Identification of metabolites of crude and processed Fructus Corni in rats by microdialysis sampling coupled with electrospray ionization linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry

Aqueous Extract and Polysaccharide of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Induce Apoptosis and G0/G1 Phase Cell Cycle Arrest by PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway in Mesangial Cells

Mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MesPGN) is a common renal disease that lacks effective drug intervention. Aconiti Lateralis Radix (Fuzi), a natural Chinese medical herb, is found with significant therapeutic effects on various diseases in the clinic. However, its effects on MesPGN have not been reported. This study is aimed to discuss the therapeutic effects of the aqueous extract of Aconiti Lateralis Radix (ALR) and the polysaccharides of Aconiti Lateralis Radix (PALR) on MesPGN as well as the underlying mechanism. In this study, we, firstly, studied the anti-MesPGN mechanism of ALR and PALR. ALR and PALR inhibit the proliferation of the mesangial cells through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, induce the G0/G1 phase of block and apoptosis, inhibit the activity of Cyclin E and CDK2, increase the expression of Bax, cleaved caspase-8/caspase-8, and cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 proteins, and effectively inhibit the growth of the mesangial cells. Overall, our data suggest that ALR and PALR may be potential candidates for MesPGN and that PALR is more effective than ALR.

An integrated strategy for holistic quality identification of Chinese patent medicine: Liuwei Dihuang Pills as a case study

INTRODUCTION

Liuwei Dihuang Pills (concentrated pills, simplified as LWDHP), one of the most famous classic Chinese Patent Medicine (CPM), is produced by hundreds of pharmaceutical manufacturers with billions of Chinese yuan (CNY) in annual sales. However, current quality identification of LWDHP mainly relies on a thin-layer chromatography (TLC) method that is complicated and deficient.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study is to simplify the identification process and provide a more comprehensive quality assessment method of LWDHP by developing an integrated strategy based on liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and multivariate statistical analysis.

METHOD

Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/QTOF-MS) was employed to perform qualitative analyses of a home-made LWDHP and to establish a stably characteristic compound library by analysis of batches of its component herbs. Then selective ion monitoring (SIM) of single MS was utilised to develop a rapid identification method based on the UHPLC/QTOF-MS analysis result. Multivariate statistical analysis was subsequently used for the quality assessment of different commercial samples.

RESULTS

Seventy-eight characteristic compounds were characterised, and 68 of them were recorded to establish a stably characteristic compound library. Thirty-one compounds were selected from the library for the establishment of SIM identification method. Good specificity, capability, and feasibility had been respectively verified by the analysis of blank sample, negative control (NC) preparation samples, home-made LWDHP sample, and commercial sample. Multivariate statistical analysis of 20 batches of commercial LWDHP samples revealed the quality consistency of the same vendor's product and quality difference between diverse vendors' products.

CONCLUSION

The SIM identification method by a single analysis could significantly simplify the identification process of LWDHP, and it was performed in a holistic mode for no less than two compounds of each component herb monitored. Moreover, it could also be combined with multivariate statistical analysis to conduct quality assessments of batches of samples. The integrated strategy used in the study of LWDHP could be applied for the identification of other CPM as well.

Human PXR-mediated transcriptional activation of CYP3A4 by 'Fuzi' extracts

OBJECTIVE

This study focused on determining whether the 'Fuzi' (FZ) extracts from different extraction methods are related to pregnane X receptor (PXR) and cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), and explore the mechanism.

METHODS

FZ was extracted under various conditions, and the components were identified by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography/Quad Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS). Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining assays were used to measure the cell cytotoxicity of these extracts. Real-time PCR, western blot analysis and reporter gene assay were used to detect the expression changes of PXR and CYP3A4.

RESULTS

FZ extracts were found to contain high levels of monoester-diterpene alkaloids (MDAs) and diester-diterpene alkaloids (DDAs). FZ extracts were cytotoxic. Interestingly, we found that FZ extracts and DDAs can induce the expressions of PXR and CYP3A4. And the MDAs can inhibit the expressions of PXR and CYP3A4.

CONCLUSION

Different extracts of FZ can induce the expressions of PXR and CYP3A4 in different degrees. This may be related to the drug-drug interactions.

