A universal method for profiling and characterization of oligosaccharides in traditional Chinese medicines

Oligosaccharides constitute fundamental components in numerous traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). Conventional chromatographic methods for natural product analysis are not suitable for oligosaccharides due to their large polarity and structural similarity. Herein, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with charged aerosol detector (UHPLC-CAD) method was developed for the profiling of oligosaccharides using 9 neutral (DP3-DP11) reference oligosaccharides. Various factors, including columns, mobile phase, elution conditions, flow rate, and column temperature were systematically examined. Optimal separation was achieved using an Amide column with gradient elution within 18 min, at 0.5 mL/min flow rate and 30°C column temperature. Moreover, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) method was also optimized to provide structural information. The developed method was applied to detect oligosaccharides in several TCMs, including Morindae Officinalis Radix (MOR), Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (ZSS), Menthae Haplocalycis Herba (MHH) and Chrysanthemi Indici Flos (CIF), revealing 9 and 16 oligosaccharides being uncovered from MHH and CIF respectively for the first time. This study presents a versatile UHPLC-CAD and UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS method with the potential for advancing oligosaccharides discovery and contributing to the quality analysis of TCMs.

Qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis of Leptadenia hastata: exploring a traditional african medicinal plant

Leptadenia hastata (Pers.) Decne is a commonly used food source and prescribed as a traditional African medicine for treatment of various diseases, such as diabetes, skin disorders, wounds, and ulcers. However, quality control has become a bottleneck restricting the therapeutic development and utilization of this plant. In this study, a reliable method for qualitative and quantitative determination of components in Leptadenia hastata was established. The components of L. hastata were profiled using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadruple time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Subsequently, an ultra-high performance tandem diode array detector (UHPLC-DAD)-based method was used for simultaneous quantitative analysis of five major constituents in six batches of L. hastata samples. As a result, 35 compounds were tentatively identified. The quantities of the five constituents (vicenin-Ⅱ, orientin, schaftoside, chrysin 6-C-arabinoside 8-C-glucoside, chrysin 6-C-glucoside 8-C-arabinoside) were determined as 124.8-156.9 μg/g, 170.5-216.0 μg/g, 61.31-93.73 μg/g, 85.13-119.3 μg/g and 99.82-129.4 μg/g, respectively. This method offers a successful strategy for precise and effective evaluation of the constituents of L. hastata, providing a robust foundation for holistic quality assessment of medicinal plants.

Changes in the salivary metabolome in patients with chronic erosive gastritis

INTRODUCTION

Chronic erosive gastritis (CEG) is closely related to gastric cancer, which requires early diagnosis and intervention. The invasiveness and discomfort of electronic gastroscope have limited its application in the large-scale screening of CEG. Therefore, a simple and noninvasive screening method is needed in the clinic.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to screen potential biomarkers that can identify diseases from the saliva samples of CEG patients using metabolomics.

METHODS

Saliva samples from 64 CEG patients and 30 healthy volunteers were collected, and metabolomic analysis was performed using UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS in the positive and negative ion modes. Statistical analysis was performed using both univariate (Student's t-test) and multivariate (orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis) tests. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to determine significant predictors in the saliva of CEG patients.

RESULTS

By comparing the saliva samples from CEG patients and healthy volunteers, 45 differentially expressed metabolites were identified, of which 37 were up-regulated and 8 were down-regulated. These differential metabolites were related to amino acid, lipid, phenylalanine metabolism, protein digestion and absorption, and mTOR signaling pathway. In the ROC analysis, the AUC values of 7 metabolites were greater than 0.8, among which the AUC values of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycoro-3-phosphodylcholine and 1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycoro-3-phospholine (SOPC) were greater than 0.9.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, a total of 45 metabolites were identified in the saliva of CEG patients. Among them, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycoro-3-phosphorylcholine and 1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycoro-3-phosphorine (SOPC) might have potential clinical application value.

