[Study on changes of Styrax varieties].

Styrax is a commonly used imported traditional Chinese medicinal material in China. It was introduced to China in the Han Dynasty and was first described as a traditional Chinese medicine in Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians(Ming Yi Bie Lu). In this paper, by combing ancient and modern Chinese and foreign herbal medicine books and modern literature, combined with the results of field investigations on the origin of Styrax, the changes of Styrax involving the name, quality evaluation, origin, place of origin, and harvesting and processing were systematically verified. The results show that since ancient times, the origin and place of origin of Styrax have been unclear. The medical scientists of all dynasties in China have evaluated the quality of Styrax from four aspects: texture, viscosity, odor concentration, and color. The varieties of Styrax changed twice. The first change may have occurred during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the base changed from Styrax officinalis to Liquidambar orientalis. The second change was in modern times, and the base changed from L. orientalis to L. styraciflua. At the same time, the place of origin changed for the first time, from Turkey, Syria, and other countries in southern Asia Minor to Honduras, Guatemala, and other countries in Central America and southern North America. This paper studied the historical evolution of Styrax in terms of quality evaluation, origin, place of origin, character, and harvesting and processing. At the same time, it summarized the application of Styrax in the western countries, which can provide a historical basis for the further development and utilization of Styrax.

Impacts of sulfur fumigation on the chemistry and immunomodulatory activity of polysaccharides in ginseng.

Ginseng is widely regarded as a panacea in Oriental medicine mainly due to its immunomodulatory activity. We previously found that sulfur fumigation, a commonly used pesticidal and anti-bacterial processing practice, weakened the immunomodulatory activity of ginseng. However, if and how sulfur fumigation affects the polysaccharides in ginseng, the crucial components contributing to the immunomodulatory function, remain unknown. Here we report that polysaccharides extracted from sulfur-fumigated ginseng (SGP) presented different chemical properties with polysaccharides extracted with non-fumigated ginseng (NGP), particularly increased water extraction yield and decreased branching degree. SGP had weaker immunomodulatory activity than NGP in immunocompromised mice, as evidenced by less improved immunophenotypes involving body weight, immune organ indexes, white blood cells, lymphocyte cell populations and inflammation. The different immunomodulatory activities were accompanied by changes in the interaction between the polysaccharides and gut microbiota, in which SGP stimulated the growth of different bacteria but produced less SCFAs as compared to NGP. Fecal microbiota transplantation experiment suggested that gut microbiota played a central role in causing the weakened immunomodulatory activity in vivo. This study provides definite evidence that sulfur fumigation affects the chemistry and bioactivity of ginseng polysaccharides, thereby contributing to understanding how sulfur fumigation weakens the immunomodulatory activity of ginseng.

Impact of Sulfur Fumigation on the Chemistry of Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Chinese Yam).

Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Chinese yam; derived from the rhizome of Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) (DR), commonly consumed as a food or supplement, is often sulfur-fumigated during post-harvest handling, but it remains largely unknown if and how sulfur fumigation impacts the chemistry of DR. In this study, we report the impact of sulfur fumigation on the chemical profile of DR and then the molecular and cellular mechanisms potentially involved in the chemical variations induced by sulfur fumigation. The results show that sulfur fumigation significantly and specifically changed the small metabolites (molecular weight lower than 1000 Da) and polysaccharides of DR at both qualitative and quantitative levels. Multifaceted molecular and cellular mechanisms involving chemical transformations (e.g., acidic hydrolysis, sulfonation, and esterification) and histological damage were found to be responsible for the chemical variations in sulfur-fumigated DR (S-DR). The research outcomes provide a chemical basis for further comprehensive and in-depth safety and functional evaluations of sulfur-fumigated DR.

[Specific DNA barcodes, germplasm resources, and genetic diversity of Eleutherococcus senticosus].

