A New Concept on Quality Marker for Quality Assessment and Process Control of Chinese Medicines

Integrating artificial intelligence into the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine industry: a review

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the practical experience and summary of the Chinese nation for thousands of years. It shows great potential in treating various chronic diseases, complex diseases and major infectious diseases, and has gradually attracted the attention of people all over the world. However, due to the complexity of prescription and action mechanism of TCM, the development of TCM industry is still in a relatively conservative stage. With the rise of artificial intelligence technology in various fields, many scholars began to apply artificial intelligence technology to traditional Chinese medicine industry and made remarkable progress. This paper comprehensively summarizes the important role of artificial intelligence in the development of traditional Chinese medicine industry from various aspects, including new drug discovery, data mining, quality standardization and industry technology of traditional Chinese medicine. The limitations of artificial intelligence in these applications are also emphasized, including the lack of pharmacological research, database quality problems and the challenges brought by human-computer interaction. Nevertheless, the development of artificial intelligence has brought new opportunities and innovations to the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Integrating artificial intelligence technology into the comprehensive application of Chinese medicine industry is expected to overcome the major problems faced by traditional Chinese medicine industry and further promote the modernization of the whole traditional Chinese medicine industry.

Three-tiered authentication of herbal traditional Chinese medicine ingredients used in women's health provides progressive qualitative and quantitative insight

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal products are increasingly used in Europe, but prevalent authentication methods have significant gaps in detection. In this study, three authentication methods were tested in a tiered approach to improve accuracy on a collection of 51 TCM plant ingredients obtained on the European market. We show the relative performance of conventional barcoding, metabarcoding and standardized chromatographic profiling for TCM ingredients used in one of the most diagnosed disease patterns in women, endometriosis. DNA barcoding using marker ITS2 and chromatographic profiling are methods of choice reported by regulatory authorities and relevant national pharmacopeias. HPTLC was shown to be a valuable authentication tool, combined with metabarcoding, which gives an increased resolution on species diversity, despite dealing with highly processed herbal ingredients. Conventional DNA barcoding as a recommended method was shown to be an insufficient tool for authentication of these samples, while DNA metabarcoding yields an insight into biological contaminants. We conclude that a tiered identification strategy can provide progressive qualitative and quantitative insight in an integrative approach for quality control of processed herbal ingredients.

Chemistry, Bioactivity, and Prediction of the Quality Marker (Q-Marker) of Ferula Plants in China: A Review

The genus of Ferula belongs to the family Apiaceae, and many Ferula plants are used as traditional Chinese medicines. Ferula plants were initially identified as early as the "Newly Revised Materia Medica" written in the Tang Dynasty (AD 659), and several of them are also recognized as the traditional medicines of the Uygur, Kazakh, and Mongolian. Ferula plants are distributed in China, Russia, India, Africa, Central Asia, and other places. Currently, the chemical components derived from Ferula plants are mainly coumarins, sesquiterpenes, and volatile oils. Ferula plants can exhibit diverse pharmacological activities such as anti-allergy, analgesia, relieving cough, anticoagulation, and anti-tumor. Therefore, this article summarized the domestic research conducted on the genus Ferula, appropriately combines the research status of the foreign genus Ferula, and describes the chemical composition, biological activity, toxicity issues, and Q-marker prediction. In addition, all the related studies about the genus Ferula are summarized by analyzing the various databases such as CNKI, Wanfang data, PubChem and SciFinder.

Perspectives of international multi-center clinical trials on traditional Chinese herbal medicine

With the introduction of various subjects, such as clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine, the qualities and levels of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine (TCHM) in China improved substantially, and the processes of internationalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are further accelerated. Since, a variety of drug products in China have been approved for marketing in other countries, and approximately 10 products have submitted the IND application to FDA of United States, of which various Chinese herbal preparations such as compound Danshen dripping pills, Xingling granules, and HMPL-004 have been approved to be investigated in phase III clinical trials. In general, multi-center studies of TCHM are increasing with years, but most of the studies are performed in some certain country, and the actual international multi-center clinical trials are very rare. Number of SCI literatures on multi-center clinical trials of TCHM that published in the recent decade also showed increasing tendency with years, despite the evident reduction in the past 2 years due to the influence of COVID-19 pandemic. Of the multi-center clinical trials of TCHM that performed by mainland China and other oversees regions, except for Taiwan, China, nearly 70% were focused on classic Chinese medicinal formulae and Chinese patent medicine, while the other 30% were on dietary supplements and plant extracts. Facing the future, the "human experience" has attracted close attentions from researchers throughout the world. Effectively utilizing the historic "human experience" is an important method to vitalize potential of original scientific and technological resources of TCHM. Performing multi-center clinical trials with high qualities is still an essential method for TCHM in accessing the mainstream medicine market. In addition, it is also required to further improve the evaluation techniques and methods that not only meet the international standards but also meet the characteristics of TCHM. Furthermore, we should also focus on the TCHM specific clinical values and scientific reports.

Screening quality markers (Q-markers) of Xiaoer Chaige Tuire Oral Liquid by in vitro sequential metabolism and in vivo biopharmaceutical analysis

BACKGROUND

Xiaoer Chaige Tuire Oral Liquid (XCT) is a preparation composed of 7 traditional Chinese medicines including Bupleuri Radix, Puerariae Lobatae Radix, Scutellariae Radix, Gypsum Fibrosum, Artemisiae Annuae Herba, Paeoniae Radix Alba and Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma Praeparata Cum Melle in proportion. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, it has the function of dispelling wind evil and relieving exterior syndrome, clearing summer heat and dampness, and reducing internal heat. So, it is indicated for pediatric upper respiratory tract infection caused by exogenous wind-heat. Modern pharmacological studies have indicated that XCT has a variety of activities such as anti-inflammation and antivirus.

PURPOSE

To screen potential quality markers (Q-markers) of XCT by tracking in vivo bioactive compounds concomitantly using in vitro sequential metabolism and in vivo biopharmaceutical analysis.

METHODS

In vitro metabolic models including artificial gastric juice, intestinal juice, intestinal microbiota, Caco-2 cell monolayer and liver S9 were employed to simulate metabolism of main compounds of XCT in the body. High performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was used to quantitatively determine main components of XCT preparation and its sequential metabolism samples. Ultra performance liquid chromatography with QExactive Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QExactive-HF-x-Orbitrap-MS) was used to qualitatively determine in vivo components of XCT preparation in rat plasma and metabolites obtained with liver S9 fraction of rats.

RESULTS

Twenty-five compounds were identified from the preparation of XCT. Sequential in vitro metabolism studies indicated that most of these compounds except baicalin and baicalein were stable in artificial gastric juice, albiflorin, glycyrrhizic acid, gallic acid and baicalein were unstable in artificial intestinal juice, daidzin, liquiritin and genistin were hydrolyzed into their aglycones daidzein, liquiritigenin and genistein by intestinal microbiota, and 7 compounds thereout including benzoic acid, puerarin, 3'-methoxypuerarin, paeoniflorin, scopoletin, daidzein and liquiritigenin were shown to be well absorbed with Caco-2 cell monolayer model. These 7 compounds were demonstrated to be metabolized via hydroxylation and glycosylation by liver S9 system. Ten components of XCT preparation including puerarin, baicalin, wogonoside, benzoic acid, daidzein, baicalein, wogonin, oroxylin A, isoscopoletin and isoliquiritigenin were identified from rat plasma by in vivo biopharmaceutical analysis. Most of the compounds screened with both in vitro and in vivo metabolic studies were shown to be active against inflammation and influenza virus.

CONCLUSIONS

A screening strategy for potential quality markers (Q-markers) of XCT preparation based on tracking in vivo bioactive compounds using the combination of in vitro sequential metabolism and in vivo biopharmaceutical analysis was established. With this strategy, a total of 12 compounds including puerarin, daidzein, benzoic acid, baicalin, baicalein, wogonoside, wogonin, oroxylin A, 3'-methoxypuerarin, paeoniflorin, scopoletin and liquiritigenin were screened to be potential Q-markers of XCT, which provides a material basis for quality control and development of XCT.