Metabolite profiles of Gansuibanxia Decoction in rat plasma and urine by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis

Gansuibanxia decoction (GSBXD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula with 2000 years' history, has good efficacies on treating cancerous ascites, pleural effusion, etc. However, little is known about its metabolite profiles due to the lack of in vivo studies. In this study, we explored the prototypes and metabolites of GSBXD in rat plasma and urine using UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS technology. A total of 82 GSBXD-related xenobiotic bioactive components (38 prototypes and 44 metabolites) were confirmed or tentatively characterized, including 32 prototypes and 29 metabolites in plasma, and 25 prototypes and 29 metabolites in urine. Results showed that the bioactive components absorbed in vivo mainly contained diterpenoids, triterpenoids, flavonoids and monoterpene glycosides. Both phase I reactions (methylation, reduction, demethylation, hydrolysis, hydroxylation and oxidation) and phase II reactions (glucuronidation and sulfation) were involved in the metabolism of GSBXD in vivo. This study will provide a foundation for the quality control, pharmacological study and clinical application of GSBXD.

An efficient method for qualitation and quantitation of multi-components of the herbal medicine Qingjin Yiqi Granules

Qingjin Yiqi Granules (QJYQ) is a Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs) prescription for the patients with post-COVID-19 condition. It is essential to carry out the quality evaluation of QJYQ. A comprehensive investigation was conducted by establishing deep-learning assisted mass defect filter (deep-learning MDF) mode for qualitative analysis, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and scheduled multiple reaction monitoring method (UHPLC-sMRM) for precise quantitation to evaluate the quality of QJYQ. Firstly, a deep-learning MDF was used to classify and characterize the whole phytochemical components of QJYQ based on the mass spectrum (MS) data of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS). Secondly, the highly sensitive UHPLC-sMRM data-acquisition method was established to quantify the multi-ingredients of QJYQ. Totally, nine major types of phytochemical compounds in QJYQ were intelligently classified and 163 phytochemicals were initially identified. Furthermore, fifty components were rapidly quantified. The comprehensive evaluation strategy established in this study would provide an effective tool for accurately evaluating the quality of QJYQ as a whole.

Qualitative and quantitative studies on two commercial specifications of Polygonatum odoratum

The rhizoma of Polygonatum odoratum (PO) is used to treat yin injuries of the lung and stomach in traditional Chinese medicine. The chemical constituents of this herb are steroidal saponins, homoisoflavanones, and alkaloids. Xiangyuzhu (XPO) and Guanyuzhu (GPO) are available in the market as two specifications of the commodity. Nonetheless, systematic research on the identification and comparison of chemical constituents of these two commercial specifications is yet lacking. Herein, an integrated method combing ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-charged aerosol detection (UHPLC-CAD) was employed for the comprehensively qualitative and quantitative analyses of PO. A total of 62 compounds were identified by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS, among which 13 potential chemical markers were screened out to distinguish two commercial specifications. Subsequently, the absolute determination method for polygodoraside G, polygonatumoside F, and timosaponin H1 was established and validated by UHPLC-CAD. The contents of the three compounds were 13.33-236.24 μg/g, 50.55-545.04 μg/g, and 13.34-407.83 μg/g, respectively. Furthermore, the ratio of timosaponin H1/polygodoraside G could be applied to differentiate the two specifications. Samples with a ratio <2 are considered XPO and >5 are considered GPO. Therefore, the above results provide a valuable means for the quality control of PO.

Quality control of Zingiberis Rhizoma and its processed products by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based non-targeted metabonomics combining with SIBDV method

Zingiberis Rhizoma (ZR) is a homologous plant with pungent tastes and aromas, which has unique nutritional value and tremendous application potentiality. Zingiberis Rhizoma Praeparatum (ZRP) and Carbonised Ginger (CG) are processed products of ZR through different processing methods, and they are commonly used ingredients in food supplements. This study used ZR, ZRP and CG from different batches to further understand composition differences after processing. Additionally, we performed non-targeted metabolomics-based profiling of gingerols by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid triple quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) in combination with multivariate analysis and compounds identification. In which, we developed a comprehensive SWATH-IDA bi-directionally verified (SIBDV) method integrating the advantages of Sequential Windowed Acquisition of all Theoretical fragment ions (SWATHTM) and traditional information-dependent acquisition (IDA) mode for characterization of gingerols. Potential chemical markers were selected by principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) of chemometrics methods. After that, the threshold variable importance in projection (VIP) value and P value were employed to screen the valuable MS features for discriminating ZR, ZRP and CG. In total, 59 gingerols in the different samples were structurally identified. Results allowed the selection of 33 gingerols, which are nominated as novel markers for materials authentication in ZR, ZRP and CG. The analysis of the study showed that the content of gingerols showed a downward trend after processing, but shogaols and gingerone compounds had an upward trend, resulting in differences in application and pharmacodynamic efficacy. These findings provide promising perspectives in the quality control of ZR, ZRP and CG, as well as for laying the foundation in food design and development.

