Chemical interaction between Paeonia lactiflora and Glycyrrhiza uralensis,the components of Jakyakgamcho‐tang,using a validated high‐performance liquid chromatography method: Herbal combination and chemical interaction in a decoction

The herbal combination is the basic unit of a herbal formula that affects the chemical characteristics of individual herbs. In the present study, a method of simultaneous determination of the 11 marker compounds in Jakyakgamcho‐tang was developed using high‐performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. The validated analytical method was successfully applied to approach the chemical interaction between Paeonia lactiflora and Glycyrrhiza uralensis in co‐decoction. In P. lactiflora, the contents of gallic acid, oxypaeoniflorin, (+)‐catechin, paeoniflorin, and benzoylpaeoniflorin were decreased, while those of albiflorin and benzoic acid were increased; in G. uralensis, the contents of liquiritin, isoliquiritin, ononin, and glycyrrhizin were decreased, when decocting two herbs together. Moreover, as the ratio between P. lactiflora and G. uralensis was increased, the contents of chemical contents from each herb were proportionally increased. However, each content of marker compound per the gram of herbal medicine was decreased as the ratio of combinative herbs increased. The results showed that P. lactiflora and G. uralensis affect the extraction efficiency of chemical compounds in a Jakyakgamcho‐tang decoction. Overall, the method established in this study was simple, rapid, and accurate, and would be useful for the determination of marker compounds and for the investigation of the chemical interaction between herbal medicines.     

百合知母汤的高效液相色谱指纹图谱及其与组方药味的相关性

研究和建立了百合知母汤的高效液相色谱(HPLC)指纹图谱,为研究百合知母汤的药效物质基础及配伍变化提供了手段。采用Agela Venusil XBP-C18色谱柱(250 mm × 4.6 mm,5 μm),以乙腈和0.1%甲酸为流动相二元梯度洗脱,流速1 mL/min,检测波长315 nm,柱温25 ℃。以芒果苷为参照物,在相同的色谱条件下测定了10批不同产地的百合与知母制备的百合知母汤的指纹图谱,获得了16个共有指纹峰,通过与对照品的保留时间及紫外光谱比较,标定了5-羟甲基糠醛(5-HMF)、新芒果苷、芒果苷、异芒果苷、王百合苷B的出峰位置。该方法得到的百合知母汤的指纹图谱特征性和重现性较好,方法稳定、可靠,可以为百合知母汤的质量控制提供参考。通过实验归属了百合知母汤指纹图谱中的主要色谱峰,并确定了煎煮过程中的主要变化成分为5-HMF。     

百合知母汤及其组方药味的高效液相色谱-电喷雾质谱研究

建立了百合知母汤的高效液相色谱-电喷雾质谱(HPLC-ESI-MS)分析方法,对百合知母汤及其组方药味中的主要成分进行了鉴定.根据正离子模式和负离子模式下的分子离子峰获得化合物分子量信息,通过与文献数据或部分对照品对照,确定化合物的可能结构.实验表明,百合知母汤中各主要化学成分在正离子模式中响应较好.在相同的条件下,通过对百合知母汤及其组方药味进行比较分析,归属并鉴定了百合知母汤中的38个成分,包括3个黄酮,4个酚酸糖苷和31个皂苷类成分.本实验为鉴别百合知母汤中的化学成分提供了一种简便、快速的方法.     