Study on Cardiotoxicity and Mechanism of "Fuzi" Extracts Based on Metabonomics

To investigate the toxicity of water and ethanol "Fuzi" (FZ) extracts and to explore the toxicity mechanism in rats. Water and ethanol extracts were prepared. Three groups of rats received the water extract, ethanol extract, or water by oral gavage for seven days. Pathological section staining of heart tissue. Colorimetric analysis was used to determine serum lactate dehydrogenase. The metabolic expression of small molecules in rats was measured by a metabolomics method. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and caspase-3. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CTnI, mTOR, and TGF-β1. The water and ethanol FZ extracts exert cardiotoxic effects via activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway to induce cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

Simultaneous Determination of 11 High-Polarity Components from Fructus Corni: A Quantitative LC-MS/MS Method for Improved Quality Control

Fructus Corni, the dried ripe sarcocarp of Cornus officinalis Sieb.et Zucc (Cornaceae), is widely used in traditional medicine. Pharmacological studies to date have attributed many biological effects to the high-polarity components. However, current quality control methods focus on only several iridoid glycoside components, and, of note, there is no comprehensive method available to simultaneously quantify the high-polarity components in Fructus Corni. Here, a simple, sensitive and robust liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed to simultaneously determine 11 high-polarity constituents (5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural, gallic acid, sweroside, cornin, loganin, morroniside, 7α-O-methylmorroniside, 7β-O-methylmorroniside, 7α-O-ethylmorroniside and 7β-O-ethylmorroniside, cornuside) of Fructus Corni. This method showed good specificity, linearity (r2 ≥ 0.9907), repeatability (RSD < 5.98%) and recovery (93.24 ~ 112.92%, RSD < 9.06%). This validated method was successfully employed to assess the component variation of crude Fructus Corni of three regional origins as well as after processing. In particular, the iridoid isomers were, for the first time, included as the quality markers for Fructus Corni. We propose that this method may provide a new and powerful tool for achieving comprehensive quality control of Fructus Corni.

Uncovering Active Constituents Responsible for Different Activities of Raw and Steamed Panax notoginseng Roots

Although Panax notoginseng (PN) roots in raw and steamed forms were historically supposed to be different in the efficacies, the raw materials and steamed ones were often undifferentiated in the use and market circulation, which might bring unstable curative effects or even adverse reactions. To uncover chemical constituents responsible to different activities of raw and steamed PN, chemometrics analyses including partial least squares regression (PLSR) and multi-linear regression analysis (MLRA) were used to establish the relationships between the chromatographic fingerprints and activities of PN samples. Chemical fingerprints of PN were determined by HPLC. Anticoagulant and antioxidant activities were evaluated by the thromboplastin inhibiting test and hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, respectively. Results showed that there was a significant difference in the chemical composition between raw and steamed PN, which could be discriminated by principle component analysis according to different steaming temperatures. Compared with the steamed PN, raw PN exhibited stronger anticoagulation and weaker antioxidation. By chemometrics analyses, notoginsenoside R₁, ginsenosides Rg₁, Re, Rb₁, and Rd were found to be the major active constituents of raw PN, whereas ginsenosides Rh₁, Rk₃, Rh₄, and 20(R)-Rg₃ had the key role in the activities of steamed PN, which could be used as new markers for the quality control (QC) of steamed PN.

Quality Evaluation of Polar and Active Components in Crude and Processed Fructus Corni by Quantitative Analysis of Multicomponents with Single Marker

Objective. To develop a quantitative analysis of multicomponents by single-marker (QAMS) method for the simultaneous determination of polar active components in Fructus Corni. Methods. Loganin was selected as the internal reference, and the relative correction factors (RCFs) of gallic acid, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural, morroniside, sweroside, cornin, 7α-O-methylmorroniside, 7β-O-methylmorroniside, 7α-O-ethylmorroniside, 7β-O-ethylmorroniside, and cornuside were established. The contents of multicomponents were then calculated based on their RCFs, respectively. Contents of the 11 components were also calculated by external standard method and compared with those of the QAMS method. Results. The contents of the 11 components in 21 crude and 10 processed Fructus Corni products were measured. No significant difference was found in the quantitative results of the QAMS and external standard methods. Conclusion. QAMS could serve as an accurate and convenient method in determining the polar and active components in Fructus Corni and its processed products.

Elucidation of a CGP7930 in vitro metabolite by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

γ-Aminobutyric acid-B (GABAB ) receptors are widely expressed in the nervous system and have been implicated as targets for various neurological and psychiatric disorders. CGP7930 is a positive allosteric modulator of GABAB receptors. It has been demonstrated to reduce drug self-administration and has gained increased research as a potential psychotropic treatment.