Application of multivariate statistical analysis and network pharmacology to explore the mechanism of Danggui Liuhuang Tang in treating perimenopausal syndrome

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Danggui Liuhuang Tang (DGLHT), first recorded in "Lan-Shi-Mi-Cang" (written in 1276 AD), is a famous classical formula. In 2018, it was listed in the Catalogue of Ancient Classic and Famous Prescriptions (First Batch) formulated by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Medical Products Administration. Perimenopausal syndrome (PMS) refers to a series of syndromes with autonomic nervous system dysfunction and neuropsychological symptoms. The treatment of PMS demands non-hormonal drugs. Natural products are considered to be effective substitutes for the treatment of PMS. It is reported that DGLHT has not only good therapeutic effects but also higher safety and fewer side effects in the treatment of PMS. However, the mechanism of DGLHT in treating PMS is not clear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To explore the chemical basis and the mechanism of DGLHT in treating PMS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Multivariate statistical analysis was used to analyze the difference of components in supernatant before and after compatibility of DGLHT based on LC-MS data. The qualitative analysis was performed on the precipitate formed in the decocting process using LC-MS while the quantitative analysis on the potential markers using LC-UV. Then, the potential markers were analyzed by network pharmacology. The regulatory effect of DGLHT on FSH, P and E₂ were carried out in PMS rats.

RESULTS

Five potential markers, epiberberine, coptisine, palmatine, berberine and baicalin, were screened from the analysis of compounds in the supernatant. Four complexes, composed of potential marker monomers, were identified in the sediment, including two that have not been reported. The key targets of potential markers include TNF, NOS3, EGFR, ESR1, PTGS2, AR, CDC42 and RPS6KB1. The top signaling pathways include the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and estrogen signaling pathway. DGLHT could call back the hormone levels of P and E₂ in PMS rats.

CONCLUSION

DGLHT active ingredients, epiberberine, coptisine, palmatine, berberine and baicalin contribute a lot to the therapeutic effect. And DGLHT takes effect by regulating hormones secreted by the ovary.

A MSALL quantitative method for the determination of Poloxamer 188 in rat plasma by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS and its application to pharmacokinetic study

Poloxamer (PL)188 is a commonly used pharmaceutical excipient with unique physicochemical properties. In this study, an MS^ALL quantitative method for the determination of PL188 in rat plasma by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS was developed and validated. PL188 was analyzed on PLRP-S reversed-phase column (50 × 4.6 mm, 8 μm, 1,000 Å) with mobile phase 0.1% formic acid-water and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile-isopropanol (2:3, v/v). The liner range was 0.1-10.0 μg/ml. A pharmacokinetic study was performed on rats at a dose of 5 mg/kg by intravenous injection. The pharmacokinetic parameters of intravenous injection were as follows: half-life was 2.0 ± 1.1 h, volume of distribution was 5.1 ± 3.2 L/kg, area under the concentration-time curve was 3.0 ± 0.6 μg/L h and clearance was 1.7 ± 0.3 L/h/kg. The results indicated that PL188 could be rapidly distributed to tissues with a high clearance rate. This study can provide a good reference for the further study of PL188.

Tissue Distribution Study of Poloxamer188 in Rats by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole Time of Flight/Mass Spectrometry with MSALL-Based Approach

Poloxamer188 (PL188), as one of the most commonly used pharmaceutical excipients, has unique physicochemical properties and good biocompatibility, and so is playing an increasingly extensive role in the field of medicine. Currently, there are few studies on the tissue distribution of PL188 in vivo. In this study, the LC-MS method based on MS^ALL technique of quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry for absolute quantitative analysis of poloxamer 188 in biological substrates was established for the first time. The tissue distribution of poloxamer188 in SD rats were studied using the established quantitative analysis method. To explore the distribution of PL188 in organs and tissues, PL188 was administered via rat tail vein at a dose of 5 mg/kg. Eight kinds of tissues including heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, stomach, muscle and brain of rats were collected at 0.25 h, 1 h and 4 h after administration. Tissue distributions showed the highest level was observed in kidney, then in stomach, which indicated PL188 mainly bioaccumulated in the kidney. This study can provide references for the further study of PL188.