Exploring the quality markers and mechanism of Bushen Huoxue Prescription in prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy based on Chinmedomics strategy

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Chinese herbal medicines have complex chemical composition; therefore, revealing the effective substances of Chinese herbal medicine becomes a prerequisite for scientific elucidation of the mechanism of action of Bushen Huoxue Prescription (BHP) against diabetic retinopathy (DR) and the development of new drugs.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The Chinmedomics technique was used to evaluate the pharmacodynamic ingredients and mechanism of action of BHP against DR rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The overall physiological condition of the rats, including body weight, blood glucose, inflammatory factor levels, histological staining, and urine metabolic profile were examined to evaluate the model and its effects. The chemical composition of BHP in vivo and ex vivo was fully analyzed utilizing UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS in conjunction with TCM serum pharmacochemistry. Finally, correlation analysis between biomarkers, and serum migration components was used to identify Quality markers (Q-markers) that were significantly associated with effectiveness.

RESULTS

The UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS platform was used to identify a total of 29 chemicals in serum, 17 of which were highly linked with effectiveness and can be potentially employed as pharmacodynamic substances for BHP against DR. In addition, 14 biomarkers related to galactose metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism were identified. These pathways reveal that DR may be inextricably linked to levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in the organism. Finally, five active ingredients were identified as potential Q-markers of BHP against DR, namely ajugol, protocatechuic acid, tanshinone IIA, panaxatriol and puerarin.

CONCLUSION

This study successfully clarified the efficacy and Q-markers of BHP through the Chinmedomics strategy, which is of great significance in determining the quality standards of BHP.

Quality assessment of traditional Chinese medicine based on data fusion combined with machine learning: A review

The authenticity and quality of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) directly impact clinical efficacy and safety. Quality assessment of traditional Chinese medicine (QATCM) is a global concern due to increased demand and shortage of resources. Recently, modern analytical technologies have been extensively investigated and utilized to analyze the chemical composition of TCM. However, a single analytical technique has some limitations, and judging the quality of TCM only from the characteristics of the components is not enough to reflect the overall view of TCM. Thus, the development of multi-source information fusion technology and machine learning (ML) has further improved QATCM. Data information from different analytical instruments can better understand the connection between herbal samples from multiple aspects. This review focuses on the use of data fusion (DF) and ML in QATCM, including chromatography, spectroscopy, and other electronic sensors. The common data structures and DF strategies are introduced, followed by ML methods, including fast-growing deep learning. Finally, DF strategies combined with ML methods are discussed and illustrated for research on applications such as source identification, species identification, and content prediction in TCM. This review demonstrates the validity and accuracy of QATCM-based DF and ML strategies and provides a reference for developing and applying QATCM methods.

A three-dimensional integration strategy for Q-markers identification: Taken Euphorbia Pekinensis Radix as an example

Euphorbia Pekinensis Radix (EPR) is an important antitumor medicinal resource. However, quality control of EPR has not been well established due to the lack of quality markers (Q-markers) research. In this study, a three-dimensional integration strategy was developed to systematically characterize Q-markers and this method was successfully applied to identify Q-markers of EPR. Firstly, three core quality attributes-effectiveness, testability and specificity-were considered as three dimensions, and the weights of each dimension were calculated by analytical hierarch process. Then, the values of each dimension were evaluated by multi-indicators. For EPR with antitumor activity, cytotoxic assay and network pharmacology, UPLC analysis and literature search, compound belonging search were employed to calculate the values of effectiveness, testability and specificity, respectively. Finally, the weights and values were multiplied as the scores of each component on that dimension, and the total scores of the three dimensions were further integrated based on the radar plot and expressed as regression area, by which Q-markers were quantified and visualized. Five components were identified as Q-markers of EPR due to their high-ranked antitumor capacity, ease of measurement and excellent specificity, which laid an important foundation for the quality control improvement of EPR. Furthermore, the integrated strategy summarized here is helpful for the quantitative identification of Q-markers and promote the quality standard of traditional Chinese medicine.

Rapid quality evaluation of Chinese herbal medicines using a miniature mass spectrometer: Lygodium japonicum (Thunb.) Sw. as an example

The quality of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) raw materials is essential, and mass spectrometry (MS)-based technologies have been playing key roles in the quality control of CHMs. However, the use of miniature mass spectrometry (mini-MS) for quality control of CHMs has rarely been reported. In this work, we developed a rapid analytical method for the quality evaluation of CHMs based on paper spray ionization (PSI)-mini-MS/MS. The quality evaluation of Lygodium japonicum (Thunb.) Sw. was used as an example. Following a "multi-component" quality evaluation strategy, nine active constituents of L. japonicum were selected to be used as analytes for quality control. We confirmed that the precursor-product ion information in the MS/MS spectra of each analyte in the herbal extracts was consistent with the standards. Also, we developed a mini-MS-based quantitative method for each analyte using its quantification ion. The quantitative methodology was rigorously validated using quality control samples. Finally, the quality evaluation of L. japonicum was carried out using the established MS/MS method combined with statistical analysis. A wide range of common quality issues with L. japonicum can be effectively determined, including whether it is adulterated with sand and distinguishing among different parts and species. This study demonstrates that mini-MS for quality evaluation of CHMs is feasible. Mini-MS for quality evaluation of herbal medicines will potentially have a good prospect due to its many advantages such as low cost, low power consumption, and portability in the future.

Simultaneous Determination of Ten Active Components From Jinhongtang Granule in Rat Plasma by LC-MS/MS and its Application to a Comparative Pharmacokinetic Study in Normal and Sepsis Rats In Vivo and In Vitro

Jinhongtang granule (JHT) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula used for treatment of infection diseases including severe COVID-19. However, pharmacokinetics of JHT was unknown, especially in infection condition. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed to simultaneously quantify ten active components form JHT in rat plasma. MS detection was performed by MRM scanning operating in the negative ionization mode. The method showed good linearity (r > 0.997). The accuracy, precision, matrix effect, recovery and stability were all satisfactory with current criterion. The method was successfully applied to compare the pharmacokinetic difference between normal and sepsis rats. The pharmacokinetic behaviors of analytes in sepsis rats were significantly different from those in normal rats. Cmax and AUC of rhein, emodin, aloe emodin, rhein-8-glucoside, aloe emodin 8-glucoside, protocatechuic acid, epicatechin and salidroside, were significantly increased in sepsis rats, except for 4-hydroxycinnamic acid and ferulic acid. In vitro intestinal absorption study using everted intestinal sac preparations indicated that the intestinal permeability was altered under sepsis. In conclusion, pharmacokinetic difference of JHT between normal and sepsis rats were evaluated for the first time, which provided useful information for the clinical application of JHT as an integrative therapy for severe and critical COVID-19.

Application of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Chemometrics for the Quality Evaluation of Foods with Medicinal Properties: A Review

Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is becoming an increasingly popular analytical technique for characterizing and identifying various products; its multi-element analysis, fast response, remote sensing, and sample preparation is minimal or nonexistent, and low running costs can significantly accelerate the analysis of foods with medicinal properties (FMPs). A comprehensive overview of recent advances in LIBS is presented, along with its future trends, viewpoints, and challenges. Besides reviewing its applications in both FMPs, it is intended to provide a concise description of the use of LIBS and chemometrics for the detection of FMPs, rather than a detailed description of the fundamentals of the technique, which others have already discussed. Finally, LIBS, like conventional approaches, has some limitations. However, it is a promising technique that may be employed as a routine analysis technique for FMPs when utilized effectively.

Lateral flow immunoassay for small-molecules detection in phytoproducts: a review

Phytoproducts are involved in various fields of industry. Small-molecule (Mw < 900 Da) organic compounds can be used to indicate the quality of plant samples in the perspective of efficacy by measuring the necessary secondary metabolites and in the perspective of safety by measuring the adulterant level of toxic compounds. The development of reliable detection methods for these compounds in such a complicated matrix is challenging. The lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) is one of the immunoassays well-known for its simplicity, portability, and rapidity. In this review, the general principle, components, format, and application of the LFA for phytoproducts are discussed.

