Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based strategy for systematic profiling of chemical components and associated quantitative analysis of quality markers in Qi-Wei-Tong-Bi oral liquid.

Qi-Wei-Tong-Bi oral liquid (QWTB), a famous Chinese medicine preparation composed of seven crude drugs has a good therapeutic effect on rheumatoid arthritis and is widely used in China. However, its chemical composition and quality control have not been comprehensively and systematically investigated. In this study, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was employed for its chemical profiling. As a result, 100 components were chemically characterized. Additionally, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry method was developed to simultaneously quantify nine bioactive components (hyperoside, ononin, quercetin, sinomenine, magnoflorine, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, monotropein, and cyclo-(Pro-Tyr)) in multiple-reaction monitoring mode. After successful validation in terms of linearity, precision, repeatability, and recovery, the assay method was applied for the determination of 10 batches of QWTB. The results showed that QWTB was enriched in sinomenine and magnoflorine with the highest amount up to hundreds or even thousands of µg/mL, while quercetin, ononin, cyclo-(Pro-Tyr), and hyperoside were much lower with the lowest content below 10 µg/mL. This study work would help to reveal the chemical profiling and provide a valuable and reliable approach for quality evaluation and even pharmacodynamic material basis studies of QWTB.

Comparative analysis of the rhizosphere microbiome and medicinally active ingredients of Atractylodes lancea from different geographical origins.

This study aimed to explore the important role of the rhizosphere microbiome in the quality of Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC. (A. lancea). The rhizosphere microbial community of A. lancea at two sampling sites was studied using metagenomic technology. The results of α-diversity analysis showed that the rhizosphere microbial richness and diversity were higher in the Maoshan area. The higher abundance of core microorganisms of the rhizosphere, especially Penicillium and Streptomyces, in the Maoshan area compared with those in the Yingshan area might be an important factor affecting the yield of A. lancea. Redundancy analysis illustrated that the available phosphorus had a significant effect on the rhizosphere microbial community structure of A. lancea. We also showed that the plant-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions were closer in the Maoshan area than in the Yingshan area, and Streptomyces were the main contributors to the potential functional difference between the two regions. A. lancea in the Maoshan area had a high content of atractylodin and atractylon, which might be related to the enhanced abundance of Streptomyces, Candidatus-Solibacter, and Frankia. Taken together, this study provided theoretical insights into the interaction between medicinal plants and the rhizosphere microbiome and provides a valuable reference for studying beneficial microbes of A. lancea.

Mechanism exploration of ancient pharmaceutic processing (Paozhi) improving the gastroprotective efficacy of Aucklandiae Radix.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Processing, also called Paozhi in Chinese, is an ancient Chinese pharmaceutic processing technique developed along with the Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs). The understanding of the mechanism of Paozhi has been investigated for several decades. Aucklandiae Radix (CAR) and its roasted processed products are all used in indigestion as a kind of CHMs. Processed Aucklandiae Radix (PAR) had a stronger effect to protect gastric mucosa than CAR, while the main compounds in CAR were reduced sharply after being processed. The underlying mechanism of this phenomenon is still unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study was aimed to evaluate whether PAR have a stronger gastroprotective effect than CAR and the underlying mechanisms of such circumstance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ultra-fast liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UFLC-QTOF-MS/MS) coupled with multivariate statistical analyses was employed to explore chemical compounds which had a relatively stable content in PAR. Based on the compounds selected as the research object, network pharmacology was applied to visualize the relationships between the selected components and the gastroprotective-related targets from disease database, at the same time the possible intervention path of CAR/PAR which might be responsible for the effect of CAR/PAR on gastritis-induced rats was also built. Then, the key proteins were detected by western blotting to verify and compare the pharmacological effects of CAR/PAR. RESULTS: Through UFLC-QTOF-MS/MS and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), sixteen compounds stable in PAR were discovered, of which saussureamine C and saussureamine B were estimated as the core compounds to exert gastroprotective in PAR predicted by network pharmacology analysis. Under the guide of KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, PI3K/AKT, p38 MAPK (Mitogen-activated protein kinase) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways were forecasted as the possible healing mechanisms of CAR/PAR, and that result was verified by the experiments in vivo. PAR performed a stronger ability to reduce the level of p38 MAPK and NF-κB p65 than CAR, which may partially explain the different ability of CAR/PAR against gastric mucosa damage. CONCLUSION: This study clarified that although Paozhi entailed a sharp decrease on the main compounds of CAR, there were some compounds which were not sensitive to high temperature and preserved in PAR and had a relative higher content in PAR than in CAR. PAR has stronger influence on MAPKs/NF-κB signaling pathway than CAR, which may reveal that the stronger gastroprotective effect of PAR perhaps rely on the constitutions with a higher relative abundance after Paozhi. The present research combined UFLC-QTOF-MS/MS and network pharmacology deeply investigated the impact of the roasted processing on the chemical constitutions and gastroprotective effect of CAR and offered reference for the clinical application of CAR/PAR.