METHODS

An in vitro metabolic system with liver microsomes of SD rats has been conducted and evaluated by probe drugs. The predominant in vitro metabolite of CGP7930 was identified and elucidated using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-QTOF-MS/MS). Its structure was determined by comparing the characteristic ions of CGP7930 and those of the metabolite, based on the accurate mass measurement by MS and the fragmentation pattern obtained by MS/MS.

RESULTS

We found that the main metabolic pathway of CGP7930 was via a monohydroxylation reaction and the hydroxylation site located at the terminal butyl-carbon. The collision-induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation of the hydroxylated metabolite underwent McLafferty rearrangement and α-cleavage.

CONCLUSIONS

This work provides an understanding of the in vitro metabolism of CGP7930, which is helpful for the further study of the development of potential drug candidates targeting GABAB receptors, for the treatment of depression. The work also demonstrates that the LC/ESI-QTOF-MS/MS method has the advantage of possibly determining the structures of drug metabolites without the use of standards.

Simultaneous determination of seven alkaloids in rat plasma by UFLC-MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of Cerebralcare Granule

An ultra fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass sepectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of seven active alkaloid components (tetrahydropalmatine, corydaline, α-allocryptopine, tetrahydroberberine, tetrahydrocoptisine, tetrahydrocolumbamine and dehydrocorydaline) in rat plasma after oral administration of Cerebralcare Granule. Plasma samples were pretreated by protein precipitation with acetronitrile containing the internal standard diazepam. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Phenomenex Kinetex C18 column (100×2.1mm, 2.6μm) with gradient elution using mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile -0.1% formic acid in water at a flow rate of 0.3mL/min. The detection was performed on an electrospray ionization triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) with positive ionization mode. The established method was fully validated and proved to be sensitive and specific with lower limits of quantification (LLOQs) all less than 0.0265ng/mL in rat plasma. Good linearities of seven alkaloids were obtained in respective concentration ranges (r>0.9923). The intra- and inter-day precisions were below of 15% for all the seven alkaloids in terms of relative standard deviation (RSD), and the accuracies were ranged from -2.7% to 8.3% in terms of relative error (RE). Extraction recovery, matrix effect and stability were within the required limits in rat plasma. The validated method was successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetics of the seven alkaloids in rat plasma after oral administration of Cerebralcare Granule (CG).

Simultaneous determination of loganin, morroniside, catalpol and acteoside in normal and chronic kidney disease rat plasma by UPLC-MS for investigating the pharmacokinetics of Rehmannia glutinosa and Cornus officinalis Sieb drug pair extract

A sensitive and rapid method for determination of loganin, morroniside, catalpol and acteoside in rat plasma after oral administration of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch and Cornus officinalis Sieb drug pair based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Chromatographic separation was achieved using an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column (100mm×2.1mm, 1.7μm) at a flow rate of 0.4mL/min, using gradient mode containing 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile were used as the mobile phase A and B. Loganin, morroniside, catalpol, acteoside and the internal standard (chloramphenicol) were detected by selected reaction monitoring in the negative ion mode with the mass transition of m/z 451.0→179.0 (morroniside), m/z 435.0→227.0 (loganin), m/z 407.1→199.1 (catalpol), m/z 623.2→161.0 (acteoside) and m/z 320.8→151.9 (chloramphenicol), respectively. All calibration curves showed good linearity (r>0.991). The precision was evaluated by intra-day and inter-day assays and the RSD% were all within 9.58%. The recovery ranged from 67.62 to 80.14%. The method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic study of the analytes in normal and doxorubicin-induced chronic kidney disease rat plasma.

The crude extract of Corni Fructus induces apoptotic cell death through reactive oxygen species-modulated pathways in U-2 OS human osteosarcoma cells

Crude extract of Corni Fructus (CECF) has been used in Traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of different diseases for hundreds of years. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of CECF on U-2 OS human osteosarcoma cells. Flow cytometry was used for measuring the percentage of viable cells, cell-cycle distribution, apoptotic cells in sub-G1 phase, reactive oxygen species (ROS), Ca(2+) levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm ). Comet assay and 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining were used for examining DNA damage and condensation. Western blotting was used to examine apoptosis-associated protein levels in U-2 OS cells after exposed to CECF. Immunostaining and confocal laser system microscope were used to examine protein translocation after CECF incubation. CECF decreased the percentage of viability, induced DNA damage and DNA condensation, G₀/G₁ arrest, and apoptosis in U-2 OS cells. CECF-stimulated activities of caspase-8, caspase-9, and caspase-3, ROS, and Ca(2+) production, decreased ΔΨm levels of in U-2 OS cells. CECF increased protein levels of caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax, cytochrome c, GRP78, AIF, ATF-6α, Fas, TRAIL, p21, p27, and p16 which were associated with cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. These findings suggest that CECF triggers apoptosis in U-2 OS cells via ROS-modulated caspase-dependent and -independent pathways.

Comparison of pharmacokinetic behavior of two iridoid glycosides in rat plasma after oral administration of crude Cornus officinals and its jiuzhipin by high performance liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry combined with multiple reactions monitoring mode

Objective:

The present study examined the pharmacokinetic profiles of two iridoid glycosides named morroniside and loganin in rat plasma after oral administration of crude and processed Cornus officinals.

Materials and Methods:

A rapid, selective and specific high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry with multiple reactions monitoring mode was developed to simultaneously investigate the pharmacokinetic profiles of morroniside and loganin in rat plasma after oral administration of crude C. officinals and its jiuzhipin.

Results:

The morroniside and loganin in crude and processed C. officinals could be simultaneously determined within 7.4 min. Linear calibration curves were obtained over the concentration ranges of 45.45-4800 ng/mL for all the analytes. The intra-and inter-day precisions relative standard deviation was lesser than 2.84% and 4.12%, respectively.

Conclusion:

The pharmacokinetic parameters of two iridoid glucosides were also compared systematically between crude and processed C. officinals. This paper provides the theoretical proofs for further explaining the processing mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicines.

Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Yogurt Supplemented with Corni fructus during Storage

This study was carried out to determine a possibility of adding Corni fructus extract (CFE) into yogurt for improving the neutraceutical properties of yogurt and the effects of adding CFE (2∼6%, v/v) on the physicochemical and sensory properties of the products during a 15-day storage period at 4°C. Incorporation of CFE into the yogurt samples resulted in a significant pH reduction and a significant increase in titratable acidity. When evaluating the color of the yogurt, the L*-values were not significantly influenced by CFE supplementation; however, the a*- and b*-values significantly increased with the addition of CFE during storage. The power law and Casson models were applied to assess the flow behavior of CFE-added yogurt samples. The magnitudes of apparent viscosity (η_a,100), consistency index (K), and yield stress (σ_oc) for 4∼6% CFE yogurt samples were significantly greater than those for the control, indicating that CFE can be used as a thickening agent for yogurt. The sensory test revealed that addition of CFE (2∼4%) to yogurt did not significantly affect the overall scores, but the overall preference score for 6% CFE yogurt was significantly decreased. Based on the data obtained from the present study, we concluded that the concentrations (2∼4%) of CFE could be used to produce a CFE-added yogurt without the significantly adverse effects on the physicochemical and sensory properties.

Investigation of the Effect of Rice Wine on the Metabolites of the Main Components of Herbal Medicine in Rat Urine by Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole/Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry: A Case Study on Cornus officinalis

Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS) was developed for rapid and sensitive analysis of the effect of rice wine on the metabolites of the main components of herbal medicine in rat urine. Using Cornus officinalis as a model of herbal medicine, the metabolite profiles of crude and processed (steaming the crude drug presteeped in rice wine) Cornus officinalis extracts in rat urine were investigated. The metabolites of Cornus officinalis were identified by using dynamic adjustment of the fragmentor voltage to produce structure-relevant fragment ions. In this work, we identified the parent compounds and metabolites of crude and processed Cornus officinalis in rats. In total, three parent compounds and seventeen new metabolites of Cornus officinalis were found in rats. The contents of the parent compounds and metabolites in vivo varied significantly after intragastric (i.g.) administration of aqueous extracts of crude and processed Cornus officinalis. Data from this study suggests that UPLC-QTOF/MS could be used as a potential tool for uncovering the effects of excipients found in the metabolites of the main components of herbal medicine, in vivo, to predict and discover the processing mechanisms of herbal medicine.

Exploring potential chemical markers by metabolomics method for studying the processing mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine using RPLC-Q-TOF/MS: a case study of Radix Aconiti

Background

Pao zhi is a common traditional approach that usually occurs before most herbs are prescribed whereby during processing, secondary plant metabolites are transformed, thus helping to increase potency, reduce toxicity and altering their effects. Using Radix Aconiti (Chuan Wu, CW) as a model herb, suitable chemical markers are crucial for studying the processing mechanisms of these herbs.