Metabolomic signatures for liver tissue and cecum contents in high-fat diet-induced obese mice based on UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS

Background

The incidence of obesity is increasing worldwide, and it is a risk factor for diabetes, dyslipidemia, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Our previous study had demonstrated that high-fat diet induced increased weight gain, fat weight, serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and ATL levels in liver, and influenced the diversity and composition of cecal microbiota in mice. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the roles of the gut microbially derived metabolites and liver metabolites between the obese and lean mice, focusing on their association with the progression of obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD).

Methods

An obesity model in mice was established with HFD for 16 weeks. Cecal contents and liver tissues metabolomics based on ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analyses (OPLS-DA) was performed to identify the alterations in metabolites associated with obese mice.

Results

Obese and lean groups were clearly discriminated from each other on OPLS-DA score plot and major metabolites contributing to the discrimination were mainly involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism, primary bile acid biosynthesis, and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids pathways. HFD-induced alterations of 19 metabolites in liver and 43 metabolites in cecum contents were identified as potential biomarkers related to obesity. Specifically, chenodeoxycholic acid, taurochenodeoxycholate, and tauroursodeoxycholic acid in liver were elevated 35.94, 24.36, and 18.71-fold, respectively. PI(P-16:0/18:1(9Z)), PG(19:0/16:0), PS(P-16:0/20:2(11Z,14Z)), PI(22:1(11Z)/12:0), and PE(21:0/0:0) in cecum were enhanced 884, 640.96, 226.63, 210.10, 45.13-fold in comparison with the lean mice. These metabolites were the most important biomarkers for discriminating between the obese and lean mice. In addition, cecum contents metabolites were strongly correlated with hepatic metabolites through gut-liver axis analysis.

Conclusions

HFD increased lipid profiles (i.e. glycerophospholipids, PC, PE, PI, PG, and PS) and total bile acid (primary and secondary bile acid) in liver and cecum, suggesting that they may play an important role in the progression of obesity. These metabolites can be used to better understand obesity and related disease induced by HFD. Furthermore, the level alterations of these metabolites can be used to assess the risk of obesity and the therapeutic effect of obesity management.

Tetrahydroxy stilbene glycoside attenuates acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabolomics and multivariate data analysis

Tetrahydroxy stilbene glycoside (TSG) is a main active compound in Polygonum multiflorum. Acetaminophen (APAP) is a well-known analgesic and antipyretic drug. It is considered to be safe within a therapeutic range, in case of acute intoxication hepatotoxicity occurs. This present study aims to observe TSG-provided alleviation on APAP-induced hepatoxicity in C57BL/6 mice. APAP performs extensive necrosis and dissolves nucleus suggesting liver damage from hepatic histopathology. Serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase analysis and liver histological evaluation showed that TSG reduced the hepatotoxicity induced by a toxic dose of APAP. Moreover, TSG alone had no hepatotoxicity. TSG eliminated hepatic glutathione depletion and cysteine adducts formation. It also reduced the expression of interleukin-10 and lowered the production of reactive oxygen species in liver tissues. Luminex was used to detect cytokine production in different groups. Herein, we used an untargeted metabolomics approach by performing ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry on treated mice to identify metabolic disruptions under APAP and TSG. Major alterations were observed for purine metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and fatty acid metabolism. These data provide metabolic evidence and biomarkers in the liver that the ABC transporters, Glycine serine and threonine metabolism, and Choline metabolism in cancer changed the most. These targets of metabolites have the potential to improve our understanding of homeostatic. Meanwhile, these metabolites revealed that TSG can alleviate inflammation caused by APAP and promote the activity of intrinsic antioxidants. In summary, TSG can regulate lipid metabolism, promote the production of antioxidant enzymes, and decrease the inflammatory response.

A strategy for intelligent chemical profiling-guided precise quantitation of multi-components in traditional Chinese medicine formulae-QiangHuoShengShi decoction

Due to the tremendous clinical value, more and more Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs) and their formulae are attracted by world's attention. QiangHuoShengShi (QHSS) decoction is one of classic TCM formulae, which is clinically used for treating various rheumatic diseases. However, the phytochemical constituents of QHSS have rarely been reported. A simple, intelligent, and comprehensive strategy was developed to characterize the phytochemical-fingerprint and quantify the chemical-markers for precise quality evaluation of QHSS. Firstly, a new deep-learning assisted mass defect filter (MDF) method was built for rapid and accurate classification of mass spectrum (MS) ions acquired by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS). Subsequently, herb species-specific chemical-category and characteristic identification were used for further characterization of multi-components. As the result, seven major types of compounds in QHSS were intelligently differentiated and 183 phytochemical compounds were tentatively identified. Finally, a sensitive scheduled multiple reaction monitoring (sMRM) detection method was applied to precisely quantify 37 target analytes in QHSS decoction. This integrated strategy would provide an alternative method for chemical-material basis study of more herbal medicine or natural products.

Comprehensive Investigation on Ginsenosides in Different Parts of a Garden-Cultivated Ginseng Root and Rhizome

Background: Ginseng is widely used as herb or food. Different parts of ginseng have diverse usages. However, the comprehensive analysis on the ginsenosides in different parts of ginseng root is scarce. Methods: An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) combined with UNIFI informatics platform and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-charged aerosol detection (UHPLC-CAD) were employed to evaluate the different parts of cultivated ginseng root. Results: 105 ginsenosides including 16 new compounds were identified or tentatively characterized. 22 potential chemical markers were identified, 20, 17, and 19 for main root (MR) and fibrous root (FR), main root (MR) and branch root (BR), and main root (MR) and rhizome (RH), respectively. The relative contents of Re, Rb₁, 20(R)-Rh₁, Rd, and Rf were highest in FR. The relative content of Rg₁ was highest in RH. The total relative content of pharmacopoeia indicators Rg₁, Re, and Rb₁ was highest in FR. Conclusion: The differences among these parts were the compositions and relative contents of ginsenosides. Under our research conditions, the peak area ratio of Rg₁ and Re could distinguish the MR and FR samples. Fibrous roots showed rich ingredients and high ginsenosides contents which should be further utilized.

The antioxidant activities of flavonoids in Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) leaves and their quantitative analysis

The main targets of this work were to evaluate the antioxidative properties of flavonoids in Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) leaves and quantitatively determine their contents. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and hydroxyl free radicals scavenging assays were performed to determine their antioxidative capacities. The validated ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) method was subsequently applied to the quality evaluation of eleven batches of Jerusalem artichoke leaves grown in different habitats at different harvesting time. Results indicated that two flavonoids isolated from Jerusalem artichoke leaves showed stronger antioxidant effects than the positive control, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). And the total contents of the two flavonoids in the Jerusalem artichoke leaves of flowering stage from Dalian, Liaoning Province, China, were the highest, their contents varied significantly depending on region and harvesting time. This study indicated that the leaves of Jerusalem artichoke possessed excellent antioxidant properties, highlighting their candidacy as natural antioxidants, which could be utilized therapeutically to protect the body from diseases caused by oxidative stress.

Thrombin-based discovery strategy of bioactive-chemical quality marker combination for pollen of Typha orientalis by metabolomics coupled with chemometrics

BACKGROUND

It is of utmost significance to choose the bioactive components as quality markers for ensuring the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Nonetheless, some markers are able to assess effectively the quality of TCM without considering the pharmacological mechanisms and intrinsic chemical complexities.

OBJECTIVE

This underscores the need to discover new and efficient markers which can assess both quality and mechanism of action. Herein, a strategy of bioactive-chemical quality marker combination was proposed to improve the level of the quality control of TCM by metabolomics coupled with chemometrics.

METHODS

A four-step plan was followed. Firstly, acquisition of metabolic features and component characterization of different batches of pollen of Typha orientalis C.Presl were performed using UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Secondly, the direct inhibitory effects of pollen of T. orientalis on thrombin was assessed by using chromogenic substrate method together with HPLC. Thereafter, bioactive-chemical marker combination associated with anti-thrombin segregation was screened using supervised classifiers. Finally, quantitative assay and prediction-model of selected markers were established for guarantying the quality of pollen of T. orientalis.

RESULTS

A total of 22 compounds were annotated based on comparison with previous work from pollen of T. orientalis by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS. Citric acid and linolenic acid inhibited the thrombin activity with IC₅₀ values, 0.52 ± 0.02 and 0.51 ± 0.02 mg/mL, respectively. A bioactive-chemical marker combination including citric acid, linolenic acid, typhaneoside, and isorhamnetin-3-O-neohesperidoside were discovered and selected as quality markers for evaluation of pollen of T. orientalis according to their capacity for inhibiting thrombin.

