One single HPLC-PDA/(-)ESI-MS/MS analysis to simultaneously determine 30 components of the aqueous extract of Rabdosia rubescens

Isodon rubescens (Hemls.) Hara.: A Comprehensive Review on Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities

Isodon rubescens is a medicinal and food plant, often eaten as a wild vegetable in ancient China, and has been widely used for decades to treat sore throats, tonsillitis, colds and headaches, bronchitis, chronic hepatitis, joint rheumatism, snake and insect bites, and various cancers. This comprehensive and systematic review of the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical composition, pharmacological activity, quality control and toxicology of I. rubescens provides updated information for the further development and application in the fields of functional foods and new drugs research. To date, a total of 324 substances have been isolated and identified from the plant, including terpenoids, flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, amino acids, and volatile oils. Among these substances, diterpenoids are the most important and abundant bioactive components. In the past decades pharmacological studies have shown that I. rubescens has significant biological activities, especially in the modulation of antitumor and multidrug resistance. However, most of these studies have been conducted in vitro. In-depth in vivo studies on the quality control of its crude extracts and active ingredients, as well as on metabolite identification are still very limited. Therefore, more well-designed preclinical and clinical studies are needed to confirm the reported therapeutic potential of I. rubescens.

Aqueous extract of Rabdosia rubescens leaves: forming nanoparticles, targeting P-selectin, and inhibiting thrombosis

The hot water extract of Rabdosia rubescens was traditionally used as an antithrombotic medicine. To explore its antithrombotic utility and mechanism, we carried out a series of in vitro and in vivo assays in this study. In vitro platelet aggregation assay showed that the half maximal inhibitory concentration values of aqueous extract of R. rubescens leaves (AERL) inhibiting platelet aggregation induced by thrombin, arachidonic acid, adenosine diphosphate, and platelet-activating factor ranged from 0.12 mg/mL to 1.43 mg/mL. The minimal effective oral dose of AERL inhibiting the rats from forming thrombus was 25 mg/kg. Both in vitro and in vivo actions were correlated with AERL concentration-dependently inhibiting sP-selectin release. In water, AERL formed nanoparticles, and their size depended on the concentration. Docking the five nucleotides, 21 phenolic acids, and four diterpenoids identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector/(-)electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analysis into the active site of P-selectin, rosmarinic acid was predicted to be the antithrombotic ingredient of AERL. In flow cytometry analysis, 1 μM of rosmarinic acid effectively inhibited sP-selectin release in arachidonic acid-activated platelets. In a rat model, 5 mg/kg of oral rosmarinic acid effectively inhibited thrombosis.

Chicoric acid: chemistry, distribution, and production

Though chicoric acid was first identified in 1958, it was largely ignored until recent popular media coverage cited potential health beneficial properties from consuming food and dietary supplements containing this compound. To date, plants from at least 63 genera and species have been found to contain chicoric acid, and while the compound is used as a processing quality indicator, it may also have useful health benefits. This review of chicoric acid summarizes research findings and highlights gaps in research knowledge for investigators, industry stakeholders, and consumers alike. Additionally, chicoric acid identification, and quantification methods, biosynthesis, processing improvements to increase chicoric acid retention, and potential areas for future research are discussed.

Optimisation of an ultrasound-assisted extraction followed by RP-HPLC separation for the simultaneous determination of oleanolic acid, ursolic acid and oridonin content in Rabdosia rubescens

INTRODUCTION

Rabdosia rubescens is a commonly used herb in traditional Chinese medicine and contains diterpenoids, triterpenoids and various other compounds. Among these components, oridonin, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid have gained considerable interest concerning anti-cancer activities. However, there is no suitable currently available method for the simultaneous evaluation of these three bioactive compounds in R. rubescens.

OBJECTIVE

To develop an optimised ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method and an efficient HPLC method for the simultaneous evaluation of the three bioactive compounds in R. rubescens.

METHODOLOGY

Various parameters that can potentially affect the UAE process were investigated and optimised. HPLC operating conditions were also optimised, and the chromatographic separation was performed on a C(18) -column with an acetonitrile-water gradient as the mobile phase.

RESULTS

Validation of the HPLC technique developed showed that the method has good linearity, sensitivity, precision and accuracy. The combined UAE-HPLC method was applied to quantitate the amount of oridonin, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in the plant sample and exhibited good repeatability (RSD (%) < 3.9), reproducibility (RSD (%) < 5.9), stability (RE (%) < 1.4) and recovery (mean (%) > 92.4). Furthermore, the combined UAE-HPLC method was applied successfully to the extraction and determination of oridonin, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid content in samples obtained from different geographical regions, which is the first time that this comparison has been investigated.

CONCLUSION

The combined UAE-HPLC process is a fast, convenient and appropriate method for the quantitative analysis of these three compounds in R. rubescens.

Profiling phospholipid elution in reversed-phase LC–MS/MS bioanalytical methods in order to avoid matrix effects

Background: Endogenous phospholipids have a profound matrix effect in bioanalytical LC–MS methods and considerable effort is invested in strategies to minimize their impact either by removal during sample processing or chromatographic separation during the analytical run. The aim of the research presented in this article was to investigate the latter approach, under reversed-phase conditions. Results: The retention of glycerophosphocholines (GPCs) in mobile phases employing acetonitrile demonstrated a complex ‘U-shaped’ relationship with the percentage of organic. Conversely, in mobile phases employing methanol, the relationship between retention and percentage of organic was entirely predictive and unaffected by changes in the mobile phase pH. The GPC elution profile was also qualitatively equivalent irrespective of the species from which the plasma was derived. Conclusion: The predictive nature of GPC retention, under reversed-phase chromatography and with MeOH as organic modifier, is an important finding that should allow for a more streamlined and simplified strategy in the development of bioanalytical assays.