Results

In this study, the comprehensive metabolomic characters of CW and Prepared CW (ZCW) by RPLC-Q-TOF/MS were investigated to guarantee clinical safety. Multivariate analyses successfully identified specific metabolite changes between CW and ZCW. In addition, 22 key biomarkers responsible for the detoxifying actions of pao zhi were discovered. The processing mechanism of CW were discussed according to the identified metabolites. This method is efficient, providing more accurate characterisations of traditional pao zhi detoxification.

Conclusions

The proposed strategy proves that RPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabolomic analysis does not only explore chemical markers but can also provide a comprehensive understanding of the transformation mechanisms underlying pao zhi.

Determination of hyperoside and isoquercitrin in rat plasma by membrane-protected micro-solid-phase extraction with high-performance liquid chromatography

A novel method, micro-solid-phase extraction based on membrane-protected molecularly imprinted polymer, was developed to extract hyperoside and isoquercitrin in rat plasma. Synthesized hyperoside MIPs were packed in a porous polyether sulfone membrane envelope to perform extraction. The parameters sorbent materials, membrane types, extraction time and desorption conditions were optimized for micro-solid-phase extraction. Under the optimal conditions, correlation coefficients, 0.998 and 0.999, were obtained for hyperoside and isoquercitrin, respectively, with the linear range between 1 and 120 μg/mL. The absolute extraction recoveries from 84.5 to 89.3% were found. The method detection limits of hyperoside and isoquercitrin were 0.24 and 0.22 μg/mL, respectively. Compared with traditional methods, solid-phase extraction, liquid-liquid extraction and protein precipitation, the developed method was simple, highly efficient for extraction, environmentally friendly, and particularly suitable for complex biological samples.

In vivo metabolism study of vaccarin in rat using HPLC-LTQ-MSn

In order to illustrate the main biotransformation pathways of vaccarin in vivo, metabolites of vaccarin in rats were identified using a specific and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization linear ion trap mass spectrometry (LTQ XL™) method. The rats were administered a single dose (200 mg/kg) of vaccarin by oral gavage. By comparing their changes in molecular masses (ΔM), retention times and spectral patterns with those of the parent drug, the parent compound and six metabolites were found in rat urine after oral administration of vaccarin. The parent compound and five metabolites were detected in rat plasma. In heart, liver and kidney samples, respectively, one, four and three metabolites were identified, in addition to the parent compound. Three metabolites, but no trace of parent drug, were found in the rat feces. This is the first systematic metabolism study of vaccarin in vivo. The biotransformation pathways of vaccarin involved methylation, hydroxylation, glycosylation and deglycosylation.

Metabolomics study on Fuzi and its processed products using ultra-performance liquid-chromatography/electrospray-ionization synapt high-definition mass spectrometry coupled with pattern recognition analysis

The lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx is named "Fuzi" which is widely distributed across Asia and North America and has been used to relieve joint pain and treat rheumatic diseases for over two thousand years. However, it has very narrow therapeutic ranges and despite the toxicological risk, its usage remains very high. A traditional Chinese processing approach (Paozhi, detoxifying measure) is necessary to remove the poisonous Aconitum alkaloids mainly deriving from the diester diterpene alkaloids (DDAs) including aconitine, mesaconitine and hypaconitine. They can be decomposed into less or non-toxic derivatives through Paozhi that plays an essential role in detoxification. Processed Fuzi is mainly focused on the three main forms of Yanfuzi (YFZ), Heishunpian (HSP) and Baifupian (BFP) which are highly desirable in order to guarantee the clinical safety and their low toxicity in decoctions. The difference in metabolomic characters between Fuzi and its processed preparations is still completely unclear. Therefore, this paper was designed to investigate a comprehensive metabolome of Fuzi and its processed products by ultra-performance liquid-chromatography/electrospray-ionization synapt high-definition mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-HDMS) combined with pattern recognition methods. The difference in metabolic profiles between Fuzi and its processed preparations was well observed by the principal component analysis (PCA) of the MS spectra. Significant changes of 19 metabolite biomarkers were detected in the Fuzi samples and three preparations. The underlying regulations of Paozhi-perturbed metabolic pathways were also discussed according to the identified metabolites. The present study proves that UPLC-Q-TOF-HDMS based metabolomic analysis greatly contributes to the investigation of Fuzi metabolism through Paozhi techniques, and provides useful information to further comprehensively understand the pharmacological activity and potential toxicity of processed Fuzi in a clinical environment.