Transformation of Psoralen and Isopsoralen by Human Intestinal Microbial In Vitro, and the Biological Activities of Its Metabolites.

Psoralen (P) and isopsoralen (IP) are the main active ingredients in the dried fruit of Psoralen corylifolia L. (PC), with a wide range of pharmacology activities. The intestinal bacteria biotransformation plays a central role in the metabolism of the complex ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Our study aimed to investigated the metabolic profile of P and IP in the intestinal condition, co-cultured with human fecal bacteria anaerobically. Four bio-transforming products were obtained, including 6,7-furano-hydrocoumaric acid (P-1) and 6,7-furano-hydro- coumaric acid methyl ester (P-2), which transformed from P, and 5,6-furano-hydrocoumaric acid (IP-1) and 5,6-furano-hydrocoumaric acid methyl ester (IP-2), which were transformed from IP. It is worth mentioning that IP-2 is a new compound that has not been published. Their structures were analyzed based on their spectroscopic data. Moreover, a highly sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was used to characterize the metabolic pathways of P, IP, and their bio-transforming products in the reaction samples. In addition, the dampening effects against the oxidative stress of P, IP, and their bio-transforming products by human intestinal flora were estimated in vitro via the human colorectal cells (HCT116) and heterogeneous human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2) cell lines. The results showed that the metabolites have stronger activity than P and IP, which possibly provides a basis for elucidating the treating mechanisms of PC extract against inflammatory bowel disease.

Identification and quantification analysis of the chemical constituents from Mahonia fortune using Q­Exactive HF Mass Spectrometer and UPLC-ESI-MS/MS.

In this research, a comprehensive and innovative method was established for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the main components in Mahonia fortune (MF). On the one hand, comprehensive insight of the constituents in MF extracts was achieved with a Q­Exactive HF Mass Spectrometer using data-independent acquisition method. The identification of 17 compounds was based on comparison with authentic reference standards and the deduction of 119 additional compounds both in positive and negative modes was using the MS-dial strategy and comparison with literature data. The proportion of alkaloids and phenols were the most in MF. On the other hand, an ultra-performance liquid chromatographic-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for the quantification of 25 components in MF extract were developed and validated. The method established provided satisfactory precision and accuracy; acceptable recovery and stability; a good linearity and a reasonable limit of detection. The MF samples from 11 different sources were detected, and relative principal component analysis were applied to discriminate these samples. The variations of Columbamine, Jatrorrhizine, Palmatine and Berberine were suggested as important indicators of MF quality. This study supplies a novel and comprehensive method for the quality evaluation of MF. This research presents a MS based analytical strategy which shows an application potential in the analysis of the chemical constituents in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Simultaneous characterisation of multiple Mahonia fortunei bioactive compounds in rat plasma by UPLC-MS/MS for application in pharmacokinetic studies and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro.

The stems of Mahonia fortunei (MF) are commonly used in Chinese Traditional Medicine and contain multiple bioactive compounds, including 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenol-1-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (1), 5-hydroxypicolinic acid methyl ester (2), acortatarin A (3), syringic acid (4), 9-epi-acortatarin A (5), vomifoliol (6), corydaldine (7), noroxyhydrastinine (8), columbamine (9), jatrorrhizine (10), palmatine (11), berberine (12) and schisandrin (13). The pharmacokinetics of these 13 compounds in the rat plasma were assessed using a novel sensitive, rapid, and specific UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method after oral administration of an aqueous extract of MF stems. Carbamazepine was employed as the internal standard (IS) and all samples were precipitated with acetonitrile. Chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column using a gradient elution at 0.3 mL/min, with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 0.06 % formic acid and 5 mM ammonium acetate aqueous solution. The calibration curves showed satisfactory linearity in the examination area (r2 ≥ 0.99). The accuracy, precision, extraction recovery, matrix effect, and stability were within acceptable ranges. The method successfully assessed the pharmacokinetics of these 13 compounds. In vitro, compound 12 exhibited potent inhibitory activity against production of nitric oxide (NO) in the RAW264.7 cell line when stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), while compounds 7, 12, and 13 were the most potent inhibitors of NO production in the BV2 cell line when stimulated by LPS. The IC50 values of compounds 7, 12 and 13 were 42.81, 20.55 and 22.74 µM. We conclude that these compounds have promise for clinical application, although their synergistic action may be more effective than that by any single compound alone.