Eleutherococcus senticosus is one of the Dao-di herbs in northeast China. In this study, the chloroplast genomes of three E. senticosus samples from different genuine producing areas were sequenced and then used for the screening of specific DNA barcodes. The germplasm resources and genetic diversity of E. senticosus were analyzed basing on the specific DNA barcodes. The chloroplast genomes of E. senticosus from different genuine producing areas showed the total length of 156 779-156 781 bp and a typical tetrad structure. Each of the chloroplast genomes carried 132 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs. The chloroplast genomes were relatively conserved. Sequence analysis of the three chloroplast genomes indicated that atpI, ndhA, ycf1, atpB-rbcL, ndhF-rpl32, petA-psbJ, psbM-psbD, and rps16-psbK can be used as specific DNA barcodes of E. senticosus. In this study, we selected atpI and atpB-rbcL which were 700-800 bp and easy to be amplified for the identification of 184 E. senticosus samples from 13 genuine producing areas. The results demonstrated that 9 and 10 genotypes were identified based on atpI and atpB-rbcL sequences, respectively. Furthermore, the two barcodes identified 23 genotypes which were named H1-H23. The haplotype with the highest proportion and widest distribution was H10, followed by H2. The haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity were 0.94 and 1.82×10~(-3), respectively, suggesting the high genetic diversity of E. senticosus. The results of the median-joining network analysis showed that the 23 genotypes could be classified into 4 categories. H2 was the oldest haplotype, and it served as the center of the network characterized by starlike radiation, which suggested that population expansion of E. senticosus occurred in the genuine producing areas. This study lays a foundation for the research on the genetic quality and chloroplast genetic engineering of E. senticosus and further research on the genetic mechanism of its population, providing new ideas for studying the genetic evolution of E. senticosus.

Impact of Sulfur Fumigation on Ginger: Chemical and Biological Evidence.

We previously found that sulfur fumigation, a commonly used controversial method for the post-harvest handling of ginger, induces the generation of a compound in ginger, which was speculated to be a sulfur-containing derivative of 6-shogaol based on its mass data. However, the chemical and biological properties of the compound remain unknown. As a follow-up study, here we report the chemical structure, systemic exposure, and anticancer activity of the compound. Chromatographic separation, nuclear magnetic resonance analysis, and chemical synthesis structurally elucidated the compound as 6-gingesulfonic acid. Pharmacokinetics in rats found that 6-gingesulfonic acid was more slowly absorbed and eliminated, with more prototypes existing in the blood than 6-shogaol. Metabolism profiling indicated that the two compounds produced qualitatively and quantitatively different metabolites. It was further found that 6-gingesulfonic acid exerted significantly weaker antiproliferative activity on tumor cells than 6-shogaol. The data provide chemical and biological evidence that sulfur fumigation may impair the healthcare functions of ginger.

A specific and bioactive polysaccharide marker for Cordyceps.

Cordyceps is one of the most expensive and widely used functional foods. But the authenticity is still a concern due to the lack of appropriate markers. By targeting polysaccharides, this study aimed to develop a specific, and bioactive marker for Cordyceps. Firstly, the results of screening tests of 250 samples by examining both genetic markers and polysaccharide profile showed that a unique polysaccharide fraction (named CCP) was particular to the caterpillar parts. Its potential as a marker was further demonstrated by its ability to induce NO and cytokine production in RAW 264.7 cells. CCP was characterized to be an α-1,4-glucan with a branch at C-6 by the conventional structure analyzing and de novo oligosaccharides sequencing. The content of CCP was closely correlated to the traditional classification criteria. Generally, CCP was a marker that simultaneously enables qualitative and quantitative analysis of Cordyceps.

Ginseng ameliorates exercise-induced fatigue potentially by regulating the gut microbiota.

The therapeutic effects of water extract of ginseng (WEG) on exercise-induced fatigue (EF) have been reported in several previous studies, but the molecular mechanisms involved remain unexplored. In this study, the anti-EF effects of WEG were studied, and the potential mechanisms were discussed. We characterized the chemical components of WEG by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) and high performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD), and then examined the anti-EF effects of WEG on a rat model of weight-loaded swimming with a focus on endogenous metabolism and gut microbiota. WEG contains abundant (90.15%, w/w) saccharides and ginsenosides with structurally diverse glycosyls. WEG taken orally showed strong anti-EF effects by ameliorating energy metabolism abnormality, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory response, disorders in the metabolism of bile acid, amino acid, fatty acid and lipid, as well as the gut microbiota dysbiosis. Given that gut microbiota is significantly associated with energy expenditure, systemic inflammation and host metabolism, these findings suggest a potential central role of the gut microbiota in mediating the anti-EF effect of WEG. That is, the saccharides and ginsenosides in WEG serve as energy substrates for specific intestinal bacteria, thereby beneficially regulating the gut microbiota, and the reshaped gut microbial ecosystem then triggers several molecular and cellular signaling pathways (e.g. butyrate or TGR5 signals) to achieve the therapeutic effects on EF. The outcomes highlighted here enable deeper insight into how WEG overcomes EF.

