Simultaneous determination of major components of Huangqi–Honghua extract in rat plasma using LC–MS/MS and application to a pharmacokinetic study

A sensitive and reliable LC–MS/MS method was developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of the major components of Huangqi–Honghua extact in rat plasma, including hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), astragaloside IV (ASIV), calycosin‐7‐O‐β‐d ‐glucoside (CAG), calycosin, calycosin‐3′‐O‐glucuronide (C‐3′‐G) and calycosin‐3′‐O‐sulfate (C‐3′‐S). After extraction by protein precipitation with acetonitrile and methanol from plasma, the analytes were separated on a Hypersil BDS C₁₈ column by gradient elution with acetonitrile and 5 mM ammonium acetate. The detection was carried out on a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionization source switched between negative and positive modes. HSYA was monitored in negative ionization mode from 0 to 4.9 min, and ASIV, CAG, calycosin, C‐3′‐G and C‐3′‐S were determined in positive ionization mode from 4.9 to 10 min. The lower limits of quantification of the analytes were 6.25 ng/mL for HSYA, 0.781 ng/mL for CAG and 1.56 ng/mL for ASIV and calycosin. The intra‐ and inter‐assay precision (RSD) values were within 13.43%, and accuracy (RE) ranged from ?8.75 to 9.92%. The validated method was then applied to the pharmacokinetic study of HSYA, ASIV, CAG, calycosin, C‐3′‐G and C‐3′‐S in rat after an oral administration of Huangqi–Honghua extract.     

黄芪中微量元素的形态分析

按照传统煎煮法对中药黄芪中铜、锌、铁、镁、钙和铬6种元素进行提取;用微孔滤膜分离提取液中的可溶态与悬浮态;利用大孔吸附树脂柱对可溶态中的有机态与无机态进行分离;采用火焰原子吸收光谱法对各种形态中的6种元素进行测定。结果显示:黄芪中6种元素的总提取率在44.0%~74.4%,浸留比在79·4%~293.8%,悬浮态颗粒吸附率在10%左右,可溶态中铬的有机态与无机态的比例为114.6%,铜、锌、铁、镁、钙的有机态与无机态的比例在3.7%~43.5%。该法对各元素的加标回收率在96.8%~103.1%;相对标准偏差小于1.5%。     

全二维液相色谱（NPLC×RPLC）接口及其应用

用内径为0．53mm的填充毛细管正相液相色谱为第一维，用4．6mm（i．d．）×50mmRP-18e整体柱反相色谱为第二维，建立了定量环一阀切换接口的全二维液相色谱系统（NPLC×RPLC）．第一维色谱分离洗脱出的组分交替存储在十通阀上的两个定量环中，同时定量环中前一个组分被转移到第二维进行反相分离．因为第一维的流动相流量仅是第二维的1／500，自然解决了流动相兼容问题．采用芳香族化合物的混合物和中药丹参正己烷提取液对该全二维液相系统的分离能力进行了评价．     

硒代胱氨酸在银电极上的电化学行为及其定量分析

研究了硒代胱氨酸 (SeCys)于0.03mol/L的硼砂 -NaOH( pH9.5)介质中在银电极上的电化学行为 ;实验发现在 -0.62V和 -0.68V(vsSCE)处存在一对氧化还原峰 ,其峰电流与硒代胱氨酸浓度具有良好的线性关系 ,由此建立了SeCys的电分析化学测定方法, (1)循环伏安法 ,其线性范围为8.6×10 -9～1.1×10 -7mol/L,检出限为4.3×10 -10mol/L, (2)二次微分线性扫描伏安法 ,其线性范围为2.2×10 -10～1.0×10 -8mol/L,检出限为8.6×10-11mol/L;该法应用于中药黄芪中SeCys含量的测定 ,结果令人满意 ;该文还探讨了硒代胱氨酸在上述条件下的电极反应机理     

电喷雾串联质谱分析附子炮制中的化学成分变化

利用电喷雾质谱方法(ESI-MS)分析了附子加辅料(甘草)炮制前后水煎液中二萜类生物碱在种类和含量方面的变化,通过加入内标化合物,建立了电喷雾质谱的半定量分析方法。此方法具有快速、准确、灵敏的特点,能够更加全面地反映中药配伍炮制过程中多种化学成分的含量变化,并能根据电喷雾串联质谱的分析结果鉴定配伍后产生的新的化学成分,在共煎液中的次乌头碱、中乌头碱和乌头碱的相对含量分别是单煎液中的5.67%、4.05%和4.88%。通过研究附子与甘草的单煎液、共煎液以及药渣中化学成分的变化,揭示了甘草作为辅料,在炮制过程中对附子减毒作用机理。     

Coupling of ultrasound‐assisted extraction and expanded bed adsorption for simplified medicinal plant processing and its theoretical model: Extraction and enrichment of ginsenosides from Radix Ginseng as a case study

A high‐efficient and environmental‐friendly method for the preparation of ginsenosides from Radix Ginseng using the method of coupling of ultrasound‐assisted extraction with expanded bed adsorption is described. Based on the optimal extraction conditions screened by surface response methodology, ginsenosides were extracted and adsorbed, then eluted by the two‐step elution protocol. The comparison results between the coupling of ultrasound‐assisted extraction with expanded bed adsorption method and conventional method showed that the former was better than the latter in both process efficiency and greenness. The process efficiency and energy efficiency of the coupling of ultrasound‐assisted extraction with expanded bed adsorption method rapidly increased by 1.4‐fold and 18.5‐fold of the conventional method, while the environmental cost and CO₂ emission of the conventional method were 12.9‐fold and 17.0‐fold of the new method. Furthermore, the theoretical model for the extraction of targets was derived. The results revealed that the theoretical model suitably described the process of preparing ginsenosides by the coupling of ultrasound‐assisted extraction with expanded bed adsorption system.     

