for the clinical treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. While there are reports on pharmaceutical substances of SJZD focusing on its polysaccharides, the composition of non-polysaccharides (NPSs) has not yet been holistically clarified. In the current study, offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (2DLC-QTOF-MS/MS) was used for comprehensive NPS chemical profiling of SJZD. In addition, the MS-network of SJZD was proposed, which led to the construction of a larger in-house chemical library and accelerated qualitative processing. Four hundred forty-nine components, among which 6 were potentially novel, and 32 were confirmed by standard substances, were identified or tentatively assigned. Furthermore, based on good method validation, 19 representative components were simultaneously quantified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole linear ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTRAP®-MS/MS). They were selected for quantification on the account of their bioactive reports on in vivo or in vitro activities, the peak intensity in the mass spectrum, and characteristic structures, which have the potential to be qualitative or quantitative markers of SJZD. The present work furthers understanding of the pharmacological effects and action mechanism of NPSs in SJZD, and provides a useful analytical approach for complex composition research of TCMs.

Comprehensive evaluation of Licorice extract by five-dimensional quantitative profiling

Licorice extract (LE) is widely used in food and medicine fields. The detection of single chemical component cannot describe its overall quality. In this paper, the content of five active components and HPLC fingerprint of LE was determined. Firstly, the dual-standard system calibration method was proposed to correct the differences between different chromatographic systems. Then, the five-dimensional profiling method (FDPM) was established to evaluate LE based on the five parameters. 52 batches of LE were divided into four categories, Cluster analysis and Orthogonal projections on the latent structure - discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) showed that the quality and quantity of LE can be reflected by FDPM. In addition, the comparison of different chromatographic system conditions showed that FDPM can dig out the potential information and provide strategies for the monitoring and calibration of fingerprint chromatographic systems.

Identification of geographical origins of Panax notoginseng based on HPLC multi-wavelength fusion profiling combined with average linear quantitative fingerprint method

The aim of this study was to establish a method for geographical origins identification of Panax notoginseng (P. notoginseng) based on abundant chromatographic spectral information. Characteristic fingerprints of P. notoginseng extracts samples were generated by Multi-wavelength Fusion Profiling (MWFP) method based on the HPLC fingerprints established at three wavelengths of 203 nm, 270 nm and 325 nm. The samples grouping results calculated with the averagely linear quantified fingerprint method (ALQFM) and the unsupervised statistical methods based on fusion fingerprints matches with the geographical origins. The Multi-wavelength Fusion Profiling (MWFP) method has been successfully applied to identification of geographical origins of P. notoginseng and shows the advantages compared with single—channel fingerprints. In addition, eight physiologically active components, including four saponins, two flavones and two amino acids, were identified from the most relevant ingredients of P. notoginseng geographical origins by fusion fingerprint-efficacy relationship analysis. Besides the recognized active saponins, other categories of active ingredients such as flavonoids and amino acids should be paid attention to in the producing areas identification or the quality judgment of P. notoginseng.

The analysis of active compounds in Flos Chrysanthemi Indici by UHPLC Q exactive HF hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap MS and comprehensive quality assessment of its preparation

Flos Chrysanthemi Indici (FCI) is a common food and its preparation (FCIP) is generally made to realize the medicinal value of FCI in a more accurate and controllable way. In this paper, an efficient UHPLC Q Exactive HF Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap MS method was exploited to elucidate the difference of chemical components between FCI and FCIP. Multi-fingerprints (HPLC-FP, UV-FP, and DSC-FP) were established with the evaluation results integrated by a weighted mean algorithm using variation coefficient (CVWM), which is more objective and reasonable. Through this method, the quality grades of 25 FCIP samples from four manufacturers were successfully discriminated. Meanwhile, the PLS model for the profile-efficacy relationship between the HPLC-FP and the antioxidant activities was established, as well as the correlation between the antioxidant ability (IC50) and the DSC curve (enthalpy values) were preliminary explored. In conclusion, this study provides a novel and holistic analytical strategy for food herbal remedies and its preparation.

Geographical traceability and multielement analysis of edible and medicinal fungi: Taking Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden and Gilb. as an example

Different geographical environment has a certain influence on the accumulation of fungi elements and chemical components. However, our knowledge is limited to elucidate the fungi elements in response to heterogeneous environmental and the quality differences among different habitats. Here, multielement analysis, FTIR spectrum, and feature-level fusion technique combined with chemometrics were used to study Wolfiporia cocos from different geographical areas, different sampling sites and different altitude sources. From the results, (1) there is significant difference in element content of samples from different sampling sites and no positive correlation with geographical ranges. (2) There is a correlation between elevation and elements, and relatively low elevation (<1,800 m) is conducive to the enrichment of elements. (3) From the perspective of elements, the W. cocos in Yuxi have relatively better quality. (4) FTIR and feature-level models can well realize origin identification. The SVM models are better than the PLS-DA models, and the feature-level model is better than the single FTIR models. In summary, this study demonstrated that the developed method was reliable and could realize the genuineness evaluation and origin identification of W. cocos. The results have implications for the establishment of the technology system of geographical traceability and the development of high-quality geographical indication products of W. cocos.

Quality and antioxidant activity evaluation of dandelion by HPLC with five-wavelength fusion fingerprint

A novel strategy was carried out to evaluate the quality of dandelion, with the combination of fusion fingerprint and antioxidant activity.

Rapid identification model based on decision tree algorithm coupling with 1H NMR and feature analysis by UHPLC-QTOFMS spectrometry for sandalwood

Sandalwood is one of the most valuable woods in the world. However, today's counterfeits are widespread, it is difficult to distinguish authenticity. In this paper, similar genus (Dalbergia and Pterocarpus) and confused species (Gluta sp.) of sandalwood were quickly and efficiently identified. Rapid identification model based on ¹H NMR and decision tree (DT) algorithm was firstly developed for the identification of sandalwood, and the accuracy was improved by introducing the AdaBoost algorithm. The accuracy of the final model was above 95%. And the feature components between different species of sandalwood were further explored using UHPLC-QTOFMS and NMR spectrometry. The results showed that 183 compounds were identified, among which 99 were known components, 84 were unknown components. The ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR signals of 505 samples were assigned, among them, 14 compounds were attributed, characteristic chemical shift intervals with great differences in the model were analysed. Furthermore, the fragmentation pattern of different compounds from sandalwood, in both positive and negative ion ESI modes, was summarized. The results showed a potential and rapid tool based on DT, NMR spectroscopy and UHPLC-QTOFMS, which had performed great potential for rapid identification and feature analysis of sandalwood.