Quality Evaluation of Wild and Cultivated Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus Based on Simultaneous Determination of Multiple Bioactive Constituents Combined with Multivariate Statistical Analysis

Establishment of a pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics model of Schisandra lignans against hippocampal neurotransmitters in AD rats based on microdi-alysis liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Objective: Our previous studies substantiated that the biological activity of Schisandra chinensis lignans during the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was mediated by neurotransmitter levels, and 15 of its active components were identified. However, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic relationship of Schisandra chinensis lignans has been less studied. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Schisandra chinensis lignans in the treatment of AD, and to establish a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) model. Methods and Results: Herein, we established a microdialysis-ultra performance liquid chromatography-triple quadruple mass spectrometry (MD-LC-TQ-MS) technique that could simultaneously and continuously collect and quantitatively analyze the active compounds and neurotransmitters related to the therapeutic effects of Schisandra chinensis in awake AD rats. Eight lignans were detected in the hippocampus, and a PK-PD model was established. The fitted curves highlighted a temporal lag between the maximum drug concentration and the peak drug effect. Following treatment, the levels of four neurotransmitters tended to converge with those observed in the sham operation group. Conclusion: By establishing a comprehensive concentration-time-effect relationship for Schisandra chinensis lignans in AD treatment, our study provides novel insights into the in vivo effects of these lignans in AD rats.

Simultaneous Quantification of Nine Target Compounds in Traditional Korean Medicine, Bopyeo-Tang, Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array Detector and Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Bopyeo-tang (BPT) is composed of six medicinal herbs (Morus alba L., Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC., Panax ginseng C.A.Mey., Aster tataricus L.f., Astragalus propinquus Schischkin, and Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.) and has been used for the treatment of lung diseases. This study focused on establishing an analytical method that can simultaneously quantify nine target compounds (i.e., hydroxymethylfurfural, mulberroside A, chlorogenic acid, calycosin-7-O-glucoside, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, quercetin, kaempferol, schizandrin, and gomisin A) from a BPT sample using high-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The separation of compounds in both analyses was performed on a C18 reversed-phase column using the gradient elution of water-acetonitrile as the mobile phase. In particular, the multiple reaction monitoring mode was applied for quick and accurate detection in UPLC-MS/MS analysis. As a result of analyzing the two methods, HPLC-PDA and UPLC-MS/MS, the coefficient of determination of the regression equation for each compound was ≥0.9952, and recovery was 85.99-106.40% (relative standard deviation (RSD) < 9.58%). Precision testing of the nine compounds was verified (RSD < 10.0%). The application of these analytical assays under optimized conditions for quantitative analysis of the BPT sample gave 0.01-4.70 mg/g. Therefore, these two assays could be used successfully to gather basic data for clinical research and the quality control of BPT.

Rapid identification of chemical constituents in Hugan tablets by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry

Hugan tablet is a Chinese medicine preparation. It is composed of Bupleuri Radix, Artemisiae Scopariae Herba, Isatidis Radix, Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus, Suis Fellis Pulvis, and Vigna radiata L. It has the effects of dispersing stagnated liver qi, strengthening the spleen and eliminating food to be used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis and early cirrhosis. However, the chemical composition of Hugan tablet is complex and not fully understood, which hampers the research in pharmacology. In this study, a reliable method for the rapid analysis and identification of the chemical components in Hugan tablet by their characteristic fragments and neutral losses using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry was developed. A total of 144 chemical components were tentatively identified, including 57 organic acids, 19 flavonoids, 23 alkaloids, 18 lignans, 7 saponins, and 20 others. These components may be the active ingredients of Hugan tablet. The established method can systematically and rapidly analyze the chemical components in Hugan tablet, which provides a basis for the pharmacodynamic substance study and is meaningful for the quality control of Hugan tablet.

Characterization of chemical constituents and metabolites in vivo and in vitro after oral administration of Wuteng tablets in rats by UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS

Waste medicinal plants are widely used in drug production. With the increasing demand for botanical drugs, there is an urgent need to identify new and effective drugs and improve the utilization of medicinal plant resources. Wuteng tablets (WTP) are extracted from the stem of Schisandra chinensis and have a good therapeutic effect on Alzheimer's disease. In this study, a holistic identification strategy based on UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS was developed for the first time to investigate the metabolites and metabolic pathways involved in the in vitro metabolism and liver microsomal incubation and in the in vivo metabolic system of rats after WTP administration. After the oral administration of WTP, 21 metabolites were identified in the serum and 25 metabolites were identified in the urine, of which six were new metabolites; 33 metabolites were inferred from the microsomal metabolites in vitro. The metabolic pathways related to WTP mainly involve demethylation, hydroxylation, dehydroxylation and dehydrogenation. In this study, the metabolites and metabolic pathways of WTP were elucidated via UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS, which provided a basis for an in-depth study of the pharmacodynamic and pharmacotoxicological effects of WTP.

