Rapid identification of chemical compositions from three species of Siegesbeckiae Herba by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry in combination with deoxyribonucleic acid barcoding

Siegesbeckiae Herba, a traditional Chinese medicine, originates from Siegesbeckia orientalis, S. glabrescens, and S. pubescens in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. However, accurate identification of decoction pieces from the three plants remains a challenge. In this study, 26 batches of Siegesbeckiae Herba were identified by deoxyribonucleic acid barcoding, and their chemical compositions were determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry. The results showed that the internal transcribed spacer 2 and internal transcribed spacer 1–5.8 S- internal transcribed spacer 2 sequences could distinguish three species. In total, 48 compounds were identified including 12 marker compounds screened for three species using the partial least square discriminant analysis. Among these, two diterpenoids 16-O-malonylkirenol and 15-O-malonylkirenol, and a novel diterpenoid 15,16-di-O-malonylkirenol were isolated and identified. A convenient method for the identification of Siegesbeckiae Herba was established using kirenol and 16-O-acetlydarutoside as control standards by thin-layer chromatography. Unexpectedly, none of the batches of S. orientalis contained kirenol, which did not meet the quality standards of Siegesbeckiae Herba, suggesting that the rationality of kirenol as a quality marker for S. orientalis should be further investigated. The results of this study will contribute to the quality control of Siegesbeckiae Herba.     

二维反相液相色谱制备五味子中的木脂素

应用自主研发的具有分离-富集模式的制备色谱工厂,建立了分离制备五味子木脂素有效部位及其单体化合物的方法。该方法首先以C₁₈（250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm）为色谱柱,水和甲醇为流动相,分离度和保留时间为考察指标,采集4个不同梯度的色谱信息,通过XTool色谱专家系统软件模拟,确定五味子木脂素第一、二维色谱条件;然后采用线性放大的方法,以C₁₈（250 mm×30 mm,10 μm）为第一、二维分离柱,C₁₈（80 mm×30 mm,10 μm）为富集柱,水为富集稀释液,对五味子木脂素进行二维色谱分离纯化;最后第一维分离得到9个可重复组分,第二维分离得到20个高纯度化合物,其中有6个单体化合物。结果表明该法重现性良好,可以实现五味子木脂素的系统性分离,对五味子化学成分的研究具有重要意义。     

Metabolic mapping of Schisandra chinensis lignans and their metabolites in rats using a metabolomic approach based on HPLC with quadrupole time‐of‐flight MS/MS spectrometry

Schisandra chinensis lignans are the main active components of the traditional Chinese medicine Schisandra chinensis in East Asia. At present, there are more and more medicines and health foods in which the total S. chinensis lignans extracts are considered as the main active components, but little research has been done on the active components of S. chinensis lignans in the blood and main target organs. In this study, the components of S. chinensis lignans in the blood, liver and brain tissues of rats at different time points after the intragastrical administration of S. chinensis lignans were determined by a metabolomic method based on high‐performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry spectrometry. Twelve Schisandra chinensis lignans and 15 metabolites in the blood, liver, and brain of rats were identified. The results showed that the main metabolic ways of S. chinensis lignans in rats were hydroxylation, demethylation, and demethylation‐hydroxylation, and some of them might undergo demethylation, dehydrogenation, epoxidation, and elimination reaction. The time‐dose characteristics of S. chinensis lignans and their metabolites in the blood and target organs were analyzed, which may be helpful to elucidate the active substances that really exert the pharmacodynamic effects of S. chinensis lignans in organisms.     

Identification and quality evaluation of different processed products of Aconitum carmichaelii by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Aconitum carmichaelii is widely used to treat chronic and intractable diseases due to its remarkable curative effect, but it is also a highly toxic herb with severe cardiac and neurotoxicity. It has been combined with honey for thousands of years to reduce toxicity and enhance efficacy, but there has been no study on the chemical constituent changes in the honey-processing so far. In this study, the chemical constituents of A. carmichaelii before and after honey-processing were characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. The results showed that a total of 118 compounds were identified, of which six compounds disappeared and five compounds were newly produced after honey-processing, and the cleavage pathway of main components was elucidated. At the same time, 25 compounds were found to have significant effects on different products, among which four compounds with the biggest difference were selected for quantitative analysis by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This study not only explained the chemical differences between the different products, but also helped to control the quality of the honey-processed products more effectively, and laid a foundation for further elucidating the mechanism of chemical constituent change during the honey-processing of A. carmichaelii.     

An alternative strategy based on ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography for full monosaccharide compositional analysis of polysaccharides in Schisandra chinensis fruits

Due to green and environment-friendly characteristics, ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography has been widely used in analytical fields in recent years, but until now few reports are available for monosaccharide compositional analysis of macromolecule polysaccharides. In this study, an ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography technology with an unusual binary modifier is used to determine the monosaccharide compositions of natural polysaccharides. Each carbohydrate herein is simultaneously labeled as 1-pheny-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone and acetyl-derivative via pre-column derivatizations aiming to increase UV absorption sensitivity and decrease water solubility. Ten common monosaccharides are fully separated and detected on ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography combined with a photo-diode array detector by systematic optimization of multiple relevant parameters, for example, column stationary phases, organic modifiers, additives, flow rates, and so on. Compared with carbon dioxide as a mobile phase, the addition of a binary modifier increases the resolution of analytes. Additionally, this method has the advantages of small consumption of organic solvent, safety, and being environmental-friendly. It has been successfully applied for full monosaccharide compositional analysis of heteropolysaccharides from Schisandra chinensis fruits. To sum up, a new alternative approach is provided for monosaccharide compositional analysis of natural polysaccharides.     

五味子超临界CO2提取物的气相色谱-质谱分析

将五味子样品于25 MPa、45 ℃下用超临界CO2提取2 h,提取物经气相色谱-质谱分析,共测得16个成分,经与对照品、NIST谱库对照和结构解析,鉴定出其中的7种木脂素成分,占色谱峰总面积的80.5%,其中五味子甲素9.39%、五味子乙素30.58%、五味子醇甲16.00%、五味子丙素5.95%和五味子醇乙15.17%。     

Rapid identification of chemical compositions in callicarpa kwangtungensis Chun by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography with Q Exactive hybrid quadrupole orbitrap high‐resolution accurate mass spectrometry

Callicarpa kwangtungensis Chun is a traditional Chinese medicine that has various therapeutic effects. Despite its wide use in Chinese medicine, the study is still quite limited, especially its chemical compositions. In this research, an ultra‐high‐pressure liquid chromatography coupled with Q Exactive hybrid quadrupole‐orbitrap high‐resolution accurate mass spectrometry tandem mass spectrometry method was utilized to analyze its chemical compositions for the first time. As a result, a total of 124 compounds, including 20 phenylethanoid glycosides, 31 flavonoids, 36 organic acids, 26 terpenoids and 11 phenols, were identified or tentatively characterized in 30 min. Among them, 49 compounds, including 5 phenylethanoid glycosides, 12 flavonoids, 16 organic acids, 12 terpenoids, and 4 phenols, were identified in Callicarpa kwangtungensis Chun for the first time. Besides, the fragmentation pathways were also discussed. This research established a rapid and reliable method to analyze the chemical compositions of complicated herb without the process of isolation, and provide abundant information on the chemical material basis for further bioactivity and quality control studies.     

基质固相分散萃取-高效液相色谱法同时测定五味子中5种木脂素类化合物北大核心CSCD

研究建立了基质固相分散萃取-高效液相色谱(MSPD-HPLC)分析五味子中5种木脂素类化合物(五味子醇甲、五味子醇乙、五味子甲素、五味子乙素、五味子丙素)的方法。采用反相C_(18)色谱柱进行分离,以0.1%(v/v)甲酸水溶液和乙腈为流动相进行梯度洗脱,在波长250 nm下检测。考察了包括硅胶、酸性氧化铝、中性氧化铝、碱性氧化铝、佛罗里硅土、Diol、XAmide、Xion和C_(18)、C_(18)-ME、C_(18)-G_(1)、C_(18)-HC等在内的12种吸附剂以及吸附剂的质量、洗脱剂的种类、洗脱剂体积对五味子木脂素类化合物得率的影响。选定Xion作为MSPD-HPLC分析五味子中木脂素类化合物的吸附剂;基于吸附剂Xion的萃取参数优化结果表明:以0.25 g五味子粉末为固定值,Xion(0.75 g)为吸附剂,甲醇(15 mL)为洗脱剂,MSPD对五味子中木脂素类化合物具有较高的得率。建立的五味子中5种木脂素类化合物的分析方法,各目标分析物具有良好的线性关系(相关系数R^(2)≥0.9999),检出限与定量限分别介于0.0089~0.0294μg/mL和0.0267~0.0882μg/mL之间。对五味子木脂素类化合物进行低、中、高3个水平的加标回收试验,平均回收率为92.2%~111.2%,相对标准偏差为0.23%~3.54%。日内和日间精密度均小于3.6%。与超声辅助提取和热回流提取前处理相比,MSPD具有萃取和净化相结合、耗时少、所需溶剂量少的优点,且MSPD-HPLC获得的结果优于经典方法。所建立的方法成功应用于17批五味子中5种木脂素类化合物含量的分析。     

Microwave-assisted extraction and fingerprint studies of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) by high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography

In order to choose an appropriate extraction method, samples of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill were extracted by different methods and it was found that microwave-assisted extraction gave the best results. The contents of schisandrin, schisantherin, deoxyschizandrin, and r-schizandrin of 10 samples collected from different regions in China were determined by HPLC. The chromatograms of ten samples were used to establish the fingerprints of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill and two methods based on HPLC and GC were applied to them simultaneously. The fingerprints consisted of 18 common peaks obtained by HPLC and 17 common peaks obtained by GC, which showed good stability and repeatability with RSD less than 3% for retention time. The fingerprints are suitable for identifying and differentiating samples by geographical origin and can be used for quality control.     

Comparison of the active components of Aster tataricus from different regions and related processed products by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

We investigated crude Aster tataricus, vinegar‐processed Aster tataricus, honey‐processed Aster tataricus, and steamed Aster tataricus as a case study and developed a comprehensive strategy integrating quantitative analysis and chemical pattern recognition methods for the evaluation and differentiation of Aster tataricus from different regions, as well as related processed products. In the study, 15 batches of raw Aster tataricus collected from seven provinces were analyzed. A sensitive and rapid ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of 15 compounds was established to evaluate the quality of raw and processed Aster tataricus. Furthermore, multivariate statistical techniques were applied to compare the differences among Aster tataricus samples. As a result, the herbs collected from seven provinces were divided into two categories, and chlorogenic acid was the most important component distinguishing between the regions. Moreover, all of the raw and processed samples were classified by partial least squares discriminant analysis based on the 15 analyzed compounds. Results showed that raw Aster tataricus, vinegar‐processed Aster tataricus, honey‐processed Aster tataricus, and steamed Aster tataricus were clustered in four different areas. Shionone, chlorogenic acid and kaempferol were the significant constituents differentiating the raw and differently processed Aster tataricus samples.     

Simultaneous determination of nine lignans from Schisandra chinensis extract using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in rat plasma,urine, and gastrointestinal tract samples: Application to the pharmacokinetic study of Schisandra chinensis

The fruit of Schisandra chinensis is a well‐known herbal medicine and dietary supplement due to a variety of biological activities including antihepatotoxic and antihyperlipidemic activities. However, the simultaneous validation methodology and pharmacokinetic investigation of nine lignans of S. chinensis extract in biological samples have not been proved yet. Thus, the present study was undertaken to develop the proper sample preparation method and simultaneous analytical method of schisandrol A, gomisin J, schisandrol B, tigloylgomisin H, angeloylgomisin H, schisandrin A, schisandrin B, gomisin N, and schisandrin C in the hexane‐soluble extract of S. chinensis to apply for the pharmacokinetic study in rats. All intra‐ and interprecisions of nine lignans were below 13.7% and accuracies were 85.1–115% and it is enough to evaluate the pharmacokinetic parameters after both intravenous and oral administration of hexane‐soluble extract of S. chinensis to rats.     

Identification of Salvia species using high‐performance liquid chromatography combined with chemical pattern recognition analysis

Salvia miltiorrhiza, also known as Danshen, is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and hematological abnormalities. The root and rhizome of Salvia przewalskii and Salvia yunnanensis have been found as substitutes for Salvia miltiorrhiza in the market. In this study, the chemical information of 14 major compounds in Salvia miltiorrhiza and its substitutes were determined using a high‐performance liquid chromatography method. Stepwise discriminant analysis was adopted to select the characteristic variables. Partial least squares discriminant and hierarchical cluster analysis were performed to classify Salvia miltiorrhiza and its substitutes. The results showed that all of the samples were correctly classified both in partial least squares discriminant analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis based on the four compounds (caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acid B, and salvianolic acid A). This method can not only distinguish Salvia miltiorrhiza and its substitutes, but also classify Salvia przewalskii and Salvia yunnanensis. The method can be applied for the quality assessment of Salvia miltiorrhiza and identification of unknown samples.     

Characterization of the chemical constituents and in vivo metabolic profile of Scutellaria barbata D. Don by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry

Scutellaria barbata D. Don (S. barbata) is one of the most frequently used anticancer herb medicine in China. Mechanistic understanding of the biological activities of S. barbata is hindered by limited knowledge regarding its components and metabolic profile. In this study, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry) was used to identify the chemical constituents in S. barbata and their metabolic profiles in rats. By applying cleavage rules and comparison with reference substances, 89 components were identified in S. barbata, which included 45 flavonoids, 28 diterpenoids, 10 phenolics, and 6 others. A total of 110 compounds, including 32 prototype compounds and 78 metabolites, were identified or tentatively characterized in vivo. Methylation, sulfonation, and glucuronidation were the main metabolic pathways, which could be attributed to the fact that several of the compounds in S. barbata have phenolic hydroxyl groups. This is the first systematic study on the chemical constituents and in vivo metabolic profile of S. barbata. The analytical method features a quick and comprehensive dissection of the chemical composition and metabolic profile of S. barbata and provides a basis for exploring its various biological activities.     