CONCLUSION

The thrombin-based discovery strategy of bioactive-chemical marker combination was a powerful tool for screening the quality markers for evaluation of pollen of T. orientalis.

Metabolomic characterization of semen from asthenozoospermic patients using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Asthenozoospermia (AS) is a common factor of male infertility, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differential seminal plasma metabolic pattern in asthenozoospermic men and to identify potential biomarkers in relation to spermatogenic dysfunction using sensitive ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem quadruple time‐of‐flight MS (UHPLC–Q‐TOF/MS). The samples of seminal plasma from patients with AS (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 20) were checked and differentiated by UHPLC–Q‐TOF/MS. Compared with the control group, the AS group showed a total of nine significantly different metabolites, including increases in creatinine, uric acid, N⁶‐methyladenosine (m⁶A), uridine, and taurine and decreases in carnitine, nicotinamide, N‐acetylputrescine and l‐palmitoylcarnitine. By analyzing the correlation among these metabolites and clinical computer‐assisted semen analysis reports, we found that m⁶A is significantly correlated with not only the four decreased metabolites but also with sperm count, motility, and curvilinear velocity. Furthermore, nicotinamide was shown to correlate with other identified metabolites, indicating its important role in the metabolic pathway of AS. Current results implied that sensitive untargeted seminal plasma metabolomics could identify distinct metabolic patterns of AS and would help clinicians by offering novel cues for discovering the pathogenesis of male infertility.

Synthesis and purification of biotinylated oligodeoxynucleotides containing single TpT dimeric pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone lesion

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation could induce pyrimidine-related dimeric lesions in genomic DNA. Though the cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) are the most abundant UV-induced lesions, the pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts (6-4PPs) may have more serious, potentially lethal, and mutagenic effects. It is important to have 6-4PP-containing oligodeoxynucleotides to be prepared for studying their adverse biological effects. Here, we developed a UV-irradiated water droplet method for the preparation of a biotinylated, 6-4PP-containing 10-mer oligodeoxynucleotide. By the use of HPLC purification and enrichment twice, the final yield is estimated to be about 8.1%. In contrast, without applying droplet technique, the direct UV irradiation against oligonucleotide-containing aqueous solution, the product yield is very low. The enzymatic hydrolyzation of the obtained product shows a 6-4PP characteristic ion transition of 545.12 → 432.13 in negative ion mode UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS. The established procedure for the preparation of 6-4PP-containing oligonucleotides is convenient with an improved yield. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS detection of UV-induced TpT dimeric lesions in genomic DNA

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation induces mutagenicity and cytotoxicity in human cells by the formation of DNA lesions, including cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts (6-4PPs), mainly on thymine-thymine (TpT) dinucleotides. Here, we firstly synthesized the two TpT dimeric lesions with satisfactory yields using a unique UV-irradiated water droplet approach followed by HPLC purification. By the use of purified TpT lesions as standards, we further developed and optimized a quantitative UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS method for the detection of CPDs and 6-4PPs. After the optimization of the enzyme composition and the pH values of hydrolysis solution, a combination of snake venom phosphodiesterase, nuclease P1, and calf intestine alkaline phosphatase can be used for one-step enzymatic digestion to efficiently release the dimeric lesions (CPDs and 6-4PPs) from the genomic DNA. By the use of the one-step digestion and UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS assay for scanning all dimeric lesions, we demonstrate that only are TpT dimeric lesions detectable in genomic DNA of HCT116 cells upon UVC irradiation. The estimated frequency of the CPD of TpT increases from 28.7 to 409 per 10⁶ bases with increasing UVC dosage from 40 J/m² to 1200 J/m², while the 6-4PP of TpT increases from 3.7 to 54 per 10⁶ bases. The proposed UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS method is promising for accurate identification and quantitative detection of UV-induced dimeric lesions in cellular DNA.