An analysis of the nutritional effects of Schisandra chinensis components based on mass spectrometry technology

OBJECTIVE

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (S. chinensis) is a Traditional Chinese medicinal herb that can be used both for medicinal purposes and as a food ingredient due to its beneficial properties, and it is enriched with a wide of natural plant nutrients, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, lignans, triterpenes, organic acids, and sugars. At present, there is lack of comprehensive study or systemic characterization of nutritional and active ingredients of S. chinensis using innovative mass spectrometry techniques.

METHODS

The comprehensive review was conducted by searching the PubMed databases for relevant literature of various mass spectrometry techniques employed in the analysis of nutritional components in S. chinensis, as well as their main nutritional effects. The literature search covered the past 5 years until March 15, 2023.

RESULTS

The potential nutritional effects of S. chinensis are discussed, including its ability to enhance immunity, function as an antioxidant, anti-allergen, antidepressant, and anti-anxiety agent, as well as its ability to act as a sedative-hypnotic and improve memory, cognitive function, and metabolic imbalances. Meanwhile, the use of advanced mass spectrometry detection technologies have the potential to enable the discovery of new nutritional components of S. chinensis, and to verify the effects of different extraction methods on these components. The contents of anthocyanins, lignans, organic acids, and polysaccharides, the main nutritional components in S. chinensis, are also closely associated to its quality.

CONCLUSION

This review will provide guidelines for an in-depth study on the nutritional value of S. chinensis and for the development of healthy food products with effective components.

Schisandrol A, the main active ingredient of Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus, inhibits pulmonary fibrosis through suppression of the TGF-β signaling pathway as revealed by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS, network pharmacology and experimental verification

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Schisandra chinensis decoction derived from the book of Waitai Miyao (Tao Wang, Tang dynasty) is often used in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), which is included in the Grand Ceremony of Chinese formulae (Huairen Peng, 1994). Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus (Sch) is one of the most important herbs in this formula. According to the "Shennong's Herbal Classicherbal" of the Han Dynasty, Sch has sour taste, warm nature, which has the effect of tonifying qi and curing cough. In addition, according to the "Compendium of Materia Medica" of the Ming Dynasty, Sch is used to treat cough and asthma, which has the effect of moistening the lung and tonifying the kidney. However, the active ingredients of Sch absorption into the plasma and its pharmacological mechanism of treatment for IPF still remained unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Our research aimed at identifying the absorbed active ingredients and metabolized of Sch in rat plasma and the mechanism of anti-IPF based on serum pharmacochemistry.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, the rats were divided into control group and Sch group. Sch sample was orally administrated to the rats for seven days. The blood samples were drawn into an Eppendorf tube after the last dosing. The ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was applied to identify the absorption components and metabolites of Sch in rat plasma. Second, the network pharmacology combined with molecular docking analysis was further investigated to illuminate its potential mechanism of treatment for IPF by the biological targets regulating related pathways. Finally, the mechanism of action was verified by experimental in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

A total of 78 compounds, consist of 13 prototype lignans and 65 metabolites (including isomers) were identified. Network pharmacology study and molecular docking analysis indicated that schisandrol A (L1) play an anti-fibrosis role by regulating the TGF-β signaling pathway. Experimental in vitro and in vivo verified that the schisandrol A could inhibiting pulmonary fibrosis through TGF-β signaling pathway. The effect and mechanism of schisandrol A inhibiting pulmonary fibrosis were reported for the first time.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the absorption active ingredients of Sch in rat plasma were combined with the network pharmacology investigation and experimental in vitro and in vivo to elucidate its biological mechanism of treatment for IPF. The results provided a theoretical support for understanding the bioactive compounds and the pharmacological mechanism of Sch.

A Comparative Pharmacokinetic Study of Schisandrol B After Oral Administration of Schisandrol B Monomer and Schisandra chinensis Extract

Background:

Schisandra chinensis Turcz. (Baill.) is a perennial deciduous woody vine plant, which is beneficial to all systems of the body.

Objective:

The goals of the present study were to compare the pharmacokinetics of schisandrol B in rats after the oral administration of schisandrol B monomer (10 mg/kg) and S. chinensis extract (equivalent to 10 mg/kg schisandrol B) and to explore interactions among the components in S. chinensis extract.

Methods:

Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats of SPF grade were randomly divided into the monomer and S.chinensis extract groups. Plasma samples were extracted with methyl tert-butyl ether, and chromatographic separation was performed on an Agilent ZORBAX Eclipse XDB-C18 (4.6 × 150 mm, 5 μm) column with the mobile phase consisting of methanol (containing 0.1% formic acid)-water (containing 0.1% formic acid and 5 mmol ammonium acetate). This analysis was achieved by multiple reaction monitoring modes in an electrospray interface.

Results:

The seven lignans had a good linear relationship within the determination range (r>0.9950); the intra- and inter-day precision was <12.08% and accuracy was 88.64%-111.61%. The pharmacokinetic parameters (T1/2, Tmax, MRT0-∞, CL, AUC0-t, and AUC0-∞) of schisandrol B showed significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

The validated method has been successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics of schisandrin, schisandrol B, schisandrin A, schisandrin B, schisandrin C, schisanhenol, and schisantherin A. The pharmacokinetic differences indicate that other components in the extract may increase the absorption of schisandrol B, decrease the rate of elimination, and improve the bioavailability of schisandrol B.