Stronger anti-obesity effect of white ginseng over red ginseng and the potential mechanisms involving chemically structural/compositional specificity to gut microbiota.

BACKGROUND: Ginseng has therapeutic potential for treating obesity and the associated gut microbiota dysbiosis. However, whether white ginseng and red ginseng, the two kinds of commonly used processed ginseng, possess different anti-obesity effects remains unknown. PURPOSE: Anti-obesity effects of water extracts of white ginseng and red ginseng (WEWG and WERG) were compared, and the potential mechanisms were discussed. METHODS: Chemical profiles of WEWG and WERG were characterized by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) and high performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD). Anti-obesity effects of WEWG/WERG were examined by determining fat accumulation, systemic inflammation, enteric metabolic disorders and gut microbiota dysbiosis in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed obese mice. RESULTS: Both WEWG and WERG exerted anti-obesity effects, with WEWG stronger than WERG. Compared to WERG, WEWG contained less contents of carbohydrates (polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, free monosaccharides) and ginsenosides, but chemical structures or compositions of these components in WEWG were characteristic, i.e. narrower molecular weight distribution and higher molar ratios of glucose residues of polysaccharides; higher content ratios of oligosaccharides DP2-3 (di-/tri-saccharides)-to-oligosaccharides DP4-7 (tetra-/penta-/hexa-/hepta-saccharides), sucrose-to-melibiose, maltose-to-trehalose and high-polar-to-low-polar ginsenosides. WEWG better ameliorated fat accumulation, enteric metabolic disorders and gut microbiota dysbiosis in HFD-fed obese mice than WERG. CONCLUSION: The stronger anti-obesity effect of white ginseng appears to correlate with differences in its chemical profile as compared to red ginseng. The carbohydrates and ginsenosides in WEWG potentially present more structural and compositional specificity to the obesity-associated gut bacteria, allowing more beneficial effects of WEWG on the gut microbiota dysbiosis. This consequently better alleviates the enteric metabolic disorders and systemic inflammation, thereby contributing to the stronger anti-obesity effect of WEWG as compared to WERG.

Comparative quality of the forms of decoction pieces evaluated by multidimensional chemical analysis and chemometrics: Poria cocos, a pilot study.

Many Chinese medicinal materials (CMMs) are parts of plants or fungi that have been processed into different physical forms, termed decoction pieces, that are typically boiled in water for consumption. One CMM may have several decoction pieces forms, e.g., slices, small cubes (dice), or grains. The specifications that have different morphological parameters (shape, size and thickness) for these various decoction pieces have been developed over, in some cases, centuries of practice. Nevertheless, whether and how the form of decoction pieces affects the extraction (decoction) dynamics, and quality stability during storage has not been studied. Here, we investigated Poria cocos (PC) as a pilot study; we explore how the form of PC decoction pieces affects its chemistry using multidimensional chemical evaluation such as ultra-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-QTOF-MS/MS), ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) and high performance gel permeation chromatography coupled with charged aerosol detector (HPGPC-CAD), combined with analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis (PCA), factor analysis (FA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The results indicated that different specifications had significant differences, and these specifications could be divided into four groups. The comprehensive results of the chemical analyses undertaken here indicate that the highest potentially available quality of PC decoction pieces was in the forms of curl, ultra-small grains and small grains, followed by thin slices. This information not only is conducive to promoting the standardization of the specification/form of PC decoction pieces and maximizing the benefits from its utilization, but also provide a promising strategy for assessing other CMM decoction pieces in different forms.