Multimodal integrated strategy for the discovery and identification of quality markers in traditional Chinese medicine

With the modernization and internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the requirement for quality control has increased. The quality marker (Q-marker) is an important standard in this field and has been implemented with remarkable success in recent years. However, the establishment of Q-markers remains fragmented and the process lacks systematicity, resulting in inconsistent quality control and insufficient correlation with clinical efficacy and safety of TCM. This review introduces four multimodal integrated approaches that contribute to the discovery of more comprehensive and accurate Q-markers, thus aiding in the establishment of new quality control patterns based on the characteristics and principles of TCM. These include the whole-process quality control strategy, chemical-activity-based screening method, efficacy, safety, and consistent combination strategy, and TCM theory-guided approach. Furthermore, methodologies and representative examples of these strategies are described, and important future directions and questions in this field are also proposed.

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Four multimodal integrated strategies were introduced to establish Q-markers.

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Quality control of TCM should focus on the entire process chain.

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The identification of Q-markers needs to be guided by TCM theory.

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Ensuring efficacy, safety, and consistency is an essential goal of Q-markers.

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Multidisciplinary techniques are the driving force for improving Q-markers.

Studies on Quality Markers of Kaihoujian Spray for Anti-Inflammation Based on Gray Correlation Analysis Strategy

Kaihoujian spray (KHJ) was originated from the classical prescription of Miao medicine, which was commonly used for acute and chronic pharyngitis. The prescription was composed of Sophorae Tonkinensis Radix, Ardisiae Radix, Cicadae Periostracum, and menthol. However, in previous literature, only clinical studies have been reported. The Quality Marker (Q-Markers) of KHJ on anti-inflammation has not been clearly elucidated. In this study, a gray correlation analysis strategy combined with network pharmacology analysis was established for the investigation of Q-Markers in KHJ. A total of 52 components were identified or tentatively characterized in KHJ, including alkaloids, saponins, bergenin, flavonoids, amino acids, and their derivatives. Furthermore, regularity of recipe composition and gray correlation analysis revealed that the correlation degree of all peaks was greater than 0.5. The ranking of correlation degree was peak 1 > 6>9 > 8>7 > 10>4 > 5>11 > 3>2. Among them, peaks 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 11 were identified as anagyrine, matrine, sophocarpine, norbergenin, bengenin, 11-O-galloylbergenin, and trifolirhizin. The network pharmacology analysis revealed that EGFR, MMP9, MMP3, MMP1, and PTGS2 were the main targets of KHJ. Bergenin, matrine, sophocarpine, calycosin, and trifolirhizin were the main anti-inflammatory active ingredient in KHJ. These results proposed that bergenin, sophocarpidine, sophocarpine, and trifolirhizin could be the Q-Markers of KHJ on anti-inflammation. The process of discovering the Q-Markers would provide a promising method of quality control on KHJ.

Exploration of habitat-related chemomarkers for Magnoliae officinalis cortex applying both global and water-soluble components-based metabolomics method

BACKGROUND

The quality of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) has been closely related to their growth regions. The geo-herbalism of TCMs is just like the protected destination of origin on foodstuffs and wines, telling us the specific geographic regions could yield TCMs with superior quality. However, the impact of habitat on TCMs could hardly been indicated in current quality evaluation, defects were as follows: (1) few studies involved the effect of environmental factors, (2) more attentions were paid to several abundant compounds, while global components especially water-soluble compounds were prone to be ignored.

PURPOSE

A new integrated metabolomics analysis based on global and water-soluble components was proposed aiming to explore habitat-related chemomarkers for TCMs combined with correlation analysis to environmental factors. The geo-herbalism of Magnoliae officinalis cortex (MOC) was studied as an example.

METHODS

Multi-metabolomics approach based on UPLC/Q-TOF-MS and GC-MS combined with LC-2ECD were employed to analyze global components and accurately quantified water-soluble compounds, respectively. Meanwhile, decision tree, partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) as well as hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) heat map was applied to classify different samples and explore habitat-related chemomarkers. In addition, support vector machines model was used to verify the importance of screened out chemomarkers in predicting sample classification, and the impact of environmental factors on the markers were also demonstrated by correlation analysis.

RESULTS

By analyzing 148 batches of MOC samples from 21 habitats, 238 variables were picked and 84 of them were identified by UNIFI, meanwhile, seven water-soluble compounds were accurately quantified. Among them, thirteen markers including Var.1, magnolignan E, magnoloside N isomer, α-agarofuran, γ-eudesmol, β-eudesmol, magnolosides A, B, D, F, H, L and M were suggested importance in grouping Chuan-po and the other MOC samples. Support vector machines model also indicated well prediction performance with an accuracy of 96.97%. Most markers belong to water-soluble compounds and temperature and precipitation contributed to such chemical differences.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed strategy based on multi-metabolomics analysis could aid exploration of habitat-related chemomarkers for TCMs. Meanwhile, the screened out water-soluble compounds could perform equivalent functions in recognition of Daodi medicinal materials (DMMs) and non-DMM samples compared to the global components to some extent.

Machine Learning Approaches in Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Systematic Review

Machine learning (ML), as a branch of artificial intelligence, acquires the potential and meaningful rules from the mass of data via diverse algorithms. Owing to all research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) belonging to the digitalization of clinical records or experimental works, a massive and complex amount of data has become an inextricable part of the related studies. It is thus not surprising that ML approaches, as novel and efficient tools to mine the useful knowledge from data, have created inroads in a diversity of scopes of TCM over the past decade of years. However, by browsing lots of literature, we find that not all of the ML approaches perform well in the same field. Upon further consideration, we infer that the specificity may inhere between the ML approaches and their applied fields. This systematic review focuses its attention on the four categories of ML approaches and their eight application scopes in TCM. According to the function, ML approaches are classified into four categories, including classification, regression, clustering, and dimensionality reduction, and into 14 models as follows in more detail: support vector machine, least square-support vector machine, logistic regression, partial least squares regression, k-means clustering, hierarchical cluster analysis, artificial neural network, back propagation neural network, convolutional neural network, decision tree, random forest, principal component analysis, partial least squares-discriminant analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis. The eight common applied fields are divided into two parts: one for TCM, such as the diagnosis of diseases, the determination of syndromes, and the analysis of prescription, and the other for the related researches of Chinese herbal medicine, such as the quality control, the identification of geographic origins, the pharmacodynamic material basis, the medicinal properties, and the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Additionally, this paper discusses the function and feature difference among ML approaches when they are applied to the corresponding fields via comparing their principles. The specificity of each approach to its applied fields has also been affirmed, whereby laying a foundation for subsequent studies applying ML approaches to TCM.

An online, non-destructive method for simultaneously detecting chemical, biological, and physical properties of herbal injections using hyperspectral imaging with artificial intelligence

Botanical drugs hold great potential to prevent and treat complex diseases. Quality control is essential in ensuring the safety, efficacy, and therapeutic consistency of these drug products. The quality of a botanical drug product can be assessed using a variety of analytical methods based on criteria that judge the identity, strength, purity, and potency. However, most of these methods are developed on separate analytical platforms, and few approaches are available for in-process monitoring of multiple quality properties in a non-destructive manner. Here, we present a hyperspectral imaging-based strategy for online measurement of physical, chemical, and biological properties of botanical drugs using artificial intelligence algorithms. An end-to-end convolutional neural network (CNN) model was established to accurately determine phytochemicals and bioactivities based on the spectra. Besides, a new dual-scale anomaly (DSA) detection algorithm was proposed for visible particle inspection based on the images. The strategy was exemplified on Shuxuening Injection, a Ginkgo biloba-derived drug used in the treatment of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. Four quality metrics of the injection, including total flavonol, total ginkgolides, antioxidant activity, and anticoagulant activity, were successfully predicted by the CNN model with validation R² of 0.922, 0.921, 0.880, and 0.913 respectively, showing better performance than the other models. Unqualified samples with visible particles could be detected by DSA with a low false alarm rate of 9.38 %. Chromaticity results indicated that the inter-company variations of color were significant, while intra-company variations were relatively small. This demonstrates a real application of integrating hyperspectral imaging with artificial intelligence to provide a rapid, accurate, and non-destructive approach for process analysis of botanical drugs.