Identification and analysis of chemical constituents and rat serum metabolites in Suan‐Zao‐Ren granule using ultra high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry combined with multiple data processing approaches

Suan‐Zao‐Ren granule is widely used to treat insomnia in China. However, because of the complexity and diversity of the chemical compositions in traditional Chinese medicine formula, the comprehensive analysis of constituents in vitro and in vivo is rather difficult. In our study, an ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and the PeakView® software, which uses multiple data processing approaches including product ion filter, neutral loss filter, and mass defect filter, method was developed to characterize the ingredients and rat serum metabolites in Suan‐Zao‐Ren granule. A total of 101 constituents were detected in vitro. Under the same analysis conditions, 68 constituents were characterized in rat serum, including 35 prototype components and 33 metabolites. The metabolic pathways of main components were also illustrated. Among them, the metabolic pathways of timosaponin AI were firstly revealed. The bioactive compounds mainly underwent the phase I metabolic pathways including hydroxylation, oxidation, hydrolysis, and phase II metabolic pathways including sulfate conjugation, glucuronide conjugation, cysteine conjugation, acetycysteine conjugation, and glutathione conjugation. In conclusion, our results showed that this analysis approach was extremely useful for the in‐depth pharmacological research of Suan‐Zao‐Ren granule and provided a chemical basis for its rational.     

Chemical profiling and marker characterization of Huangqin decoction prepared with three types of peony root by liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Clarification of the quality and biological effect equivalence of traditional Chinese medicines containing multi‐origin species is essential to improve their current quality standards, and also is the core problem to clarify the origins of single herbs with multi‐species in Chinese formulas that will guarantee their clinical application. Huangqin decoction is the typical one of multi‐origin formulas frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine and Kampo medicine. An ultra high performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry was developed for chemical profiling and marker quantification of Huangqin decoction prepared with two different original types of peony root, white and red peony root. Forty‐seven main peaks in chemical profiling of Huangqin decoction prepared with white and red peony root were identified: nine were from peony root, 20 from baical skullcap root, 17 from licorice root, and one from jujubae fruit. The markers characteristics of the respective types of peony root in Huangqin decoction differ from that in single herbs, especially in terms of monoterpenoids and hydrolysable tannins. Subsequently, 17 representative markers in Huangqin decoction prepared with three types of peony root and their chemical characteristics and content distribution were carried out.     

Rapid identification of chemical constituents in Hugan tablets by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry

Hugan tablet is a Chinese medicine preparation. It is composed of Bupleuri Radix, Artemisiae Scopariae Herba, Isatidis Radix, Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus, Suis Fellis Pulvis, and Vigna radiata L. It has the effects of dispersing stagnated liver qi, strengthening the spleen and eliminating food to be used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis and early cirrhosis. However, the chemical composition of Hugan tablet is complex and not fully understood, which hampers the research in pharmacology. In this study, a reliable method for the rapid analysis and identification of the chemical components in Hugan tablet by their characteristic fragments and neutral losses using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry was developed. A total of 144 chemical components were tentatively identified, including 57 organic acids, 19 flavonoids, 23 alkaloids, 18 lignans, 7 saponins, and 20 others. These components may be the active ingredients of Hugan tablet. The established method can systematically and rapidly analyze the chemical components in Hugan tablet, which provides a basis for the pharmacodynamic substance study and is meaningful for the quality control of Hugan tablet.     

GC-MS of volatile components of Schisandra chinensis obtained by supercritical fluid and conventional extraction

In this paper, the volatile compounds of Schisandra chinensis obtained by different extraction techniques including supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), steam distillation (SD), Soxhlet extraction (SE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) were investigated for the first time. The sample preparation procedure for GC-MS analysis of the volatile compounds was optimized and then 37, 45, 27 and 37 compounds were identified in the samples obtained by SFE, SD, SE and UAE methods, respectively. As the therapeutic effect of the traditional Chinese medicine is usually based on multifarious essential components or the combination of them instead of only one component, the volatile compounds were compared in groups with the extracts by SE, SD and UAE. This would be more reasonable to evaluate the effects of an alternative technique to extracting multifarious essential components. Among the identified components in the SFE extract, 32 compounds were the same as that by three conventional methods, accounting for 90.5% of the volatile compounds identified. However, as the volatile compounds were classed into groups, it was easy to see that the Schisandra chinensis oil extracted by SFE was made up largely of aromatics and sesquiterpenoids (52.1 and 27.6%, respectively), with less amounts of monoterpenoids and other compounds, distinguishing SFE from the conventional extractions.