Oligosaccharide-marker approach for qualitative and quantitative analysis of specific polysaccharide in herb formula by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry: Dendrobium officinale, a case study.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of polysaccharides in herb formula remain challenge due to the limited choices of analytical methods concerning the intrinsic characteristics of large molecular mass. Herein, an oligosaccharide-marker approach was newly developed for quality assessment of polysaccharides in herbal materials, using Dendrobium officinale as a case study. This method involved partial acid hydrolysis of D. officinale polysaccharide (DOP) followed by p-aminobenzoic ethyl ester (ABEE) derivatization. Two ABEE-labeled oligosaccharides namely, Te-Man-ABEE and Pen-Man-ABEE, were selected as chemical markers due to their high specificity in herb formula. The linear relationship between the content of these two markers and the content of DOP was then successfully established respectively. The linear relationship was further transformed to that between peak area of chemical markers and DOP content so that chemical markers were not necessary to be isolated for analysis. This linear relationship was systemically validated in terms of precision and accuracy. The results showed that these two oligosaccharide-markers presented a good linear relationship with DOP (R2 ≥ 0.997) in the range of 0.68-16.02 µg. These markers also demonstrated satisfactory precision (RSD < 7.0%), and recovery (91.41%-118.30%) in real sample determination. Additionally, there was no significant difference between the results given by the two chemical markers as the RSD values were not more than 7.0%. While concerning the results given by the oligosaccharide-markers and the previously-published polysaccharide marker, the RSD value was not more than 6.4%. These suggest that the oligosaccharide-marker approach is a simple, quick, and reliable method to qualitatively and quantitatively determine of specific polysaccharide in herb formula.

Characterization of Chemical Component Variations in Different Growth Years and Tissues of Morindae Officinalis Radix by Integrating Metabolomics and Glycomics.

Morindae Officinalis Radix (MOR), the dried root of Morinda officinalis F.C. How (Rubiaceae), is a popular food supplement in southeastern China for bone protection, andrological, and gynecological healthcare. In clinical use, 3-4 year old MOR is commonly used and the xylem is sometimes removed. However, there is no scientific rationale for these practices so far. In this study, metabolomics and glycomics were integrated using multiple chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques coupled with multivariate statistical analysis to investigate the qualitative and quantitative variations of secondary metabolome and glycome in different growth years (1-7 years) and tissues (xylem and cortex) of MOR. The results showed that various types of bioactive components reached a maximum between 3 and 4 years of growth and that the xylem contained more potentially toxic constituents but less bioactive components than the cortex. This study provides the chemical basis for the common practice of using 3-4 year old MOR with the xylem removed.

Integrating Targeted and Untargeted Metabolomics to Investigate the Processing Chemistry of Polygoni Multiflori Radix.

Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR, Heshouwu in Chinese), derived from the tuberous roots of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., is a widely-used Chinese medicinal material. For traditional clinical use, raw PMR (RPMR) is processed by nine cycles of steaming and drying to generate processed PMR (PPMR); RPMR and PPMR have distinct medicinal purposes based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. While PMR has been processed for hundreds of years, including the present, the chemistry of that processing has not been well studied. In this study, targeted and untargeted metabolomics analyses using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) were integrated to investigate the processing chemistry of PMR. The results demonstrate that processing by nine cycles of steaming and drying qualitatively and quantitatively alters the chemical profile of PMR. Several mechanisms, namely hydrolysis, dehydration, isomerization, and Maillard reaction appear to be involved in the chemical transformation that occurs. The qualitative and quantitative data further suggest that nine cycles might be necessary for the preparation of PPMR, as PPMR that has been processed nine times shows significant differences in its chemical profile.

Correlation between Quality and Geographical Origins of Poria cocos Revealed by Qualitative Fingerprint Profiling and Quantitative Determination of Triterpenoid Acids.

Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf (PC) is a well-known saprophytic fungus, and its sclerotium without the epidermis (PCS) is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a functional food in many countries. PCS is normally collected from multiple geographical regions, but whether and how the quality of PCS correlates with where it grows have not been determined. This correlation could be significant both for quality control and optimum utilization of PCS as a natural resource. In this study, a qualitative fingerprint profiling method performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with diode array detection (DAD) combining quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS/MS) and a quantitative UHPLC coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (QqQ-MS/MS) approach were established to investigate whether and how the quality of PCS correlates with its collection location. A standard fingerprint of PCS was generated by median simulation of 25 tested samples collected from four main producing areas of China, and similarity analysis was applied to evaluate the similarities between the fingerprints of samples and the standard fingerprint. Twenty three common peaks occurring in the fingerprint were unequivocally or tentatively identified by UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Meanwhile, principal component analysis (PCA), supervised orthogonal partial least squares-discriminate analysis (OPLS-DA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were employed to classify 25 batches of PCS samples into four groups, which were highly consistent with the four geographical regions. Ten compounds were screened out as potential markers to distinguish the quality of PCS. Nine triterpene acids, including five compounds that played important roles in the clusters between different samples collected from the four collection locations, were simultaneously quantified by using the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode of UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS. The current strategy not only clearly expounded the correlation between quality and geographical origins of PCS, but also provided a fast, accurate and comprehensive qualitative and quantitative method for assessing the quality of PCS.