Molecular quantification, a new strategy for quality control of Chinese patent medicine containing animal-derived crude drug: Qi She in Jinlong capsule as an example

Quality control for Chinese patent medicine (CPM) containing animal-derived crude drug(s) is rather difficult. The methods based on chemical composition analysis, which are commonly used in CPM consisted of plant-derived crude drugs, are often not applicable for CPM containing animal-derived crude drug, because the effective constituents of most animal-derived crude drugs remain unknown. Even if there are such methods, they are usually qualitative rather than quantitative, and the specificity is generally poor. Here we proposed a molecular quantification method for CPM containing animal-derived crude drug, based upon the hypothesis that the amount of remnant DNA fragments could reflect feeding quantity of the crude drugs and thus ensure the quality of the CPM. Take Jinlong capsule [a hepatocellular carcinoma-resisting Chinese patent medicine comprising of three fresh animal drugs, i.e. Shougong (Peking gecko, Gekko swinhonis), Qi She (sharp-snouted pitviper, Deinagkistrodon acutus), and Jinqian Baihua She (many-banded krait, Bungarus multicinctus)] as an example, we established a qPCR assay for Qi She in the capsule, which verified the feasibility of the quality control method based on molecular quantification. Species-specific primers and TaqMan probe for Qi She were designed, and the qPCR assay system was then established. The assay exhibited a good specificity; there's a good linearity between Ct values and logarithm of the target amplicon copy numbers within the range of 8.8 × 10¹ to 8.8 × 10⁶ copies/μL, and the limit of detection was 88 copies/μL. The method was validated through reproducibility, stability assessment. Recovery of spiked samples was between 91.59% and 101.69%. It was verified that the copy numbers reflected the original feeding amount of an animal-derived crude drug by self-made Jinlong capsules. The assay was successfully applied in Qi She-specific amplicon determination in 20 batches of Jinlong capsule. The study was expected to provide a new strategy for quality control of CPM containing animal-derived crude drug.

Novel assays for quality evaluation of XueBiJing: Quality variability of a Chinese herbal injection for sepsis management

XueBiJing is an intravenous five-herb injection used to treat sepsis in China. The study aimed to develop a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)- or liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (LC-UV)-based assay for quality evaluation of XueBiJing. Assay development involved identifying marker constituents to make the assay therapeutically relevant and building a reliable one-point calibrator for monitoring the various analytes in parallel. Nine marker constituents from the five herbs were selected based on XueBiJing's chemical composition, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. A selectivity test (for “similarity of response”) was developed to identify and minimize interference by non-target constituents. Then, an intercept test was developed to fulfill “linearity through zero” for each analyte (absolute ratio of intercept to C response, <2%). Using the newly developed assays, we analyzed samples from 33 batches of XueBiJing, manufactured over three years, and found small batch-to-batch variability in contents of the marker constituents (4.1%–14.8%), except for senkyunolide I (26.5%).

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To make assays therapeutically relevant, criteria were proposed for defining herbal medicine efficacy & selecting analytes.

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Two tests were developed to build a one-point assay calibrator for the simultaneous monitoring of various analytes.

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Variability among 3-year batches of XueBiJing was evaluated for the first time using the therapeutically relevant assays.

Integrative pharmacology powers the detection of active components and mechanism underlying Wang Bi granules in rheumatoid arthritis

In China, Wang Bi Granule (WBG)², composed of 16 herbal and 1 animal-based compounds, is used for clinical treatment of the "Wang Bi" syndrome, commonly referred to as later rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in modern medicine. It is also used in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis, tuberculous arthritis, and Kashin-Beck disease, which are characterized by joint pain and swelling deformation. However, its pharmacological mechanisms remain unknown. We aimed to characterize the chemical components in WBG and examine the underlying mechanism for RA treatment using integrative pharmacological strategy, including chemical composition detection, efficacy evaluation, and mechanism exploration. We employed UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS to describe the chemical profile of WBG. TNF-α-stimulated RAW264.7 cells were used to simulate the inflammatory processes in RA and evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of WBG. Network pharmacology was used to determine the mechanism underlying WBG action in RA. A total of 278 chemical components were identified or tentatively characterized. The water extract of WBG improved the imbalance in inflammation in TNF-α-stimulated RAW264.7 cells by regulating 179 differential genes. 55 key active constituents were obtained based on the interactions among "components" targets, RA-related genes, and differential genes (WBG vs TNF-α group) which may ameliorate RA by regulating 161 hub genes primarily involved in inflammation-related pathways. The present study, for the first time, employed integrative pharmacology to characterize the chemical profile of WBG and elucidate its mechanism of action against RA through an inflammation-immune regulatory system.

Screening for potential quality markers of Callerya nitida var. hirsutissima. Z.Wei based on components profile, pharmacokinetics, and anti-inflammatory study

Callerya nitida var. hirsutissima. Z.Wei is a classical, traditional Chinese herbal medicine mostly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Recent reports suggest that inconsistent and poor-quality control levels have primarily affected the therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the active chemical ingredients, stability of components in blood, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics to specify the potential markers for quality control and quality evaluation of Callerya nitida. The active components in vitro and in vivo were obtained by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Moreover, the changes of the bioactive components in the blood were monitored over time (0-24 h) in order to identify stable active components. On this basis, the pharmacokinetic characteristics of these ingredients combined with the anti-inflammatory activity were determined to screen out the potential markers for ensuring the quality control of Callerya nitida. The identified four components, such as calycosin, daidzein, formononetin, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, have the characteristics of intrinsic components, clearly defined structures, high exposure values, and in vivo stability, which are important for the therapeutic activity of pharmacologically active materials. Therefore, they can be used as potential markers to control the quality levels of Callerya nitida.

A comprehensive review of integrative pharmacology-based investigation: A paradigm shift in traditional Chinese medicine

Over the past decade, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has widely embraced systems biology and its various data integration approaches to promote its modernization. Thus, integrative pharmacology-based traditional Chinese medicine (TCMIP) was proposed as a paradigm shift in TCM. This review focuses on the presentation of this novel concept and the main research contents, methodologies and applications of TCMIP. First, TCMIP is an interdisciplinary science that can establish qualitative and quantitative pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) correlations through the integration of knowledge from multiple disciplines and techniques and from different PK-PD processes in vivo. Then, the main research contents of TCMIP are introduced as follows: chemical and ADME/PK profiles of TCM formulas; confirming the three forms of active substances and the three action modes; establishing the qualitative PK-PD correlation; and building the quantitative PK-PD correlations, etc. After that, we summarize the existing data resources, computational models and experimental methods of TCMIP and highlight the urgent establishment of mathematical modeling and experimental methods. Finally, we further discuss the applications of TCMIP for the improvement of TCM quality control, clarification of the molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of TCMs and discovery of potential new drugs, especially TCM-related combination drug discovery.

Characteristic Malonyl Ginsenosides from the Leaves of Panax notoginseng as Potential Quality Markers for Adulteration Detection

Due to the high price and limited supply of Panax notoginseng, a large number of samples adulterated with the leaves appear in the market. A group of new malonyl ginsenosides were exclusively detected in the P. notoginseng leaves (PNL). Targeted isolation of the malonyl ginsenosides was guided by UPLC-QDa MS. HRMS, 1D/2D NMR, and chemical methods were used for structural identification. A selected ion monitoring method was developed based on UPLC-QDa MS to detect the adulterations. In addition, the anti-inflammatory activities and the collision-induced dissociation features of the isolated saponins were studied. As a result, eight new 3-OH malonylated dammarane-type triterpene oligoglycosides (notoginsenosides L3-L10) were obtained from PNL. Adulteration with PNL can be easily detected with limit of detection as low as 0.06%. To sum up, the isolated ginsenosides can be used as quality markers for fraud detection, which will promote the quality control of the notoginseng products.