[Study on HPLC-DAD Fingerprint of Xiaoying Jiedu Decoction].

OBJECTIVE: Based on backtracking method, identification and quality evaluation of Xiaoying Jiedu Decoction (XYJDD) by HPLC fingerprint analysis were carried out. METHODS: HPLC-DAD fingerprint of XYJDD was conducted with Dikma Platisil ODS C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm) and gradient elution with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-(0.1% phosphoric acid-0.1% triethylamine solution) at column temperature of 30 °C. On the basis of the established chromatographic pattern of XYJDD tracking backward to the corresponding crude herbal drugs in the formula and the attribution of most peaks in the XYJDD fingerprint can be figured out. RESULTS: 16 peaks of XYJDD HPLC fingerprint were assigned by parallel comparison with the fingerprint of the five corresponding crude drugs in the formula of Scutellariae Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Houttuyniae Herba, Aurantii Fructus, Arnebiae Radix. Four peaks can be identified with the chemical reference substances. CONCLUSION: The entirety of XYJDD HPLC fingerprint enhances the specialty for control and assessment of the product quality, and the backtracking experimental method can be expected to be applied in chromatographic fingerprinting analysis of complex Chinese patent medicine.

[Chemical constituents of Juncus setchuensis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Juncus setchuensis. METHODS: Column chromatography was used in the isolation procedure. The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated by spectral data. RESULTS: Eight compounds were isolated and their structures were identified as 2-hydroxy-3-methylanthraquinone (1), physcion (2), stigmasterol (3), stigmast-3,6-dione (4), vanillin (5), n-heptacosanoic acid (6), trans-hydroxycinnamic (7) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid (8). CONCLUSION: Compound 1, 2, 4 and 6 are obtained from this genus for the first time and all the compounds are obtained from this plant for the first time.

[Study on the chemical constituents of Psoralea corylifolia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Psoralea corylifolia. METHODS: Column chromatography was used in the isolation procedure. The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated by spectral data. RESULTS: Seven compounds were isolated and their structures were identified as isopsoralen (1), psoralen (2), bavachalcone (3), 4", 5"-dehydroisopsoralidin (4), methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (5), psoralidin (6), corylin (7). CONCLUSION: Compounds 4 and 5 are obtained from Psoralea for the first time.

[Determination of baicalin in Xiaoyanling Decoction by high-performance liquid chromatography].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the determination of baicalin in Xiaoyanling Decoction. METHODS: HPLC method was used for determination. A Kromosil C18 column was used. The mobile phase consisted of MeOH-acid water (H(2)O:H(3)PO(4)=53:0.2) 40:60, and the detective wavelength was 277 nm. RESULTS: The content of baicalin in each Xiaoyanling Decoction sample was not less than 0.40 mg/ml (RSD<5%). CONCLUSION: The content of baicalin in Xiaoyanling Decoction is high and stable, and it can be used as the quality standard for Xiaoyanling Decoction.

[Effect of ultra-fine powder technique on dissolution rates of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide in Andrographis paniculata].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of ultra-fine powder technique on dissolution rates of the components in Andrographis paniculata. METHODS: High performance liquid chromatography was employed to determine the concentration of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide in common powdered or ultra-fine powdered Andrographis paniculata. RESULTS: The dissolution rates of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide in ultra-fine powdered Andrographis paniculata were higher than those of the general powder. CONCLUSION: Ultra-fine powder technique promotes the dissolution rates of andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide.