Chemical Components Analysis and in vivo Metabolite Profiling of Jian’er Xiaoshi Oral Liquid by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS

Unraveling the Mechanism of Xiaochaihu Granules in Alleviating Yeast-Induced Fever Based on Network Analysis and Experimental Validation

Xiaochaihu granules (XCHG) are extensively used to treat fever. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. This study aimed to explore the potential of XCHG in mitigating yeast-induced fever and the underlying metabolic pathways. The chemical composition of XCHG was ascertained using ultra-fast liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS), followed by integrated network analysis to predict potential targets. We then conducted experimental validation using pharmacological assays and metabolomics analysis in a yeast-induced mouse fever model. The study identified 133 compounds in XCHG, resulting in the development of a comprehensive network of herb-compound-biological functional modules. Subsequently, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations confirmed the stability of the complexes, including γ-aminobutyric acid B receptor 2 (GABBR2)-saikosaponin C, prostaglandin endoperoxide synthases (PTGS2)-lobetyolin, and NF-κB inhibitor IκBα (NFKBIA)-glycyrrhizic acid. Animal experiments demonstrated that XCHG reduced yeast-induced elevation in NFKBIA's downstream regulators [interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-8], inhibited PTGS2 activity, and consequently decreased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels. XCHG also downregulated the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), and adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH). These corroborated the network analysis results indicating XCHG's effectiveness against fever in targeting NFKBIA, PTGS2, and GABBR2. The hypothalamus metabolomics analysis identified 14 distinct metabolites as potential antipyretic biomarkers of XCHG. In conclusion, our findings suggest that XCHG alleviates yeast-induced fever by regulating inflammation/immune responses, neuromodulation, and metabolism modules, providing a scientific basis for the anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties of XCHG.

Identification and Characterization of Chemical Constituents from Ammopiptanthus nanus Stem and Their Metabolites in Rats by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS

Ammopiptanthus nanus as a Kirgiz medicine is widely used for the treatment of frostbite and chronic rheumatoid arthritis. However, due to a lack of systematic research on the chemical components of A. nanus and their metabolites, the bioactive components in it remain unclear. Herein, a reliable strategy based on UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS was established to comprehensively analyze the chemical components and their metabolites in vivo. In total, 59 compounds were identified from A. nanus stem extract, among which 14 isoflavones, 10 isoprenylated isoflavones, 4 polyhydroxy flavonoids, 9 alkaloids and 1 polyol were characterized for the first time. After oral administration of A. nanus stem extract, 30 prototype constituents and 28 metabolites (12 phase I and 16 phase II metabolites) were speculated on and identified in rat serum, urine and feces. Furthermore, the metabolic pathways of the chemical components were systematically analyzed and proposed. In conclusion, the chemical components from A. nanus stem and their metabolites in vivo were first studied, which may provide useful chemical information for further study on the effective material basis and pharmacological mechanism of A. nanus.

Enhancement of anti-diabetic activity of pomelo peel by the fermentation of Aspergillus oryzae CGMCC23295: In vitro and in silico docking studies

In this work, pomelo peel was fermented by Aspergillus oryzae CGMCC23295 to enhance its anti-diabetic properties. Results showed the total phenolic and flavonoids contents, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), scavenging capacities against 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radicals, as well as inhibitory abilities against α-amylase and α-glucosidase of pomelo peel were increased and fermentation for 8 days was the best. Additionally, the fermented sample could also enhance the glucose consumption and glycogen of HepG2 cell. Based on UPLC-MS/MS analysis, binding energy calculation, concentration determination and IC50 measurement, purpurin, apigenin, genistein, and paxilline could be concluded to be the main compounds to enhance the inhibition activities of fermented sample against α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Furthermore, computational studies were performed to reveal the the binding site and molecular interactions between paxilline and α-amylase, as well as purpurin and α-glucosidase. These findings provide a base for the utilization and valorization of pomelo peels as functional food additives by fermentation.

The chemical constituents and metabolite profiles of Huangqin decoction in normal and ulcerative colitis rats by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a recurrent and palliative inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) begins in distal colon and spreads proximally to the entire colon, characterized by mucosal inflammation which reduces patients' quality of life and increases the risk of bowel cancer. Huangqin decoction (HQD), a classical Chinese formula recorded in Treatise on Febrile Diseases has been widely used for the treatment of UC. Studies found that HQD has good curative effect on UC. However, the chemical constituents and metabolites of it has not been fully elucidated due to lack of in vitro and in vivo studies, which also limits the pathogenesis study and clinical application of UC. In this study, a rapid and high-throughput UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS method was established and applied to analyse the chemical constituents and metabolites of HQD. Besides, we established an UC rat model and compared the differences of metabolite profiles between normal and UC rats both in plasma and urine. A total of 139 constituents were chemically defined or tentatively identified, including 98 flavonoids, 10 triterpene saponins, 10 monoterpene glycosides, 4 phenols, 5 phenylethanoid glycosides and 12 other types of compounds. A total of 175 and 147 HQD-related xenobiotics were detected in normal and UC rats, respectively. The main metabolic pathways of HQD were methylation, hydrolysis, hydroxylation, glucuronidation and sulfation. The holistic metabolic profiles of HQD revealed that normal and UC rats had certain differences in drug absorption and metabolism. This study can provide references for the follow-up study of HQD, and provide essential data for the further study of the relationships between chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of HQD.