A feasible and practical 1H NMR analytical method for the quality control and quantification of bioactive principles in Lycii Fructus.

Lycii Fructus, a solanaceous drug, is widely used as functional foods and in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Samples collected from different regions of China have been found to be not identical in chemical compositions which might affect the biological activities. Although many chromatographic and spectrometric methods have been reported to determine the concentration of betaine and other bioactive amino acids, disturbance resulted from other polar substances with low UV-absorbance and expensive mass facilities reduced the applicability of these techniques. In the present study, the strong cation exchange solid phase extraction procedure incorporated with 1H NMR was successfully developed as a rapid and reliable method that can simultaneously determine betaine, citric acid, threonine, alanine, and proline in various Lycii Fructus. In addition, ERETIC 2 method based on PULCON principle was also applied and compared with conventional method. This feasible and practical method offers a very powerful tool for the quality control of commercial Lycii Fructus from different sources.

Comprehensive quality evaluation and comparison of Angelica sinensis radix and Angelica acutiloba radix by integrated metabolomics and glycomics.

Angelica radix (Danggui in Chinese) used in China and Japan is derived from two species of Angelica, namely Angelica sinensis and Angelica acutiloba, respectively. The differences in quality between A. sinensis radix (ASR) and A. acutiloba radix (AAR) should be therefore investigated to guide the medicinal and dietary applications of these two species. Secondary metabolites and carbohydrates have been demonstrated to be the two major kinds of bioactive components of Danggui. However, previously, quality comparison between ASR and AAR intensively concerned secondary metabolites but largely overlooked carbohydrates, thus failing to include or take into consideration an important aspect of the holistic quality of Danggui. In this study, untargeted/targeted metabolomics and glycomics were integrated by multiple chromatography-based analytical techniques for qualitative and quantitative characterization of secondary metabolites and carbohydrates in Danggui so as to comprehensively evaluate and compare the quality of ASR and AAR. The results revealed that not only secondary metabolites but also carbohydrates in ASR and AAR were different in type and amount, which should collectively contribute to their quality difference. By providing more comprehensive chemical information, the research results highlighted the need to assess characteristics of both carbohydrates and secondary metabolites for overall quality evaluation and comparison of ASR and AAR.

Tissue-Specific Analysis of Secondary Metabolites Creates a Reliable Morphological Criterion for Quality Grading of Polygoni Multiflori Radix.

In commercial herbal markets, Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR, the tuberous roots of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.), a commonly-used Chinese medicinal material, is divided into different grades based on morphological features of size and weight. While more weight and larger size command a higher price, there is no scientific data confirming that the more expensive roots are in fact of better quality. To assess the inherent quality of various grades and of various tissues in PMR and to find reliable morphological indicators of quality, a method combining laser microdissection (LMD) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) was applied. Twelve major chemical components were quantitatively determined in both whole material and different tissues of PMR. Determination of the whole material revealed that traditional commercial grades based on size and weight of PRM did not correspond to any significant differences in chemical content. Instead, tissue-specific analysis indicated that the morphological features could be linked with quality in a new way. That is, PMR with broader cork and phloem, as seen in a transverse section, were typically of better quality as these parts are where the bioactive components accumulate. The tissue-specific analysis of secondary metabolites creates a reliable morphological criterion for quality grading of PMR.

Oolong tea: A critical review of processing methods, chemical composition, health effects, and risk.

Oolong tea (OT) is a traditional Chinese tea (Camellia sinensis) and is especially popular in south China. This review is to comprehensively summarize the miscellaneous research that has been done towards to the processing, phytochemistry, health benefit, and risk of OT. These literatures were carried out not only from different electronic databases but also from text books written in English, Japanese, and Chinese, including those traditional records tracing back to the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907). The full process OT producing is depicted below in this review. The phytochemistry of OT has been comprehensively investigated. More than 100 chemical compositions have been isolated and identified. In health benefit, OT performs outstandingly in reducing obesity and controlling diabetes explained by modern pharmacological studies. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (6) in OT prevention of cancerous cells developing. OT can also improve and reduce on heart and vascular disease, protect teeth and bone, function as anti-oxidative and antibacterial agents. This review also mentioned the risk, summarized briefly on various forms of toxicity and harmful associated with OT. In short, this review can provided a natural product library of OT, gave inspirations for further new garden systems, designed idea on quality, bioactivity-oriented screening. In addition, it is suggested more scientists and education is necessary to guarantee the stability and safety of drinking OT.

