Rapid identification and quantification of Pseudostellaria heterophylla with its adulterants by HPLC-CAD fingerprint combined with improved quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS)

The P. heterophylla and its adulterants were identified by HPLC-CAD fingerprint of sucrose and oligosaccharides in P. heterophylla. The improved quantitative analysis of multi-components with a single marker (iQAMS) was further established for simultaneous determinations of sucrose and oligosaccharides in P. heterophylla. The HPLC-CAD fingerprint and similarity coefficients between P. heterophylla and its adulterants showed significant differences. The relative errors (REs) between iQAMS method and external standard method (ESM) were below 3.00%, but significant difference was shown between iQAMS (different marker for whole program with gradient elution) and QAMS (one marker for whole program with gradient elution), indicating that QAMS method should be improved, especially for gradient elution which influence the response of analytes. The accuracy, precision, reproducibility, and stability of this method were validated which exhibited satisfactory results, indicating that iQAMS method could be used for quantitative analysis of sucrose and oligosaccharides in P. heterophylla instead of ESM. The iQAMS combined with HPLC-CAD fingerprint could be used to determine the content of each oligosaccharide, and it can be used for quality control of P. heterophylla.

Production and pharmaceutical research of minor saponins in Panax notoginseng (Sanqi): Current status and future prospects

Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen is a traditional medicinal herb known as Sanqi or Tianqi in Asia and is commonly used worldwide. It is one of the main raw ingredients of Yunnan Baiyao, Fu fang dan shen di wan, and San qi shang yao pian. It is also a source of cardiotonic pill used to treat cardiovascular diseases in China, Korea, and Russia. Approximately 270 Panax notoginseng saponins have been isolated and identified as the major active components. Although the absorption and bioavailability of saponins are predominantly dependent on the gastrointestinal biotransformation capacity of an individual, minor saponins are better absorbed into the bloodstream and act as active substances than major saponins. Notably, minor saponins are absent or are present in minimal quantities under natural conditions. In this review, we focus on the strategies for the enrichment and production of minor saponins in P. notoginseng using physical, chemical, enzyme catalytic, and microbial methods. Moreover, pharmacological studies on minor saponins derived from P. notoginseng over the last decade are discussed. This review serves as a meaningful resource and guide, offering scholarly references for delving deeper into the exploration of the minor saponins in P. notoginseng.

The Study of Steaming Durations and Temperatures on the Chemical Characterization, Neuroprotective, and Antioxidant Activities of Panax notoginseng

Panax notoginseng (PN) is one of the most valuable traditional Chinese medicines and has extensive pharmacological effects. Recent studies demonstrated that PN exhibited pharmacological effect related to Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, whether steaming process can boost its anti-AD activity is still unexplored. To fill this gap, effects of steaming durations and temperatures on the chemical characterization, neuroprotective and antioxidant activities of PN were systematically investigated in this study. HPLC fingerprint coupled with quantitative analysis demonstrated striking conversion of original saponins to less polar ones with the increase in the steaming time and temperature. In the viewpoint of anti-AD activity on neuroprotective and antioxidant effects, several steamed PN samples (110°C-6/8/10 h, 120°C ‐4/6 h samples) displayed a significant increase both in cell viability and oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) values compared with the no steamed one (P < 0.01 or P < 0.005). Steaming temperature had the greater impact on the change of chemical composition and anti-AD activity of PN. Moreover, the spectrum-effect relationship analysis revealed that the transformed saponins were partially responsible for the increased neuroprotective and antioxidant effects of steamed PN. Therefore, steamed PN could be used as a potential crude drug for prevention and treatment of AD.

Effects of superfine grinding on the physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of Sanchi (Panax notoginseng) flower powders

Sanchi flowers were traditionally used as functional medicinal ingredient in materials. The study was aimed at evaluating superfine powder product of Sanchi flower, hence in this study, five fractions of dried Sanchi flower powders (SFP) were prepared at variable particle sizes by superfine grinding and evaluated for changes in various properties. Superfine powder with median particle diameter of 25.57 μm was produced through grinding. It was evident from the environmental scanning electron microscopy analysis that during superfine grinding, mechanical shear stress played its crucial role in breakdown of the SFP and causes increases in surface area owing to reduction of particle sizes. Superfine grinding could improve solubility, oil holding capacity, and brightness, but decrease the fluidity of SFP. SFP with smallest particle size exhibited highest saponin, minerals, total phenolic, and flavonoid contents accompanied with the best antioxidant activities. Size reduction beyond M200 and M400 led to increasing tendency in IR signature band patterns and marked differences in peak intensities while the powdered samples showed resemblance with respect to peak shapes. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated the lowest melting temperature for SFP fraction with smallest particle size. Conclusively, superfine SFP due to inherent improvement in properties may render several potential applications in manufacturing of food and pharmaceutical additives to impart improved functionalities of finally finished products with uniformity.