Chemical components characterization and in vivo metabolites profiling of Lingbao Huxin Dan by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Lingbao Huxin Dan (LBHX) is an effective prescription for treating various cardiovascular diseases. However, its systematic chemical composition analysis and important marker components remain unclear, which hinders the development of standards or guidelines for quality evaluation. Herein, a high-resolution and efficient method was established to comprehensively investigate the chemical ingredients and metabolites of LBHX by using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. AutoDock Vina was applied to conduct visual screening for identifying potential active compounds targeting two important sick sinus syndrome-associated proteins. As a result, 53 volatile compounds, as well as 191 non-volatile chemical components, including bufadienolides, diterpenoids, bile acids, phenolic acids, and triterpenoid saponins, were unambiguously characterized or tentatively identified. Fifty prototypes and 62 metabolites were identified in the plasma of rats, whilst metabolism reactions included phase I reactions (hydrolysis, oxidation, and hydroxylation) and phase II reactions (glucuronidation and methylation). Eleven compounds with good binding affinity have been observed by docking with key proteins. It is the first systematic study on the pharmacodynamic material basis of LBHX and the result consolidates the foundation for further study regarding the mechanism in treating cardiovascular diseases.

Chemical and metabolic profiling of Codonopsis Radix extract with an integrated strategy using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

Codonopsis radix was commonly used as food materials or herbal medicines in many countries. However, the comprehensive analysis of chemical constituents, and in vivo xenobiotics of Codonopsis radix remain unclear. In the present study, an integrated strategy with feature-based molecular networking using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was established to systematically screen the chemical constituents and the in vivo xenobiotics of Codonopsis radix. A step-by-step manner based on a composition database, visual structure classification, discriminant ions, and metabolite software prediction was proposed to overcome the complexities due to the similar structure of chemical constituents and metabolites of Codonopsis radix. As a result, 103 compounds were tentatively characterized, 20 of which were identified by reference standards. Besides, a total of 50 xenobiotics were detected in vivo, including 26 prototypes and 24 metabolites, while the metabolic features of the pyrrolidine alkaloids were elucidated for the first time. The metabolism reactions of pyrrolidine alkaloids and sesquiterpene lactones included oxidation, methylation, hydration, hydrogenation, demethylation, glucuronidation, and sulfation. This study provided a generally applicable approach to the comprehensive investigation of the chemical and metabolic profile of traditional Chinese medicine and offered reasonable guidelines for further screening of quality control indicators and pharmacodynamics mechanism of Codonopsis radix.

Identification of potential anti-pneumonia pharmacological components of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma after the treatment with Gan An He Ji oral liquid

Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, a traditional Chinese medicine also known as Gan Cao (GC), is frequently included in clinical prescriptions for the treatment of pneumonia. However, the pharmacological components of GC for pneumonia treatment are rarely explored. Gan An He Ji oral liquid (GAHJ) has a simple composition and contains GC liquid extracts and paregoric, and has been used clinically for many years. Therefore, GAHJ was selected as a compound preparation for the study of GC in the treatment of pneumonia. We conducted an in vivo study of patients with pneumonia undergoing GAHJ treatments for three days. Using the intelligent mass spectrometry data-processing technologies to analyze the metabolism of GC in vivo, we obtained 168 related components of GC in humans, consisting of 24 prototype components and 144 metabolites, with 135 compounds screened in plasma and 82 in urine. After analysis of the metabolic transformation relationship and relative exposure, six components (liquiritin, liquiritigenin, glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetinic acid, daidzin, and formononetin) were selected as potential effective components. The experimental results based on two animal pneumonia models and the inflammatory cell model showed that the mixture of these six components was effective in the treatment of pneumonia and lung injury and could effectively downregulate the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Interestingly, glycyrrhetinic acid exhibited the strongest inhibition on iNOS and the highest exposure in vivo. The following molecular dynamic simulations indicated a strong bond between glycyrrhetinic acid and iNOS. Thus, the current study provides a pharmaceutical basis for GC and reveals the possible corresponding mechanisms in pneumonia treatment.

Integrated Solid-Phase Extraction, Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole-Orbitrap High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry, and Multidimensional Data-Mining Techniques to Unravel the Metabolic Network of Dehydrocostus Lactone in Rats

Dehydrocostus lactone (DL) is among the representative ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with excellent anticancer, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, an advanced strategy based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS) was integrated to comprehensively explore the metabolic fate of DL in rats. First, prior to data collection, all biological samples (plasma, urine, and feces) were concentrated and purified using solid-phase extraction (SPE) pre-treatment technology. Then, during data collection, in the full-scan (FS) data-dependent acquisition mode, FS-ddMS² was intelligently combined with FS-parent ion list (PIL)-dynamic exclusion (DE) means for targeted monitoring and deeper capture of more low-abundance ions of interest. After data acquisition, data-mining techniques such as high-resolution extracted ion chromatograms (HREICs), multiple mass defect filters (MMDFs), diagnostic product ions (DPIs), and neutral loss fragments (NLFs) were incorporated to extensively screen and profile all the metabolites in multiple dimensions. As a result, a total of 71 metabolites of DL (parent drug included) were positively or tentatively identified. The results suggested that DL in vivo mainly underwent hydration, hydroxylation, dihydrodiolation, sulfonation, methylation, dehydrogenation, dehydration, N-acetylcysteine conjugation, cysteine conjugation, glutathione conjugation, glycine conjugation, taurine conjugation, etc. With these inferences, we successfully mapped the "stepwise radiation" metabolic network of DL in rats, where several drug metabolism clusters (DMCs) were discovered. In conclusion, not only did we provide a refined strategy for inhibiting matrix effects and fully screening major-to-trace metabolites, but also give substantial data reference for mechanism investigation, in vivo distribution visualization, and safety evaluation of DL.