Bioactivity-guided separation of antifungal compounds by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography

Bioactivity-guided chromatographic methods are of great significance for the isolation of the active compounds in complex samples. In this study, four anti-fungal compounds were located by activity screening and successfully isolated from a microbial fermentation sample by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. Separation performance of columns including C18, positively charged C18, negatively charged C18 and C8 were firstly investigated. And it showed a better capacity of mixed-mode stationary phases for retention and separation. Therefore, the positively charged C18 column was used to separate the sample into several fractions, among which the active one was identified by the antifungal test. And then the active fraction was enriched and separated again by successively using the negatively charged C18 and C8 columns to obtain four compounds, which were identified as polyoxins A, K, F and H. With activity verification, four polyoxins were found to have good inhibitory effects against the three fungal plant diseases including rice sheath blight, tomato grey mould disease, and apple spot leaf disease.

Quality markers based on phytochemical analysis and anti-inflammatory screening: An integrated strategy for the quality control of Dalbergia odorifera by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS

BACKGROUND

Quality control, key for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), should be connected to the authentication and efficacy of TCMs. The heartwood of Dalbergia odorifera has been widely used to treat inflammation-related diseases. However, in the Chinese pharmacopeia, only the total volatile oil, which does not sufficiently reflect the clinical efficacy, is used as a quality control indicator.

PURPOSE

Establishing a "phytochemical-specificity-effectiveness-Q-marker" analytical strategy to improve the quality control of D. odorifera.

METHODS

Combined with biosynthetic pathway analysis, phytochemical compositions identified by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS were used to build substantial phytochemical groups and further discover specific Q-markers. Then, lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were used to screen effective anti-inflammatory ingredients. Finally, a UHPLC-HRMS method was developed and validated to quantify the selected Q-markers in D. odorifera samples.

RESULTS

Along the constructed biosynthetic pathways, 93 phytochemical components were identified in D. odorifera, including 7 chalcones, 13 flavanones, 21 isoflavones, 21 isoflavanones, 3 flavonols, 19 neoflavones, etc. Among them, 31 compounds representing these 6 categories were further evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities. It revealed that the extract of D. odorifera and nine flavonoids in the noncytotoxic range could alleviated lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells by decreasing the production of proinflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide and interleukin-6. Notably, neoflavones, as species-specific components, exhibited superior anti-inflammatory activities among the representative compounds. Finally, 12 Q-markers (butin, liquiritigenin, eriodictyol, melanettin, naringenin, butein, genistein, 4'-hydroxy-4-methoxydalbergione, isoliquiritigenin, 2,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxybenzophenone, medicarpin, and pinocembrin), which reflect specificity and effectiveness, were successfully quantified in 10 batches of samples from different origins. The origins and consistency of D. odorifera could be efficiently discriminated by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA).

CONCLUSION

The analysis strategy that combines phytochemical analysis with anti-inflammatory screening clarified the therapeutic material basis and discovered Q-markers, which possibly offers a more comprehensive quality assessment of D. odorifera.

A multi-strategy platform for quality control and Q-markers screen of Chaiqin chengqi decoction

BACKGROUND

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disorder of the pancreas that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Chaiqin chengqi decoction (CQCQD) has been proven clinically to be an effective treatment for AP for decades in West China Hospital. Quality control for CQCQD containing many hundreds of characteristic phytochemicals poses a challenge for developing robust quality assessment metrics.

PURPOSE

To evaluate quality consistency of CQCQD with a multi-strategy based analytical method, identify potential quality-markers (Q-markers) based on drug properties and effect characteristics, and endeavor to establish CQCQD as a globally-accepted medicine.

METHODS

A typical analysis of constitutive medicinal plant materials was performed following the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The extraction process was optimized through an orthogonal array (L₉(3⁴)) to evaluate three levels of liquid to solid ratio, soaking time, duration of extraction, and the number of extractions. An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) fingerprinting combined with absolute quantitation of multi chemical marker compounds, coupled with similarity, hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), and principal component analyses (PCA) were performed to evaluate 10 batches of CQCQD. On the basis of systematic analysis of fundamental features of CQCQD in treating AP, the potential Q-marker screen was proposed through detection of quality transfer and efficacy for chemical markers. UHPLC coupled with quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometry were used to determine compounds in medicinal materials, decoctions and plasma. Network pharmacology and taurolithocholic acid 3-sulfate induced pancreatic acinar cell death were used to evaluate the correlation between chemical markers and anti-pancreatitis activity. A cerulein induced AP murine model was used to validate quality assessed CQCQD batches at clinically-equivalent dose. The effective content of chemical markers was predicted using linear regression analysis on quantitative information between validated batches and the other batches.

RESULTS

The chemical markers and other physical and chemical indices in the original materials met Chinese Pharmacopoeia standards. A total of 22 co-existing fingerprint peaks were selected and the similarity varied between 0.946 and 0.990. Batch D10 possessed the highest similarity index. HCA classified the 10 batches into 2 main groups: 7 batches represented by D10 and 3 batches represented by D1. During the initial Q-marker screen stage, 22 compounds were detected in both plant materials and decoctions, while 13 compounds were identified in plasma. Network pharmacology predicted the potential targets and pathway of AP related to the 22 compounds. All 10 batches showed reduced necrosis below 60% with the best effect achieved by D10 (~40%). The spectrum-efficacy relationship analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis indicated that emodin, rhein, aloe emodin, geniposide, hesperridin, chrysin, syringin, synephrine, geniposidic acid, magnolol, physcion, sinensetin, and baicalein showed positive correlation with pancreatic acinar cell death protection. Similar to the in vitro evaluation, batch D10 significantly reduced total histopathological scores and biochemical severity indices at a clinically-equivalent dose but batch D1 did not. The content of naringin, narirutin and baicalin in batches D1, D5 and D9 consistently exceeds the upper limit of the predicted value. Eight markers whose lower limit is predicted to be close to 0 contributed less to the material basis for AP protection.

CONCLUSION

Despite qualified materials used for CQCQD preparation, the clinical effect depends on appropriate content range of Q-markers. Emodin, rhein, aloe emodin, magnolol, hesperidin, synephrine, baicalein, and geniposide are considered as vital Q-markers in the primary screen. This study proposed a feasible platform for producing highly consistent batches of CQCQD in future study.

The discovery of Q-markers of Qiliqiangxin Capsule, a traditional Chinese medicine prescription in the treatment of chronic heart failure, based on a novel strategy of multi-dimensional "radar chart" mode evaluation

BACKGROUND

Qiliqiangxin Capsule (QLQX), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, is especially used for clinical treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) in China. However, the holistic quality control of QLQX has not been well established due to lack of system research on the quality marker (Q-marker).

PURPOSE

In this study, a new strategy of multi-dimensional "radar chart" mode was proposed to overcome the problem that traditional methods cannot evaluate the multiple properties of Q-markers comprehensively and visually, and the strategy was successfully applied to discover the Q-markers of QLQX.

METHODS

First, nineteen prototypes that entered the in vivo systemic circulation were selected out as the candidate Q-markers based on our previous studies of chemical and in vivo metabolic profiles. Then, their contents in QLQX were quantitatively analyzed by UHPLC-MS/MS, and the bioactivities on the H9c2 cardiomyocytes cell model was evaluated. The network of in vivo component-target closely related to CHF was further constructed. Finally, a multi-dimensional "radar chart" mode was developed and corresponding Regression Area (RA) and Coefficient Variation (CV) were calculated after data standardization and integration visually based on the Q-marker related multiple characteristics (including the compatibility contribution of herbal medicines, the content, the bioactivity, the in vivo predicted bioavailability and the degree of network pharmacology of candidate components in the TCM prescription).

