Quality Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Compounds in Xiaoyan Lidan Tablets: Fingerprint and Quantitative Analysis Using UPLC-MS

Quality Evaluation of Peony Petals Based on the Chromatographic Fingerprints and Simultaneous Determination of Sixteen Bioactive Constituents Using UPLC-DAD-MS/MS

In this study, a validated quality evaluation method with peony flower fingerprint chromatogram combined with simultaneous determination of sixteen bioactive constituents was established using UPLC-DAD-MS/MS. The results demonstrated that the method was stable, reliable, and accurate. The UPLC chemical fingerprints of 12 different varieties of peonies were established and comprehensively evaluated by similarity evaluation (SE), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and quantification analysis. The results of SE indicated that similar chemical components were present in these samples regardless of variety, but there were significant differences in the content of chemical components and material basis characteristics. The results of HCA and PCA showed that 12 varieties of samples were divided into two groups. Four flavonoids (11, 12, 13, and 16), five monoterpenes and their glycosides (3, 4, 6, 14, and 15), three tannins (7, 9, and 10), three phenolic acids (1, 2, and 5), and one aromatic acid (8) were identified from sixteen common peaks by standards and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The simultaneous quantification of six types of components was conducted with the 12 samples, it was found that the sum contents of analytes varied obviously for peony flower samples from different varieties. The content of flavonoids, tannins, and monoterpenes (≥19.34 mg/g) was the highest, accounting for more than 78.45% of the total compounds. The results showed that the flavonoids, tannins, and monoterpenes were considered to be the key indexes in the classification and quality assessment of peony flower. The UPLC-DAD-MS/MS method coupled with multiple compounds determination and fingerprint analysis can be effectively applied as a feature distinguishing method to evaluate the compounds in peony flower raw material for product quality assurance in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Moreover, this study provides ideas for future research and the improvement of products by these industries.

Quantification and holistic quality evaluation of Wulingzhi extract by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS coupled with chemometric approaches

The excreta of Trogopterus xanthipes ("Wulingzhi" in Chinese, WLZ) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine. It has been used for centuries to treat amenorrhea, menstruation and postpartum abdominal pain. However, a systematic quality study on WLZ chemical markers has yet to be conducted. This study aimed to establish an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a hybrid quadruple extraction Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS) method for the simultaneous quantitative determination of 20 compounds in 53 batches of WLZ; the method rapidly and sensitively determined the 20 plant- or animal-derived compounds. Firstly, the proposed approach was validated to satisfy the method's linearity, detection limits, precision, repeatability, stability and accuracy. Subsequently, multivariate analysis was used to identify correlations between the samples and feed, processing and regions. Finally, this method was used to further identify chemical markers for quality control in combination with chemometrics. This is the first report on pinusolide, betaine, hippuric acid, 4-oxorentinoic acid, 15-methoxypinusolidic acid and 4-oxoisotrentinoin in WLZ; the quality of WLZ became homogeneous after processing with vinegar (V-WLZ). Moreover, we screened for potential component markers, including uridine, allantoin, amentoflavone, hippuric acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, pinusolide, quercetin and kaempferol. These results were practical and efficient for the chemical clarification of WLZ and V-WLZ.

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.

Quality Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prescription in Naolingsu Capsule Based on Combinative Method of Fingerprint, Quantitative Determination, and Chemometrics

BACKGROUND

Naolingsu capsule (NLSC) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription in China. It is widely used to treat neurasthenia, insomnia, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, and other diseases. However, its inalienable chemical groups have not been carried out.

METHODS

We first established the nontargeted investigation based on fingerprinting coupled with UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS. Second, the quantitative methods based on HPLC-DAD and LC-MS/MS were connected to the synchronous quantitative assurance of eleven and fourteen marker compounds. Finally, the quantitative information was processed with SIMCA-P for differentiating the distinctive bunches of samples to screen the foremost appropriate chemical markers.

RESULTS

The similarity of HPLC fingerprints of 24 batches of NLSC samples was 0.645-0.992. In total, 37 flavonoids, 21 organic acids, 22 lignans, 13 saponins, and 20 other compounds were recognized in NLSC by the UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS method. The quantitative determination was approved for linearity, discovery limits, accuracy, repeatability, soundness, and precision. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models accomplished the great classification of the samples from the five enterprises, respectively. Rehmannioside D (RD), methylophiopogonanone A (MPA), 3,6'-disinapoyl sucrose (DS), schisandrin B (SSB), epimedin C (EC), icariin (ICA), and jujuboside B (JB) were considered as the potential chemical markers for NLSC quality control.

CONCLUSION

The experimental results illustrated that the combinative strategy was valuable for quick pharmaceutical quality assessment, which can potentially differentiate the origin, decide the realness, and assess the overall quality of the formulation.

Pharmacokinetic Study of Four Major Bioactive Components of Liandan Xiaoyan Formula in Ulcerative Colitis and Control Rats Using UPLC-MS/MS

Liandan Xiaoyan Formula (LXF), a classic Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, is composed of two Chinese herbal medicines for treating bowel disease under the TCM theory. This study aimed to develop a rapid, stable, sensitive, and reliable method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to simultaneously determine four major bioactive components of LXF (andrographolide, dehydroandrographolide, 1-methoxicabony-β-carboline, 4-methoxy-5-hydroxy-canthin-6-one) in rat serum and evaluate the pharmacokinetic characteristics of LXF in ulcerative colitis (UC) and control rats. After pretreating by protein precipitation with methanol, separation was performed on a UPLC C18 column using gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid at a flowing rate of 0.4 ml/min. Detection was performed on Triple-TOF™ 5600 mass spectrometry set at the positive ionization and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The validated method showed good linearity (R² ≥ 0.9970), the intra- and inter-day accuracy were within ±11.58%, whereas the intra- and inter-day precision were less than 13.79%. This method was validated and applied to compare the pharmacokinetic profiles of the analytes in serum of UC induced by dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) and control rats after oral administration of LXF. The results showed that four major bioactive components of LXF were quickly absorbed after oral administration in both groups, with higher exposure levels in the UC group. This relationship between the active ingredients’ pharmacokinetic properties provided essential scientific information for applying LXF in clinical.

Pharmacological effects of Picrasma quassioides (D. Don) Benn for inflammation, cancer and neuroprotection (Review)

Picrasma quassioides (D. Don) Benn is an Asian shrub with a considerable history of traditional medicinal use. P. quassioides and its extracts exhibit good therapeutic properties against several diseases, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anticancer effects. However, the composition of compounds contained in P. quassioides is complex; although various studies have examined mixtures or individual compounds extracted from it, studies on the application of P. quassioides extracts remain limited. In the present review, the structures and functions of the compounds identified from P. quassioides and their utility in anti-inflammatory, anticancer and neuroprotectant therapies was discussed. The present review provided up-to-date information on pharmacological activities and clinical applications for P. quassioides extracts.

Proteomic Analysis Reveals Growth Inhibition of Coriolus versicolor by Methanol Extracts of Cinnamomum camphora Xylem

The extracts of decay-resistant tree species are important research objects for the future development of wood preservatives. To understand the antifungal mechanisms of Coriolus versicolor inhibition with methanol extracts of C. camphora xylem, the protein profiles of C. versicolor were analyzed using 2-DE followed by MALDI-TOF/MS and bioinformatic analyses. The results showed that 41 protein spots were obviously changed among the 366-385 protein spots of C. versicolor treated with methanol extracts of C. camphora xylem. Twenty-one protein spots were upregulated, and 20 protein spots were downregulated. Cellular localization was performed to identify these differential proteins, and biological process and functional analysis found that 9 of these proteins were in the cytoplasm, 6 were intracellular, and 5 were in the mitochondrion. A total of 18.8% were mapped to small-molecule metabolic processes, 12.5% to cellular amino acid metabolic processes, and 10.9% to cellular nitrogen compound metabolic processes. Twenty-five percent of the differential proteins were associated with ion bonding, 15% with oxidoreductase activity, and 15% with ATPase activity and transmembrane transport activity. Downregulated expression of aspartate aminotransferase, ATP synthase alpha chain, DEAD/DEAH-box helicase, and phosphoglycerate kinase showed that the methanol extracts of C. camphora xylem disrupted functional aspects such as nitrogen and carbon metabolism, energy metabolism, hormone signal response, and glucose metabolism, eventually leading to C. versicolor inhibition.