Detection, characterization and identification of major constituents in Zhimu-Baihe herb-pair extract by fast high-performance liquid chromatography and time-of-flight mass spectrometry through dynamic adjustment of fragmentor voltage

This work describes a novel methodology for unequivocal identification of chemical constituents in Zhimu‐Baihe herb‐pair (ZMBHHP). Compounds were removed from ZMBHHP by ultrasonic extraction with 70% ethanol, and then analyzed by fast high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS). The accurate‐mass capability of the TOF analyzer allowed reliable confirmation of the identity of the detected compounds, normally with mass errors below 3 ppm in routine analysis. This mass accuracy was sufficient to verify the elemental compositions of the chemical constituents in ZMBHHP. With dynamic adjustment of fragmentor voltage in TOFMS, an efficient ion transmission was achieved to obtain the best sensitivity and abundant fragmentation. By accurate mass measurements for each molecular ion and subsequent fragment ions, a reliable identification and differentiation of 24 saponins, 3 xanthones, 1 anthraquinone and 2 alkaloids was described here, including four groups of isomers. It is concluded that this fast and sensitive HPLC/ESI‐TOFMS technique is powerful in qualitative analysis of complex herbal medicines in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, resolving power, time savings and lower solvent consumption. Furthermore, the data gathered in this study may be helpful for understanding the synergistic nature of this herb pair in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and further pharmacokinetic studies of ZMBHHP. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Detection and identification of diterpenoid alkaloids, isoflavonoids and saponins in Qifu decoction and rat plasma by liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometric (LC-TOFMS) method has been developed for analysis of components in Qifu decoction (QFD), a traditional Chinese medical formula consisting of Radix Astragali and Acontium carmichaeli, and in rat plasma after oral administration. Based on accurate mass measurements within 3 ppm error for each molecular ion and subsequent fragment ions of TOFMS, as well as matching of empirical molecular formulae with those of published components in the in-house chemical library, a total of 44 major components including 21 diterpenoid alkaloids, 12 flavonoids and 11 saponins were identified in QFD. After oral administration of QFD, 22 components in rat plasma were detected and identified by comparing and contrasting the constituents measured in QFD with those in the plasma samples. The results provided valuable chemical information for further pharmacology and active mechanism research on QFD. LC-TOFMS was also applied for the comparison of relative peak area of major active components between QFD and the single herb extracts. The concentration ratios of major saponins detected in the crude herb Radix Astragali were found to be different from those in QFD. The experimental data indicated that the decocting process could result in differences in the amounts of active components.     

Identification of the Major Constituents in Zhimu–Huangqi Herb-Pair Extract and Their Metabolites in Rats by LC–ESI-MSn

The Zhimu–Huangqi herb-pair is a famous Chinese herbal formula with a combination of Rhizoma Anemarrhenae (Zhimu in Chinese) and Radix Astragali (Huangqi in Chinese). This work describes a sensitive and specific LC–ES-MSⁿ methodology for identification of the major constituents in Zhimu–Huangqi herb-pair extract and their metabolites in rats after oral administration. A total of 30 compounds have been identified or tentatively characterized from the herb-pair extract, and 13 of them were unambiguously identified by comparing the retention times and mass spectra with those of reference standards, while the other 17 compounds were tentatively identified on the basis of their MSⁿ fragmentation behaviors and exact mass information from literature. Moreover, the metabolites in vivo were also identified. The Zhimu–Huangqi herb-pair extract was actively metabolized in rats, including four parent compounds and 8 metabolites in serum and seven parent compounds and 23 metabolites in urine. This study proposed a good example for the rapid identification of major constituents in complex systems such as herbal extract or traditional Chinese medicine formula, which facilitated the clarification of the metabolic pathway of the herbs in the body to better understand the action mechanism.     

Anti‐inflammatory bioactive equivalence of combinatorial components β‐carboline alkaloids identified in Arenaria kansuensis by two‐dimensional chromatography and solid‐phase extraction coupled with liquid–liquid extraction enrichment technology

Bioactive equivalent combinatorial components play a critical role in herbal medicines. However, how to discover and enrich them efficiently is a question for herbal pharmaceuticals researchers. In our work, a novel two‐dimensional reversed‐phase/hydrophilic interaction high‐performance liquid chromatography method was established to perform real‐time components trapping and combining for preparation and isolation of coeluting components. Arenaria kansuensis was taken as an example, and solid‐phase extraction coupled with liquid–liquid extraction as a simple and efficient method for enriching trace components, reversed phase column coupled with hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography XAmide column as two‐dimensional chromatography technology for isolation and preparation of coeluting constituents, enzyme‐linked immune‐sorbent assay as bio‐guided assay, and anti‐inflammatory bioactivity evaluation for bioactive constituents. A combination of 12 β‐carboline alkaloids was identified as anti‐inflammatory bioactive equivalent combinatorial components from A. kansuensis , which accounts for 1.9% w/w of original A. kansuensis . This work answers the key question of which are real anti‐inflammatory components from A. kansuensis and provides a fast and efficient approach for discovering and enriching trace β‐carboline alkaloids from herbal medicines for the first time. More importantly, the discovery of bioactive equivalent combinatorial components could improve the quality control of herbal products and inspire a herbal medicine based on combinatorial therapeutics.     

Identification of the Major Constituents in Zhimu–Huangqi Herb-Pair Extract and Their Metabolites in Rats by LC–ESI-MSn

The Zhimu–Huangqi herb-pair is a famous Chinese herbal formula with a combination of Rhizoma Anemarrhenae (Zhimu in Chinese) and Radix Astragali (Huangqi in Chinese). This work describes a sensitive and specific LC–ES-MSⁿ methodology for identification of the major constituents in Zhimu–Huangqi herb-pair extract and their metabolites in rats after oral administration. A total of 30 compounds have been identified or tentatively characterized from the herb-pair extract, and 13 of them were unambiguously identified by comparing the retention times and mass spectra with those of reference standards, while the other 17 compounds were tentatively identified on the basis of their MSⁿ fragmentation behaviors and exact mass information from literature. Moreover, the metabolites in vivo were also identified. The Zhimu–Huangqi herb-pair extract was actively metabolized in rats, including four parent compounds and 8 metabolites in serum and seven parent compounds and 23 metabolites in urine. This study proposed a good example for the rapid identification of major constituents in complex systems such as herbal extract or traditional Chinese medicine formula, which facilitated the clarification of the metabolic pathway of the herbs in the body to better understand the action mechanism.

     

Exploring the ester-exchange reactions of diester-diterpenoid alkaloids in the aconite decoction process by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

The chemical components in the decoctions of Chinese herbal medicines are not always the same as those in the crude herbs because of the insolubility or instability of some compounds. In this work electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was used to explore the ester-exchange reactions for aconitine-type diester-diterpenoid alkaloids occurring during the process of decocting aconite root. The aconitines were screened in a diverse range of samples, including crude aconite, decoction of crude aconite, residues from decoction of crude aconite, prepared aconite, decoction of prepared aconite, decoction of prepared aconite with added palmitic acid, and decoction of a mixture of mesaconitine and hypaconitine standards with liquorice root. It was found that diester-diterpenoid aconitines were converted into lipo-alkaloids as well as monoester alkaloids by the decoction of aconite.     

The difference between blood‐associated and water‐associated herbs of Danggui‐Shaoyao San in theory of TCM,based on serum pharmacochemistry

Danggui‐Shaoyao San (DSS) is a famous Chinese formula for activating blood circulation and promoting urination. This study was to investigate the difference of material basis between a blood‐associated herbs group and a water‐associated herbs group. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the formula can be divided into a blood‐associated herbs group (Angelica sinensis, Paeonia lactiflora and Ligusticum chuanxiong) and a water‐associated herbs group (Atractylodes macrocephala, Alisma orientale and Poria cocos). The HPLC fingerprint of the formula was established for quality control. Serum samples from rats, orally administrated DSS, and the decomposed recipes of DSS, were analyzed by HPLC‐DAD and the transitional blood components of DSS were identified. Twenty‐one common peaks were identified in the fingerprint of DSS. Contents of paeoniflorin, albiflorin, ferulic acid and alisol B 23‐acetate in co‐decoction were significantly higher than those in individual decoction. Eleven peaks belonged to the blood‐associated herbs group (four metabolites and seven prototype components; paeoniflorin and ferulic acid appeared in prototype components), whereas six peaks belonged to the water‐associated herbs group (three metabolites and three prototype components). It was concluded that the serum pharmacochemistry is a meaningful approach for clarifying the difference between blood‐associated and water‐associated herbs in chemical composition. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simultaneous quantitation of 14 active components in Yinchenhao decoction by using ultra high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection: Method development and ingredient analysis of different commonly prepared samples