RESULTS

By comparison of RA and CV of the chemicals in the "radar chart", seven compounds mainly from King and Minister herbs (songorin, calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, astragaloside, tanshinone IIA, ginsenoside Re, hesperidin and alisol A) were screened out as the Q-markers of QLQX, showing the reasonable compatibility contribution and high content in QLQX, preferable pharmacological effect on CHF, as well as good bioavailable characteristics and high target hits in system pharmacology.

CONCLUSION

The Q-marker discovery of QLQX in this study laid an important foundation for its quality control improvement, and the mode standardized the abstract definitions of Q-marker and realized the comprehensive assessment of multiple properties of Q-marker in TCM prescriptions, which has a reference value for revealing the Q-marker in the quality control researches of TCM prescriptions.

Research on Quality Markers of Guizhi Fuling Prescription for Endometriosis Treatment Based on Gray Correlation Analysis Strategy

Guizhi Fuling prescription (GFP), a prestigious prescription of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) recorded in “Jingui Yaolue,” was composed of five Chinese medicines, including Moutan Cortex, Paeoniae Radix Alba, Persicae Semen, Poria Cocos, and Cinnamomi Ramulus. It was used for the treatment of endometriosis, primary dysmenorrhea, and blood stasis for centuries. However, its Quality Markers of treating endometriosis have not been clearly elucidated. In this study, a rapid ultraperformance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS) method was established for Quality Markers investigation on GFP, and a total of 50 potentially bioactive constituents including triterpenoids, paeoniflorin and its derivatives, phenolic acids, and other species were identified based on their retention time, fragmentation pattern, and accurately measured mass value. Furthermore, regularity of recipe composition and gray correlation analysis revealed that all of the characteristic peaks contributed to the treatment of endometriosis. The relative correlation degrees were greater than 0.6. Among them, peaks 1 and 10, which were most closely correlated to the endometriosis, were identified as amygdalin and cinnamic acid. Finally, all of the active ingredients were molecularly docked with proteins associated with endometriosis by Schrodinger method. Among them, amygdalin, cinnamic acid, paeonol, gallic acid, and paeoniflorin had the lower binding energies. It was proposed that these constituents could be directed at Quality Markers for GFP. Thus, the integrated approach describing for revealing Quality Markers of GFP could be expected to provide a method for quality evaluation.

A Mass Spectrometry Based Metabolite Profiling Workflow for Selecting Abundant Specific Markers and Their Structurally Related Multi-Component Signatures in Traditional Chinese Medicine Multi-Herb Formulae

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), herbal preparations often consist of a mixture of herbs. Their quality control is challenging because every single herb contains hundreds of components (secondary metabolites). A typical 10 herb TCM formula was selected to develop an innovative strategy for its comprehensive chemical characterization and to study the specific contribution of each herb to the formula in an exploratory manner. Metabolite profiling of the TCM formula and the extract of each single herb were acquired with liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry for qualitative analyses, and to evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) for semi-quantitative evaluation. The acquired data were organized as a feature-based molecular network (FBMN) which provided a comprehensive view of all types of secondary metabolites and their occurrence in the formula and all single herbs. These features were annotated by combining MS/MS-based in silico spectral match, manual evaluation of the structural consistency in the FBMN clusters, and taxonomy information. ELSD detection was used as a filter to select the most abundant features. At least one marker per herb was highlighted based on its specificity and abundance. A single large-scale fractionation from the enriched formula enabled the isolation and formal identification of most of them. The obtained markers allowed an improved annotation of associated features by manually propagating this information through the FBMN. These data were incorporated in the high-resolution metabolite profiling of the formula, which highlighted specific series of related components to each individual herb markers. These series of components, named multi-component signatures, may serve to improve the traceability of each herb in the formula. Altogether, the strategy provided highly informative compositional data of the TCM formula and detailed visualizations of the contribution of each herb by FBMN, filtered feature maps, and reconstituted chromatogram traces of all components linked to each specific marker. This comprehensive MS-based analytical workflow allowed a generic and unbiased selection of specific and abundant markers and the identification of multiple related sub-markers. This exploratory approach could serve as a starting point to develop more simple and targeted quality control methods with adapted marker specificity selection criteria to given TCM formula.

Simultaneous Determination of Eight Potential Q-Markers in Zishen Tongguan Capsules Based on UHPLC-MS/MS

Background:

Zishen Tongguan (ZSTG) capsules were prepared at the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine and have been proven to be clinically effective for treating pyelonephritis and benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, the quality standards are not ideal; a comprehensive study of the “quality markers” (Q-markers), the chemicals inherent in traditional Chinese medicine and its preparations, has not been carried out.

Experimental Methods:

In this paper, a sensitive and specific ultra-high-performance liquid chromatographictandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of eight potential Q-markers of ZSTG, including timosaponin A3, berberine, jatrorrhizine, phellodendrine, palmatine, mangiferin, neomangiferin, and timosaponin BII. A Kromasil 100-3.5 C18 column was used with a mobile phase of 0.2% formic acid with acetonitrile, and gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min was achieved in 13 minutes and used for separation. Detection was performed in positive/negative mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM).

Results:

The analytical method was validated in terms of the sensitivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, repeatability, stability and recovery. The method established here was successfully applied to study the potential Q-markers in 8 batches of commercial samples, which demonstrated its use in improving the quality control of ZSTG.

Conclusion:

The developed method had high repeatability and accuracy and was suitable for the simultaneous analysis of multiple Q-markers, which may provide a new basis for the comprehensive assessment and overall quality control of ZSTG.

Discovery of Quality Markers in Hugan Qingzhi Formula by Integrating a Lipid-Lowering Bioassay with UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent chronic liver disease. The Hugan Qingzhi formula (HGQZ) has been proven effective in treating NAFLD through clinical and pharmacological mechanism studies. A screening study of the chemical components was carried out to better control the quality of this formula. Current research has combined biological activity assessment with chemical analysis to screen and identify the bioactive compounds in HGQZ for use as potential quality markers (Q-markers) to control the quality of this herbal product. The HGQZ extracted by three different solvents was evaluated in a free fatty acid-induced hepatic steatosis LO2 cell model. Simultaneously, the twelve major chemical constituents of these extracts were quantitatively measured by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS). Extraction with 50% ethanol showed the most potent lipid-lowering effect in steatosis LO2 cells and the highest extraction rate of major chemical constituents. Correlation analysis was used to establish the relationship between the biological activities and chemical characteristics of these extracts. The results showed that the contents of typhaneoside, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, isorhamnetin-3-O-neohesperidoside, notoginsenoside R1, and alisol B 23-acetate were positively correlated to the lipid-lowering effect. The subsequent bioassay confirmed that typhaneoside, isoquercitrin, and alisol B 23-acetate played the role of reducing the lipid effect. In conclusion, 50% of ethanol extraction produced the most active extract of HGQZ. Typhaneoside, isoquercitrin, and alisol B 23-acetate could be considered potential Q-markers for the quality control of HGQZ.

Application of "spider-web" mode in discovery and identification of Q-markers from Xuefu Zhuyu capsule

BACKGROUND

The selection of quality control indicators in a complex system is a key scientific issue for the study of Chinese materia medica (CMM), which is directly related to its safety and efficacy. In order to scientifically understand and control the quality of CMM, quality marker (Q-marker) has been recently raised as a new concept, which provided a novel research idea for the quality control and evaluation of CMM.

PURPOSE

By a new and integrated "spider-web" mode, Q-markers of Xuefu Zhuyu capsule (XZC) were comprehensively uncovered, conducing to great improvement of quality control of XZC.

METHODS

Mainly established by three dimensions derived from six variables including content, stability and activity, "spider-web" mode was constructed to evaluate Q-marker property of candidate compounds by taking regression area of the tested compounds into account.