Antibiofilm Activity of Extract and a Compound Isolated from Triumfetta welwitschii against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Triumfetta welwitschii has been used as a traditional medicine in Africa. It is documented as a rich source of phytochemicals with antibacterial activities. To further explore the antibacterial potential of these phytochemical components, the phytochemical profile of the dichloromethane: methanol leaf extract from T. welwitschii was investigated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Compounds were isolated from the extract using column chromatography and thin-layer chromatography. Compound B1 was isolated from the fraction eluted by 90 hexane:10 ethyl acetate using column chromatography. The antibacterial activity of B1 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated in vitro using the broth microdilution method and the iodonitrotetrazolium (INT) colorimetric assay. The antibiofilm activities of the extract and B1 against P. aeruginosa were determined by quantifying the biofilms using crystal violet. The effect of the extract and B1 on capsular polysaccharide and extracellular DNA content of biofilm formed by P. aeruginosa was determined using phenol-sulphuric acid and propidium iodide, respectively. A total of 28 peaks were detected and identified using UPLC-MS/MS. The three most abundant phytochemicals identified were catechin, umbelliferone, and a luteolin derivative. B1 showed antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value of 25 μg/ml. Only 38% and 6% of the biofilms were formed in the presence of the extract and B1, respectively. The extract and B1 reduced the capsular polysaccharide content in biofilms formed in P. aeruginosa by 40% and 65%, respectively. The extract and B1 significantly reduced the extracellular DNA content of biofilms by 29% and 72%, respectively. The results of this study provide evidence of the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of B1 and leaf extracts from T. welwitschii. Future work should identify the chemical structure of B1 using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry.

Honeysuckle-derived microRNA2911 directly inhibits varicella-zoster virus replication by targeting IE62 gene

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) leads to chicken pox on primary infection and herpes zoster on reactivation. Recent studies suggest that microRNA2911 (MIR2911), honeysuckle (HS)-encoded atypical microRNA, has potential as a therapeutic agent against influenza and EV71 virus infections. Here, we report that MIR2911 directly inhibits VZV replication by targeting the IE62 gene. The luciferase reporter assay and bioinformatics prediction revealed that MIR2911 could target the IE62 gene of VZV. The VZV-encoded IE62 protein expression was inhibited significantly by synthetic MIR2911, while the expression of the mutants, whose MIR2911-binding sites were modified, was not inhibited. The RNA extracted from HS decoction and synthetic MIR2911 considerably suppressed VZV infection. However, it did not influence viral replication of a mutant virus with alterations in the nucleotide sequences of IE62. At the same time, the RNA extracted from HS decoction treated with the anti-MIR2911 antagomir could not inhibit the VZV replication, demonstrating that VZV replication was specifically and sufficiently inhibited by MIR2911. These results indicated that, by targeting the IE62 gene, MIR2911 may effectively inhibit VZV replication. Our results also suggest a potential novel strategy for the treatment and prevention of diseases caused by VZV infection.

In vivo toxic effects of 4-methoxy-5-hydroxy-canthin-6-one in zebrafish embryos via copper dyshomeostasis and oxidative stress

Dysfunction of copper homeostasis can lead to a host of disorders, which might be toxic sometimes. 4-Methoxy-5-hydroxy-canthin-6-one (CAN) is one of the major constituents from Picrasma quassioides and responsible for its therapeutic effects. In this work, we evaluated the toxic effect of CAN (7.5μM) on zebrafish embryos. CAN treatment decreased survival, delayed hatching time and induced malformations (loss of pigmentation, pericardial edema, as well as hematologic and neurologic abnormalities). Besides, exogenous copper supplementation rescued the pigmentation and cardiovascular defects in CAN-treated embryos. Further spectroscopic studies revealed a copper-chelating activity of CAN. Then its regulation on the expressions of copper homeostasis related genes also be analyzed. In addition, CAN lowered the total activity of SOD, elevated the ROS production and altered the oxidative related genes transcriptions, which led to oxidative stress. In conclusion, we demonstrated that CAN (7.5μM) might exert its toxic effects in zebrafish embryos by causing copper dyshomeostasis and oxidative stress. It will give insight into the risk assessment and prevention of CAN-mediated toxicity.