Determination of 12 potential nephrotoxicity biomarkers in rat serum and urine by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry and its application to renal failure induced by Semen Strychni

In previous nephrotoxicity metabonomic studies, several potential biomarkers were found and evaluated. To investigate the relationship between the nephrotoxicity biomarkers and the therapeutic role of Radix Glycyrrhizae extract on Semen Strychni‐induced renal failure, 12 typical biomarkers are selected and a simple LC–MS method has been developed and validated. Citric acid, guanidinosuccinic acid, taurine, guanidinoacetic acid, uric acid, creatinine, hippuric acid, xanthurenic acid, kynurenic acid, 3‐indoxyl sulfate, indole‐3‐acetic acid, and phenaceturic acid were separated by a Phenomenex Luna C₁₈ column and a methanol/water (5 mM ammonium acetate) gradient program with a runtime of 20 min. The prepared calibration curves showed good linearity with regression coefficients all above 0.9913. The absolute recoveries of analytes from serum and urine were all more than 70.4%. With the developed method, analytes were successfully determined in serum and urine samples within 52 days. Results showed that guanidinosuccinic acid, guanidinoacetic acid, 3‐indoxyl sulfate, and indole‐3‐acetic acid (only in urine) were more sensitive than the conventional renal function markers in evaluating the therapeutic role of Radix Glycyrrhizae extract on Semen Strychni‐induced renal failure. The method could be further used in predicting and monitoring renal failure cause by other reasons in the following researches.     

High‐expression β1 adrenergic receptor/cell membrane chromatography method based on a target receptor to screen active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicines

β‐Adrenergic receptors are important targets for drug discovery. We have developed a new β₁‐adrenergic receptor cell membrane chromatography (β₁AR‐CMC) with offline ultra‐performance LC (UPLC) and MS method for screening active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicines. In this study, Chinese hamster ovary‐S cells with high β₁AR expression levels were established and used to prepare a cell membrane stationary phase in a β₁AR‐CMC model. The retention fractions were separated and identified by the UPLC–MS system. The screening results found that isoimperatorin from Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii was the targeted component that could act on β₁AR in similar manner of metoprolol as a control drug. In addition, the biological effects of active component were also investigated in order to search for a new type of β₁AR antagonist. It will be a useful method for drug discovery as a leading compound resource.     

Investigation of the Effect of Four Organic Acids in Radix Isatidis on E. coli Growth by Microcalorimetry

The inhibitory effects of four organic acids (OAs) in Radix Isatidis, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, on Escherichia coli (E. coli) growth were investigated by microcalorimetry. The power‐time curves of E. coli growth with and without OAs were acquired, meanwhile the extent and duration of inhibitory effects on the metabolism were evaluated by growth rate constants (k₁, k₂), half inhibitory ratio (IC₅₀), maximum heat output (P_max) and peak time (t_p). The values of k₁ and k₂ of E. coli growth in the presence of the four OAs decreased with the increasing concentrations of OAs. Moreover, P_max was reduced and the value of t_p increased with increasing concentrations of the four drugs. The sequence of anti‐microbial activity of the four OAs was: syringic acid>2‐amino‐benzoic acid>salicylic acid>benzoic acid. IC₅₀ of the four OAs was respectively 56 µg/mL for syringic acid, 75 µg/mL for 2‐amino‐benzoic acid, 86 µg/mL for salicylic acid and 224 µg/mL for benzoic acid. The existence of the functional groups on phenyl ring improves the anti‐microbial activity compared to benzoic acid. The functional groups methoxyl at C(3) and C(5) improve anti‐microbial activity more strongly than the other functional groups, and the functional group amino at C(2) improve anti‐microbial activity more strongly than hydroxyl at C(2) on phenyl ring.     

Simultaneous determination of five coumarins in Angelicae dahuricae Radix by HPLC/UV and LC‐ESI‐MS/MS

Rapid, simple and reliable HPLC/UV and LC‐ESI‐MS/MS methods for the simultaneous determination of five active coumarins of Angelicae dahuricae Radix, byakangelicol (1), oxypeucedanin (2), imperatorin (3), phellopterin (4) and isoimperatorin (5) were developed and validated. The separation condition for HPLC/UV was optimized using a Develosil RPAQUEOUS C₃₀ column using 70% acetonitrile in water as the mobile phase. This HPLC/UV method was successful for providing the baseline separation of the five coumarins with no interfering peaks detected in the 70% ethanol extract of Angelicae dahuricae Radix. The specific determination of the five coumarins was also accomplished by a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source (LC‐ESI‐MS/MS). Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in the positive mode was used to enhance the selectivity of detection. The LC‐ESI‐MS/MS methods were successfully applied for the determination of the five major coumarins in Angelicae dahuricae Radix. These HPLC/UV and LC‐ESI‐MS/MS methods were validated in terms of recovery, linearity, accuracy and precision (intra‐ and inter‐day validation). Taken together, the shorter analysis time involved makes these HPLC/UV and LC‐ESI‐MS/MS methods valuable for the commercial quality control of Angelicae dahuricae Radix extracts and its pharmaceutical preparations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.