RESULTS

The candidate compounds with larger regression area were preferentially adopted as Q-markers, which should possess the satisfactorily integrated properties of content, stability and activity. Six compounds, naringin, isoliquiritin, paeoniflorin, protocatechuic acid, neohesperidin and ferulic acid, were identified and preferred as Q-markers of XZC.

CONCLUSION

Based on "spider-web" mode, Q-markers from Xuefu Zhuyu capsule were successfully screened, which would substantially perform quality control of XZC and prove the feasibility of "spider-web" mode in solving the selection of quality control indicators from compound formulae.

Transporters (OATs and OATPs) contribute to illustrate the mechanism of medicinal compatibility of ingredients with different properties in yuanhuzhitong prescription

Various medicinal ingredients with different tastes are combined according to the theory of compatibility in Chinese materia medica to achieve a better efficacy, while the mechanism was not very clear. Here, the authors studied the interaction between ingredients and human transporters such as the kidney transporters OAT1 and OAT3, the liver transporters OATP1B1 and OATP1B3, and the intestine transporter OATP2B1 to discern the compatibility mechanism of ingredients with different tastes in the Yuanhuzhitong preparation (YHP) comprising Corydalis yanhusuo (CYH) and Angelica dahurica (AD), which could relieve pain by restraining the central system. The results show that tetrahydropalmatine (TDE), the major component of CYH, could be transported by OAT3 into kidney, OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 into liver, while imperatorin (IPT) and isoimperatorin (ISP), the two key components of AD, and AD extract showed strong inhibition to OAT1 and OAT3. What's more, AD extract also exerted strongly inhibition to human transporters OATP1B1 and OATP1B3. It was also detected that IPT, ISP, and AD extract significantly downregulated the expression of Oatp1a1, Oatp1a4, and Oatp1b2 of liver in mice. The in vivo results show that the concentration of TDE in liver and kidney significantly decreased, while the TDE concentration in blood and brain were both significantly enhanced in the presence of IPT, ISP, and AD extract. These results suggest that the ingredients in AD with pungent taste could enhance the exposure of TDE in blood and brain by inhibiting the uptake of TDE in liver and kidney. That is to say, TDE with bitter taste could "flood up" into the central nervous system to play its therapeutic effect by the cut-off of that into liver and kidney in the presence of ingredients within AD. This paper not only proves the meridian distribution of CYH in liver and kidney with the role of OAT3, OATP1B1, and OATP1B3, but also illustrates how to improve the efficacy of CYH by reasonable compatibility with AD. This study may offer a valuable clue to illustrate the mechanism of compatibility theory.

Validation and quantification of major biomarkers in 'Mahasudarshan Churna'- an ayurvedic polyherbal formulation through high-performance thin-layer chromatography

BACKGROUND

Mahasudarshan Churna (MC) is a polyherbal Ayurvedic medicine that is employed in fever (especially chronic type), cold and malaria, improvement of digestion and appetite, removes toxins from the blood, boosts immunity and protects against common bacterial infections.

METHODS

Validation and quantification of oleanolic acid (OA), ursolic acid (UA), mangiferin (M), gallic acid (GA), quercetin (Q) and curcumin (C) in commercial MC formulations by HPTLC method. Mobile phase, hexane: ethyl acetate: acetone (16.4: 3.6: 0.2, v/v) was used for the separation of OA and UA; ethyl acetate: glacial acetic acid: formic acid: water (20: 2.2: 2.2: 5.2 v/v) for the development of M; and toluene: ethyl acetate: formic acid (13.5: 9: 0.6 v/v) for the separation of GA, Q and C in crude sample extracts. Visualization and scanning were performed at λ = 530 nm for OA and UA, at λ = 254 nm for M and at λ = 366 nm for GA, Q and C. In addition, HPLC-PDA analysis was used to confirm the HPTLC results.

RESULTS

Major bio-active compounds in MC formulations were oleanolic acid (1.54-1.78%), mangiferin (1.38-1.52%) and gallic acid (1.01-1.15%); followed by ursolic acid (0.79-0.98%), curcumin (0.45-0.67%) and quercetin (0.22-0.34%).

CONCLUSION

Analysis of bio-active compounds in the present study was performed using HPTLC methods and later HPTLC results were compared with HPLC. These two methods give comparable results and there was no statistically significant difference between the mean values for all extracts. Present study concluded that this HPTLC technique is low cost, fast, precise, and accurate which can be employed for the quantification of xanthonoid (M), triterpenoids (OA, UA) and phenolics (GA, Q and C) in samples/formulations. Furthermore, present HPTLC method can be conveniently employed for routine quality control analysis of all the six marker compounds in marketed Ayurvedic/herbal formulations.

Quantitative analysis of fourteen bufadienolides in Venenum Bufonis crude drug and its Chinese patent medicines by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Venenum Bufonis, a product of the secretions of Bufo gargarizans Cantor or B. melanostictus Schneider, possessed an array of pharmacological activities, such as cardiotonic, anti-tumor, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, anesthetic and antimicrobial activities. However, there were few efficient methods for quality evaluation of Venenum Bufonis medicinal materials and its related Chinese patent medicines.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To establish an effective method for quality assessment of crude drugs and Chinese proprietary medicines of Venenum Bufonis, and explore the relationship of primary compounds - target - pathway - disease through a series of network databases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) method was developed and validated to simultaneously determine 14 bufadienolides for quantitative analysis of 71 batches of crude drugs and 20 kinds of Chinese patent medicines of Venenum Bufonis. Multiple reaction monitoring with good specificity and accuracy was applied to monitor the 14 bufadienolides in positive mode.

RESULTS

The methodology was validated with good specificity, precision, stability, repeatability and recovery. The low limits of quantification were in the range of 0.1-2.7 ng/mL. The relative standard deviation values for intra- and inter-day precisions ranged from 0.98% to 6.3% and from 2.39% to 6.76%, respectively. The recovery was varied from 87.78% to 110.57% for crude drugs and 88.32%-100.96% for Chinese proprietary medicine (Shexiang Baoxin Pill). The contents of 14 analytes in 71 batches of crude drugs and 20 sorts of Chinese proprietary medicines were procured, the results showed that the contents of crude drugs collected from the market exhibited great variations. Furthermore, 13 batches of crude drugs were identified as counterfeit with no bufadienolides detected. In addition, the total contents of bufadienolides in the same drug showed great difference among products from various manufacturers or brands. Subsequently, 9 bufadienolides with the higher contents were applied to screen the anti-tumor effect by network pharmacology, and 8 pathways which had prior correlation with bufadienolides were disclosed.

CONCLUSION

This method could be used for quality assessment of crude drugs and Chinese patent medicines of Venenum Bufonis, and the data could be served as the fundamental basis for drug research and development of Venenum Bufonis.

Quality transitivity of Danhong Huayu Koufuye: A study on chemical profiles of medicinal herbs, compound preparation and dosed rat plasma using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Danhong Huayu Koufuye (DHK), an effective Chinese medicine preparation, is mainly used for the treatment of blurred vision and sudden blindness caused by qi stagnation and blood stasis, as well as the absorption period of central retinal vein occlusion. However, the current quality standard is relatively low, only stipulating the content of protocatechualdehyde. Chemical transitivity is the basis for discovering quality markers and is used in quality process control of Chinese medicines. Herein, the chemical profiles of seven medicinal herbs, DHK and dosed rat plasma were comprehensively analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. As a result, 134 chemical constituents were identified in seven medicinal herbs, including salvianolic acids, diterpene quinones, phenolic acids, phthalides, cyanogenic glycosides, flavonoids and triterpenoid saponins. Among them, 55 chemical constituents were transferred to DHK along with extraction and preparation, and 26 were further absorbed into blood and metabolized to produce 11 metabolites after oral administration. The transitivity of DHK from medicinal herbs to compound preparation and into blood was analyzed for the first time. This article will be valuable to ascertain the quality markers for quality process control and further pharmacokinetic studies.