Screening of Combinatorial Quality Markers for Natural Products by Metabolomics Coupled With Chemometrics. A Case Study on Pollen Typhae

Natural products, especially for traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), are of great importance to cure diseases. Yet it was hard to screen the influential quality markers for monitoring the quality. A simple and comprehensive strategy was developed and validated to screen for the combinatorial quality markers for precise quality evaluation and discrimination of natural products. In this study, Pollen Typhae (PT) and it's processed products carbonized PT were selected as the representative case. Firstly, metabolomics data of 49 batches crude PT and carbonized PT was obtained by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS). Then, metabolomics approaches were performed to screen for the potential markers that lead to the quality difference. Finally, chemometric methods were used to validate the accuracy of combinatorial quality markers. Thus, 42 compounds were identified from PT, 5 markers (isorhamnetin-3-O-(2G-α-L-rhamnosyl)-rutinoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-neohesperidoside, astragalin, kaempferol and umbelliferone) were successfully screened, identified, quantified and regarded as combinatorial quality markers for precise quality evaluation of crude and carbonized PT. It was demonstrated that the established comprehensively strategy provide an efficient tool for precise quality evaluation of natural products from the whole.

Metabolomic analysis for the protective effects of mangiferin on sepsis-induced lung injury in mice

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of mangiferin, including its known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on sepsis-induced lung injury induced by a classical cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) models in mouse using a metabolomics approach. A total of 24 mice were randomly divided into four groups: the sham group was given saline before sham operation. The CLP group received the CLP operation only. HMF and LMF groups were given mangiferin treatment of high dose and low dose of mangiferin, respectively, before the CLP operation. One week after treatment, the mice were sacrificed and their lungs were collected for metabolomics analysis. We developed ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry to perform lung metabolic profiling analysis. With the methods of principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis, 58 potential metabolites associated with amino acid metabolism, purine metabolism, lipid metabolism and energy regulation were observed to be increased or reduced in HMF and LMF groups compared with the CLP group. Conclusively, our results suggest that mangiferin plays a protective role in the moderation of sepsis-induced lung injury through reducing oxidative stress, regulating lipid metabolism and energy biosynthesis.

Rapid Determination of Major Compounds in the Ethanol Extract of Geopropolis from Malaysian Stingless Bees, Heterotrigona itama, by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS and NMR

A reliable, rapid analytical method was established for the characterization of constituents of the ethanol extract of geopropolis (EEGP) produced by Malaysian stingless bees—Heterotrigona itama—by combining ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS). Based on known standards, the online METLIN database, and published literature, 28 compounds were confirmed. Phenolic acids, flavones, triterpenes and phytosterol were identified or tentatively identified using characteristic diagnostic fragment ions. The results indicated that terpenoids were the main components of EEGP, accompanied by low levels of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and phytosterol. Two major components were further purified by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (PHPLC) and identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as 24(E)-cycloart-24-ene-26-ol-3-one and 20-hydroxy-24-dammaren-3-one. These two triterpenes, confirmed in this geopropolis for the first time, are potential chemical markers for the identification of geopropolis from Malaysian stingless bees, H. itama.

Screening Hepatotoxic Components in Euodia rutaecarpa by UHPLC-QTOF/MS Based on the Spectrum-Toxicity Relationship

Euodia rutaecarpa is a common traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in clinical practice, having the ability to suppress pain and cease coughing; however, with the increasing reports showing that it is toxic, particularly hepatotoxic, the concerns raised by what cause its toxicity is growing. In the current study, an analysis method based on the spectrum effect has been employed to screen the major hepatotoxic components in Euodia rutaecarpa so that the toxic material's basis would be elucidated. A fingerprinting method of the Euodia rutaecarpa extracts (which were petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water) using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QTOF/MS) has been developed. Orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) was used to establish the spectrum-toxicity relationship with the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in mice serum as evaluation indices for liver injury. The UHPLC-MS fingerprint was established and the OPLS analytical results suggested that coniferin, 1-methyl-2-undecyl-4(1H)-quinolone, 1-methyl-2-[(6Z,9Z,12E)-pentadeca triene]-4(1H)-quinolone, evocarpine, 1-methyl-2-[(Z)-7-tridecenyl]-4(1H)-quinolone, dihydroevocarpine, and 1-methyl-2-tetradecy-4-(1H)-quinolone probably associated with the hepatotoxicity of Euodia rutaecarpa. This paper offered considerable methods and insight for the fundamental research of the toxic material basis of similar toxic TCMs.