Laser microdissection hyphenated with high performance gel permeation chromatography-charged aerosol detector and ultra performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry for histochemical analysis of polysaccharides in herbal medicine: Ginseng, a case study.

This study establishes a new combinatorial approach for histochemical analysis of polysaccharides in herbal medicines using laser microdissection followed by high performance gel permeation chromatography coupled with charged aerosol detector and ultra-performance liquid chromatography hyphenated with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Ginseng was employed as a study model. Tissue-specific qualitative and quantitative characterization of ginseng polysaccharides was performed by determining their molar masses and monosaccharide compositions in three macro-dissected parts (rhizome, main and branched roots) and five micro-dissected tissues (cork, cortex, xylem, phloem and resin canal). The results showed that ginseng "flesh" (xylem, phloem and resin canal) contained more polysaccharides with larger molecular weights and higher ratios of glucose residue, whereas ginseng "skin" (cork and cortex) had fewer polysaccharides with smaller molecular weights and higher ratios of non-glucose constituents (e.g. galacturonic acid, galactose, arabinose and rhamnose). These findings suggested that the polysaccharides of the "flesh" were predominantly starch-like glucans, while those of the "skin" were of a higher proportion of acidic pectins. The revealed histologic distribution and accumulation pattern of ginseng polysaccharides contributes to the scientific understanding of ginseng regarding the biosynthesis and transportation of polysaccharides, medicinal quality evaluation as well as empirical clinical application.

Qualitative and quantitative characterization of secondary metabolites and carbohydrates in Bai-Hu-Tang using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector.

Bai-Hu-Tang (BHT), a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula used for clearing heat and promoting body fluid, consists of four traditional Chinese medicines, i.e., Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao), Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhimu), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle (Zhigancao), and nonglutinous rice (Jingmi). The chemical composition of BHT still remains largely elusive thus far. To qualitatively and quantitatively characterize secondary metabolites and carbohydrates in BHT, here a combination of analytical approaches using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector was developed and validated. A total of 42 secondary metabolites in BHT were tentatively or definitely identified, of which 10 major chemicals were quantified by the extracting ion mode of quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Meanwhile, polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, and monosaccharides in BHT were also characterized via sample pretreatment followed by sugar composition analysis. The quantitative results indicated that the determined chemicals accounted for 35.76% of the total extract of BHT, which demonstrated that the study could be instrumental in chemical dissection and quality control of BHT. The research deliverables not only laid the root for further chemical and biological evaluation of BHT, but also provided a comprehensive analytical strategy for chemical characterization of secondary metabolites and carbohydrates in traditional Chinese medicine formulas.

[Investigation of genus Ardisia in Bencao literature].

Based on a systematic review of morphology and distribution of plants, alternate names, actions, and properties of herbs recorded in ancient and modern literatures, in combination of field investigation, 18 Chinese herbal medicines recorded in ancient bencao literature were regarded to be derived from 7 species in the Ardisia genus. Among them, the variety Ardisia crenata f. hortensis was identified as the source of Zhushagen and Zijinniu. A. hanceana is referenced as Tiesan in the illustrated atlas of Botanical Nomenclature (Zhiwu Mingshi Tukao). The name Pingdimu refers to a different substance in the illustrated atlas of Botanical Nomenclature and the Flower Mirror (Huajing). The medicinals named Yedihong, Aicha, and Duanjiao sanlangare all derived from A. japonica. The origin of the herb Xiaoqing referenced in the Illustrated Classic of the Materia Medica (Bencao Tujing) is A. pusilla. The medicinals Bailiangjin, Jiuguanxue and Zoumatai are derived from A. crispa, A. brevicaulis, and A. gigantifolia, respectively. This investigation clarifies the botanical sources and actions of related Chinese medicinal materials in the genus Ardisia, and provides clues and evidence for utilizing and developing their medicinal plant resources.