High-performance liquid chromatography-based fingerprint analysis with chemical pattern recognition for evaluation of Mahonia bealei (Fort.) Carr

A simple and efficient high-performance liquid chromatography method combined with chemical pattern recognition was established for quality evaluation of Mahonia bealei (Fort.) Carr. A common pattern of 30 characteristic peaks was applied for similarity analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and partial least squares discriminant analysis in the 37 batches of M. bealei (Fort.) Carr. to discriminate wild M. bealei (Fort.) Carr., cultivated M. bealei (Fort.) Carr., and its substitutes. The results showed that partial least squares discriminant analysis was the most effective method for discrimination. Eight characteristics peaks with higher variable importance in projection values were selected for pattern recognition model. A permutation test and 26 batches of testing set samples were performed to validate the model that was successfully established. All of the training and testing set samples were correctly classified into three clusters (wild M. bealei (Fort.) Carr., cultivated M. bealei (Fort.) Carr., and its substitutes) based on the selected chemical markers. Moreover, 26 batches of unknown samples were used to predict the accuracy of the established model with a discrimination accuracy of 100%. The obtained results indicated that the method showed great potential application for accurate evaluation and prediction of the quality of M. bealei (Fort.) Carr.

A Method to Study the Distribution Patterns for Metabolites in Xylem and Phloem of Spatholobi Caulis

Spatholobi Caulis (SC), the vine stem of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn, is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of blood stasis syndrome and related diseases. Xylem and phloem are the main structures of SC and the color of xylem in SC is red brown or brown while the phloem with resin secretions is reddish brown to dark brown. They are alternately arranged in a plurality of concentric or eccentric rings. In order to investigate the distribution patterns of metabolites in xylem and phloem of SC, an analytical method based on UFLC–QTRAP–MS/MS was established for simultaneous determination of 22 constituents including four flavanols, nine isoflavones, two flavonols, two dihydroflavones, one flavanonol, one chalcone, one pterocarpan, one anthocyanidin and one phenolic acid in the samples (xylem and phloem) from Laos. Furthermore, according to the contents of 22 constituents, heat map, principal components analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS–DA) and t–test were used to evaluate the samples and discover the differences between xylem and phloem of SC. The results indicated that the measured ingredients in xylem and phloem were significantly different. To be specific, the contents of flavonoids in xylem were higher than that in phloem, while the content of protocatechuic acid showed a contrary tendency. This study will not only reveal the distribution patterns of metabolites in xylem and phloem of SC but also facilitate further study on their quality formation.

Quality Evaluation of Ophiopogonis Radix from Two Different Producing Areas

Ophiopogonis Radix, also known as Mai-dong in Chinese, was a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and functional health food. Two products of Ophiopogonis Radix are largely produced in the Sichuan and Zhejiang province, which are called “Chuan maidong (CMD)” and “Zhe maidong (ZMD)” respectively. To distinguish and evaluate the quality of CMD and ZMD, an analytical method based on ultra-fast performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometry (UFLC-QTRAP-MS/MS) was established for simultaneous determination of 32 constituents including 4 steroidal saponins, 3 homisoflavonoids, 15 amino acids, and 10 nucleosides in 27 Mai-dong samples from Sichuan and Zhejiang. Furthermore, principal components analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), t-test, and grey relational analysis (GRA) were applied to discriminate and evaluate the samples from Sichuan and Zhejiang based on the contents of 32 constituents. The results demonstrated that the bioactive constituents in CMD and ZMD were significantly different, and CMD performed better in the quality assessment than ZMD. This study not only provides a basic information for differentiating CMD and ZMD, but offers a new insight into comprehensive evaluation and quality control of Ophiopogonis Radix from two different producing areas.

Screening of the Active Component Promoting Leydig Cell Proliferation from Lepidium meyenii Using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS Coupled with Multivariate Statistical Analysis

Lepidium meyenii is now widely consumed as a functional food and medicinal product, which is known as an enhancer of reproductive health. However, the specific chemical composition and mechanism of action for improving sexual function are unclear. The present study aims at screening and determining the potential compounds, which promote mouse leydig cells (TM3) proliferation. The partial least squares analysis (PLS) was employed to reveal the correlation between common peaks of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint of L. meyenii and the proliferation activity of TM3. The results suggested that three compounds had good activities on the proliferation of TM3 and promoting testosterone secretion, there were N-benzyl-hexadecanamide, N-benzyl-(9z,12z)-octadecadienamide and N-benzyl-(9z,12z,15z)-octadecatrienamide which might be the potential bioactive markers related to the enhancing sexual ability functions of L. meyenii. The first step in testosterone synthesis is the transport of cholesterol into the mitochondria, and the homeostasis of mitochondrial function is related to cyclophilin D (CypD). In order to expound how bioactive ingredients lead to promoting testosterone secretion, a molecular docking simulation was used for further illustration in the active sites and binding degree of the ligands on CypD. The results indicated there was a positive correlation between the binding energy absolute value and testosterone secretion activity. In addition, in this study it also provided the reference for a simple, quick method to screen the promoting leydig cell proliferation active components in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).