Optimization of the extraction and purification of Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang based on the Q-marker uniform design method

Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang alkaloids are mainly divided into three categories: protoberberine, prototropine and aporphine alkaloids. Therefore, we have taken into account these three alkaloid contents when extracting and purifying crude drugs, which is essential for the quality control of C. yanhusuo and its derivative products. Herein, we investigated the feasibility of the Q-marker uniform design method in the optimization of the extraction and purification of C. yanhusuo. In this study, Q-marker-based comprehensive scoring (CS) and uniform design methods were used to optimize the extraction and purification of C. yanhusuo. The inspective factors included the solvent concentration, pH, liquid–solid ratio, extraction time and frequency. Then 8 Q-markers, the total alkaloid extraction and the extraction rate were considered as the evaluating indicators during the process. The results indicated that the optimal reflux extraction process of C. yanhusuo was as follows: a total amount of 20 times 70% ethanol (pH = 10 of diluted ammonia), heating and refluxing twice, and extracting each time for 60 min. The results of nine-resin screening exhibited that NKA-9 macroporous adsorption resin had the best separation and purification effect on 8 kinds of C. yanhusuo alkaloids with stronger enrichment. During the optimal enrichment process and elution conditions, the water-soluble impurities were washed off with 5 BV distilled water at a volume flow rate of 2 BV/h, and the elution solvent was 70% ethanol with an elution volume flow rate of 1.5 BV/h and an elution dosage of 12 BV. Additionally, the total alkaloids of the obtained product were over 50%, of which eight quality markers were (+)-corydaline 3.55%, tetrahydropalmatine 3.13%, coptisine 2.79%, palmatine hydrochloride 2.24%, dehydrocorydaline 13.11%, (R)-(+)-corypalmine 2.37%, protopine 2.71% and glaucine 14.03%. Our data demonstrated that the optimal extraction and purification process was stable and feasible, which was expected to provide an experimental basis and reference for the industrial production of C. yanhusuo.

A metabolomics strategy for authentication of plant medicines with multiple botanical origins, a case study of Uncariae Rammulus Cum Uncis

Source authentication of herbal medicines was essential for ensuring their safety, efficacy and quality consistency, especially those with multiple botanical origins. This study proposed a metabolomics strategy for species discrimination and source recognition. Uncariae Rammulus Cum Uncis, officially stipulating the stems with hooks of five Uncaria species as its origins, was taken as a case study. Firstly, an untargeted MS^E method was developed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry for global metabolite characterization. Subsequently, data pretreatment was conducted by using Progenesis QI software and screening rules. The obtained metabolite features were defined as variables for statistical analyses. Principal component analysis and chemical fingerprinting spectra suggested that five official species were differentiated from each other except for Uncaria hirsuta and Uncaria sinensis. Furthermore, orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis was performed to discriminate confused two species, and resulted in the discovery of nine contributing markers. Ultimately, a Support Vector Machine model was developed to recognize five species and predict origins of commercial materials. The study demonstrated that the developed strategy was effective in discrimination and recognition of confused species, and promising in tracking botanical origins of commercial materials.

Promotion of a quality standard for Porana sinensis Hemsl. based on the efficacy-oriented Effect-Constituent Index

Multicompound determination for the quality control of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may often be inadequate, since these compounds may not be associated with, or fully represent, the clinical effects of TCM. Moreover, the individual contributions of each constituent to the pharmacological effect are often not considered. In China, Porana sinensis is widely used as a substitute for Erycibe sources to treat joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis. The existing quality control methods for P. sinensis neither consider the individual contributions of various compounds nor control the actual quality associated with different clinical efficacies. In the present study, a novel efficacy-oriented approach, named the effect-constituent index (ECI), was established for P. sinensis. Analyses of the spectrum-effect relationship and components in rat plasma were conducted to systematically and scientifically select quality markers. Quantitative analysis of multicomponents via a single marker method was introduced to enhance the practical application value of the established ECI. The established ECI shows a good ability to distinguish and predict the bioeffect-based quality of P. sinensis. The present study also provides a reference for the establishment and application of ECI as a quality control method for TCMs.

Identification of absorbed components and their metabolites in rat plasma after oral administration of Shufeng Jiedu capsule using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

Shufeng Jiedu capsule (SFJDC), a prescription of traditional Chinese medicine, is mainly used for the treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infections. However, the bioactive components remain unclear, which partly limits its quality control and further development. This work aimed to carry out a study of plasma pharmacochemistry to identify the potential bioactive components of SFJDC.

METHODS

An effective approach based on a combination of ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/QTOF-MS) and multivariate statistical analysis was applied to comprehensively analyze the absorbed components and their metabolites in rat plasma after oral administration of SFJDC. After UPLC/QTOF-MS detection, the differences between control and dosed plasma samples were distinguished by multivariate statistical analysis, and chromatographic signals of xenobiotic compounds were further extracted to identify structures.

RESULTS

A total of 46 SFJDC-related xenobiotic compounds were identified as potential bioactive components in rat plasma. Among these, 27 absorbed prototype constituents were mainly flavonoids, anthraquinones, stilbenes, iridoids, lignans, naphthalenes, phenylethanoid glycosides and triterpenoid saponins. Especially for hastatoside, verbenalin, forsythoside A, phillyrin and emodin, they were closely related to the anti-inflammatory effect of SFJDC.

CONCLUSIONS

The absorbed components and metabolites of SFJDC in rat plasma were analyzed for the first time. This study will be conducive for ascertaining the quality markers of SFJDC for quality control and pharmacological mechanism research at the molecular level.

Asian Medicinal Plants’ Production and Utilization Potentials: A Review

Medicinal plants research in Asia continues to receive significant national and international attention, particularly concerning its multiple roles in poverty alleviation and health care support. However, scientific information on the institutional arrangements, the potentials of different medicinal plants production systems, and the utilization methods, remain highly fragmented. This incomprehensive information base shades the development of a comprehensive research agenda to improve the current body of knowledge, at least in the context of Asia. To address this impasse and propose future research perspectives, we systematically reviewed 247 journal articles, 15 institutional reports, and 28 book chapters. From the reviews, five key lessons are drawn: (i) Asian medicinal plant production systems demonstrate some dynamics, characterized by a gradual but continuous shift from wild gathering to cultivation, (ii) sub-regional variations exist with regards to the appreciation of medicinal plants potentials for traditional healing, modern healthcare and livelihoods support, (iii) knowledge on the effect of multi-scale institutional arrangements (formal and informal) on medicinal plant management practices is fragmented, (iv) very few studies dwell on the challenges of medicinal plants commercialization, particularly with regards to the role of middlemen, boom–bust cycle, raw material readiness, and product quality, and (v) law enforcement, benefit and knowledge sharing, and research and development should be prioritized to serve the interest of medicinal plants production actors. To further extend the body of knowledge on medicinal plants in Asia, we advance the need for empirical investigations on the performance of medicinal plants production systems and their contribution to livelihoods in diverse institutional contexts.

Method establishment for upgrading chemical markers in pharmacopoeia to bioactive markers for biological standardization of traditional Chinese medicine

Quality surveillance on authentication, safety and efficacy of proprietary Chinese medicines (pCm) are certainly the top priorities for the industries. Nowadays, the quality control system adopted is mainly chemical marker-oriented, concerning basically the correct use of raw material and safety issues, while the biological activities of the chemical marker(s) are seldom considered. Hence, there is an undefined relationship between the amount of chemical markers and the claimed pharmacological activities. In view of the need in identifying appropriate markers for biological standardization of pCm products, the present study aimed to establish a systematic methodology for verifying whether the chemical marker of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) listed in Chinese Pharmacopoeia could be upgraded to a bioactive marker with certain efficacy in treating a particular disease. Our proposed methodology included a series of work on extraction, quantification, literature search and in vivo pharmacological experiments, in which the water extractability, biological effects at theoretical dose and oral bioavailability of the candidate chemical markers were all taken into consideration. The feasibility and implication of this bioactive markers verification methodology were further elaborated. Our findings will serve as the foundation for further research and development of biological standardization of TCM.