We developed a novel quantitative analysis method based on ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection for the simultaneous determination of the 14 main active components in Yinchenhao decoction. All components were separated on an Agilent SB‐C18 column by using a gradient solvent system of acetonitrile/0.1% phosphoric acid solution at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min for 35 min. Subsequently, linearity, precision, repeatability, and accuracy tests were implemented to validate the method. Furthermore, the method has been applied for compositional difference analysis of 14 components in eight normal‐extraction Yinchenhao decoction samples, accompanied by hierarchical clustering analysis and similarity analysis. The result that all samples were divided into three groups based on different contents of components demonstrated that extraction methods of decocting, refluxing, ultrasonication and extraction solvents of water or ethanol affected component differentiation, and should be related to its clinical applications. The results also indicated that the sample prepared by patients in the family by using water extraction employing a casserole was almost same to that prepared using a stainless‐steel kettle, which is mostly used in pharmaceutical factories. This research would help patients to select the best and most convenient method for preparing Yinchenhao decoction.     

Evaluation of the chemical consistency of Yin‐Chen‐Hao‐Tang prepared by combined and separated decoction methods using high‐performance liquid chromatography and quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry coupled with multivariate statistical analysis

In this study, Yin‐Chen‐Hao‐Tang prepared by two decoction methods, namely, combined decoction (modern decoction method) and separated decoction (traditional decoction method), was analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. The acquired datasets containing sample codes, t_R‐m/z pairs and ion intensities were processed with multivariate statistical analyses, such as principal component analysis and an orthogonal partial least squared discriminant analysis model, to globally compare the chemical differences between the different decoction samples. Then, the chemical differences between the combined and separated decoctions were screened out by S‐plots generated from the orthogonal partial least squared discriminant analysis model and compared with chemical information from an established in‐house library. The six components that contributed the most to the chemical differences were identified as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, geniposide, genipin, scopoletin, and 3,5‐dicaffeoylquinic acid. The concentrations of genipin and caffeic acid from the separated decoction were higher than those from the combined decoction, indicating that the separated decoction may present a stronger hepatoprotective effect. However, the results still require further investigation through pharmacological and clinical studies. Our findings not only establish a strategy to evaluate chemical consistency of Yin‐Chen‐Hao‐Tang but also provide the scientific basis for using traditional separated decoction method.     

Comparison of reversed‐phase liquid chromatography and hydrophilic interaction chromatography for the fingerprint analysis of Radix isatidis

Radix isatidis is a famous anti‐influenza virus herbal medicine traditionally taken as a water decoction. However, the chemical fingerprint analysis of Radix isatidis is dominantly based on RPLC, from which it is difficult to obtain fingerprint information of hydrophilic compounds. Here, we developed the separation of Radix isatidis by RPLC and hydrophilic interaction chromatography, comparing the traditional RPLC fingerprint with the hydrophilic interaction chromatography fingerprint. Besides, an anti‐viral assay of Radix isatidis was conducted to evaluate its efficacy. The fingerprint–efficacy relationships between the fingerprints and the anti‐viral activity were further investigated with principal component regression analysis. The results showed that the anti‐viral activity correlated better with the hydrophilic interaction chromatography fingerprint than with the RPLC fingerprint. This study indicates that hydrophilic interaction chromatography could not only be a complementary method to increase the fingerprint coverage of conventional RPLC fingerprint, but also can better represent the efficacy and quality of Radix isatidis.     

Pharmacokinetics study of 16 active ingredients from Tabson‐2 decoction in normal and d‐galactose induced osteoporosis rats by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Tabson‐2 decoction is the traditional Mongolian formula for anti‐osteoporosis, and the ambiguous of active ingredient is an important factor in restricting its modernization and globalization. Although pharmacokinetic profiles research is a viable approach to find the components being responsible for formula efficacy, the pharmacokinetics study of Tabson‐2 decoction has not been elucidated yet. Owing to the existence of isomers, low bioavailability of some small molecule and interference of endogenous, the pharmacokinetics study of Tabson‐2 decoction are more difficult than that of chemical drugs. In our experiment, a specific and sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of 16 active ingredients in Tabson‐2 decoction, which could fulfill the requirements of multi‐compounds pharmacokinetic study of Tabson‐2 decoction. Additionally, the ingredients with significant distributions in rats were gentianic acid, chlorogenic acid, and aucubin, which could be the main potential active components in Tabson‐2 decoction. The components with a significant bioavailability difference between normal and d ‐galactose induced osteoporosis rats were achieved as well. These data offer useful information for screening the active ingredients in Tabson‐2 decoction, and assessing the bioavailability of these active ingredients in different physiological status, which might provide a possible mechanism of anti‐osteoporosis efficacy of Tabson‐2 decoction.     

Metabolomics approach based on ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry to identify the chemical constituents of the Traditional Chinese Er‐Zhi‐Pill

Er‐Zhi‐Pill, which consists of Ligustri lucidi fructus and Ecliptae prostratae herba , is a classical traditional Chinese medicinal formulation widely used as a liver‐nourishing and kidney‐enriching tonic. To identify the bioactive ingredients of Er‐Zhi‐Pill and characterize the variation of chemical constituents between co‐decoction and mix of individually decocted L. lucidi fructus and E. prostratae herba , a novel metabolomics approach based on ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry in both positive and negative ion modes, was established to comprehensively analyze chemical constituents and probe distinguishable chemical markers. In total, 68 constituents were unambiguously or tentatively identified through alignment of accurate molecular weights within an error margin of 5 ppm, elemental composition and fragmentation characteristics, including eight constituents, which were confirmed by comparing to reference standards. Furthermore, principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis using Simca‐p+ 12.0 software were applied to investigate chemical differences between formulations obtained by co‐decoction and a mixture of individual decoctions. Global chemical differences were found in samples of two different decoction methods, and 16 components, including salidroside, specneuzhenide and wedelolactone, contributed most to the observed differences. This study provides a basic chemical profile for the quality control and further mechanism research of Er‐Zhi‐Pill.     

Quantitative analysis and pharmacokinetic comparison of multiple bioactive components in rat plasma after oral administration of Qi-Shen-Ke-Li formula and its single-herb extracts using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Qi-Shen-Ke-Li (QSKL), a traditional Chinese formula prepared from six herbs, has long been used for the treatment of coronary heart disease and chronic heart failure. However, the herbal combination mechanism and underlying material basis of this multi-herbal formula are not clear. In this study, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) method to simultaneously determine multiple bioactive compounds in QSKL was established and validated. Using the developed method, 18 bioactive components in rat plasma after oral administration of QSKL formula and its single herb extracts were quantified. Based on these results, pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters (T_1/2, T_max, C_max, AUC_0–48h, and AUC_0–∞) of the 18 bioactive components were analyzed and compared using PKSlover 2.0 PK software. The experimental data suggested that significant changes in PK profiles were observed between the QSKL formula and its single-herb extracts. The herbal combination in QSKL significantly influences the system exposure and the PK behaviors of the 18 bioactive components, indicating multicomponent interactions among the herbs. This study provides insight into the herbal combination mechanism and underlying material basis of the QSKL formula.