Analytical methods and biological activities of Panax notoginseng saponins: Recent trends

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen, also called Sanqi, is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine, which has long history used as herbal medicines. It is currently an important medicinal material in China, holding the first place in the sale volume of the whole patent medicines market in China, and the market size of the single species has exceeded 10 billion yuan. In addition, P. notoginseng is an important constituent part of many famous Chinese patent medicines, such as Compound Danshen Dripping Pills and Yunnan Baiyao. P. notoginseng saponins (PNSs), which are the major active components of P. notoginseng, are a kind of chemical mixture containing different dammarane-type saponins. Many studies show that PNSs have been extensively used in medical research or applications, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, acute lung injury, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, various PNS preparations, such as injections and capsules, have been made commercially available and are widely applied in clinical practice.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

Since the safety and efficacy of compounds are related to their qualitative and quantitative analyses, this review briefly summarizes the analytic approaches for PNSs and their biological effects developed in the last decade.

METHODOLOGY

This review conducted a systematic search in electronic databases, such as Pubmed, Google Scholar, SciFinder, ISI Web of Science, and CNKI, since 2009. The information provided in this review is based on peer-reviewed papers and patents in either English or Chinese.

RESULTS

At present, the chromatographic technique remains the most extensively used approach for the identification or quantitation of PNSs, coupled with different detectors, among which the difference mainly lies in their sensitivity and specificity for analyzing various compounds. It is well-known that PNSs have traditionally strong activity on cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, intracerebral hemorrhage, or brain injury. The recent studies showed that PNSs also responded to osteoporosis, cancers, diabetes, and drug toxicity. However, some other studies also showed that some PNSs injections and special PNS components might lead to some biological toxicity under certain dosages.

CONCLUSION

This review may be used as a basis for further research in the field of quantitative and qualitative analyses, and is expected to provide updated and valuable insights into the potential medicinal applications of PNSs.

Stereoisomers of Saponins in Panax notoginseng (Sanqi): A Review

Panax notoginseng (Sanqi), a traditional Chinese medical drug which has been applied to medical use for over four centuries, contains high content of dammarane-type tetracyclic triterpenoid saponins. A number of stereoisomeric dammarane-type saponins exist in this precious herb, and some are particularly regarded as “biomarkers” in processed notoginseng. Contemporary researches have indicated that some saponin stereoisomers may show stereospecific pharmacological activities, such as anti-tumor, antioxidative, anti-photoaging, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and neuro-protective activities, as well as stereoselective effects on ion channel current regulation, cardiovascular system, and immune system. The current review provides a comprehensive overview of chemical compositions of raw and processed P. notoginseng with a particular emphasis on saponin stereoisomers. Besides, the pharmacological and pharmacokinetic researches, as well as determination and biotechnological preparation methods of stereoisomeric saponins in notoginseng are discussed extensively.

Optimization of Ultrasonic-assisted Extraction of Fatty Acids in Seeds of Brucea Javanica (L.) Merr. from Different Sources and Simultaneous Analysis Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Charged Aerosol Detection

Our research aimed to optimize the oil extraction process and determine the fatty acids in Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. seeds. The extraction technology was optimized using response surface methodology. A Box-Behnken design was employed to investigate the effects of three independent variables on an ultrasonic-assisted extraction technique, namely, sonication time (X₁: 20–40 min), liquid–solid ratio (X₂: 16:1 mL/g–24:1 mL/g), and ethanol concentration (X₃: 90%–100%). The optimum conditions of sonication time, liquid–solid ratio, and ethanol concentration were 40 min, 24:1 mL/g, and 100%, respectively. The content of fatty acids and the oil yield were 14.64 mg/g and 16.87%, respectively, which match well with the predicted models. The optimum number of extraction times was eventually identified as two. A new rapid method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the fatty acids of B. javanica (L.) Merr. seed oil using HPLC with a charged aerosol detector was described. The fatty acid contents of 14 batches of B. javanica (L.) Merr. seed oil were determined, and the relevance and difference were analyzed by fingerprint analysis. The fingerprint has five common peaks, and the similarity was greater than 0.991. HPLC analysis represents a specialized and rational approach for the quality identification and comprehensive evaluation of B. javanica (L.) Merr. seed oils.

Investigating chemical features of Panax notoginseng based on integrating HPLC fingerprinting and determination of multiconstituents by single reference standard

Background

Panax notoginseng is a highly valued medicine and functional food, whose quality is considered to be influenced by the size, botanical parts, and growth environments.

Methods

In this study, a HPLC method integrating fingerprinting and determination of multiconstituents by single reference standard was established and adopted to investigate the chemical profiles and active constituent contents of 215 notoginseng samples with different sizes, from different botanical parts and geographical regions.

Results

Chemical differences among main root, branch root, and rotten root were not distinct, while rhizome and fibrous root could be discriminated from other parts. The notoginseng samples from Wenshan Autonomous Prefecture and cities nearby were similar, whereas samples from cities far away were not. The contents of major active constituents in main root did not correlate with the market price.

Conclusion

This study provided comprehensive chemical evidence for the rational usage of different parts, sizes, and growth regions of notoginseng in practice.

MRM-based strategy for the homolog-focused detection of minor ginsenosides from notoginseng total saponins by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometry

A validated MRM-based strategy was established for targeted detection of minor ginsenosides from NGTS by using a LC-Q-Trap/MS.