Metabolomics revealed the toxicity of cationic liposomes in HepG2 cells using UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS and multivariate data analysis

Cationic liposomes (CLs) are novel nonviral vectors widely used for delivering drugs or genes. However, applications of CLs are largely hampered by their cytotoxicity, partly because the potential mechanism underlying the cytotoxicity of CLs remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to explore the underlying mechanism of cytotoxicity induced by CLs on HepG2 cells. Differential metabolites were identified and quantified using ultra-liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS). The toxicity of CLs on HepG2 cells was evaluated by multivariate data analysis and statistics. Additionally, CCK-8 assay, heatmap, pathway and co-expression network were carried out to explore the relations between the metabolites and the pathways. The results showed a dose-dependent toxic effect of CLs on HepG2 cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 119.9 μg/mL. Multivariate statistical analysis identified 42 potential metabolites between CLs exposure and control groups. Pathway analysis showed significant changes in pathways involving amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, lipid metabolism and oxidative stress in the CLs exposure group vs the control group. Metabolites related to the above-mentioned pathways included phenylalanine, methionine, creatine, oxalacetic acid, glutathione, oxidized glutathione, choline phosphate and several unsaturated fatty acids, indicating that cells were disturbed in amino acid metabolism, energy and lipid supply when CLs exposure-induced injury occurred. It is concluded that CLs may induce cytotoxicity by enhancing reactive oxygen species in vitro, affect the normal process of energy metabolism, disturb several vital signaling pathways and finally induce cell death.

Urinary metabolomics of complete Freund's adjuvant-induced hyperalgesia in rats

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the differences of metabolomics changes in a hyperalgesia model and find potent biomarkers of hyperalgesia. Seven rats were placed in metabolic cages. An emulsion containing 500 μg of Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) was used to induce hyperalgesia. Urine samples were collected prior to the injection of CFA and on post-injection days 1, 3 and 7. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography, coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS), was used for a quantitative analysis of urinary metabolic changes in the CFA-induced hyperalgesia model. Differences between the metabolic profiles of the rats in the four groups were analyzed using partial least squares discriminant analysis. Thirty-four potential urine metabolite biomarkers were identified, which changed in a trend similar to the pain threshold. These potential biomarkers were involved in 11 metabolic pathways, as follows: alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; ascorbate and aldarate metabolism; glycerolipid metabolism; glycerophospholipid metabolism; histidine metabolism; phenylalanine metabolism; sphingolipid metabolism; tryptophan metabolism; tyrosine metabolism; valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis; and vitamin B6 metabolism. These results may improve our understanding of hyperalgesia and provide a basis for the clinical diagnosis of hyperalgesia.

DIURETIC AND ANTI-DIURETIC BIOACTIVITY DIFFERENCES OF THE SEED AND SHELL EXTRACTS OF ALPINIA OXYPHYLLA FRUIT

BACKGROUND

Alpinia oxyphylla fruit (AOF, Yizhi in Chinese) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine as an anti-diuretic agent and composed of two parts i.e. seed and shell. These two parts have different components, but the bioactivity differences of the two parts are not clear. This study aims to evaluate the different anti-diuretic effects of the seed and shell of AOF.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The potential bioactive components were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. The diuretic and anti-diuretic activity was determined with saline-loads rats.

RESULTS

The results showed that the 200 mg/kg and 400mg/kg of SREAO displayed a short-time anti-diuretic activity 1h after administration and then a significant diuretic activity was being observed at 5-6 h in 400mg/kg group of SREAO. And the 400mg/kg doses of SREAO also showed a remarkable increase for electrolyte excretion of K⁺. Three sesquiterpene compounds, namely oxyphyllol A (1), oxyphyllol B (2), and nootkatone (3) were identified from the active SREAO fraction by UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS.

CONCLUSION

The seed part of Alpinia oxyphylla possessed pronounced diuretic and anti-diuretic effect. The sesquiterpene components are the major constituents and possibly contributed the diuretic and anti-diuretic activity.

Analysis of the Constituents in "Zhu She Yong Xue Shuan Tong" by Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Combined with Preparative High Performance Liquid Chromatography

“Zhu She Yong Xue Shuan Tong” lyophilized powder (ZSYXST), consists of a series of saponins extracted from Panax notoginseng, which has been widely used in China for the treatment of strokes. In this study, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) combined with preparative high performance liquid chromatography (PHPLC) method was developed to rapidly identify both major and minor saponins in ZSYXST. Some high content components were removed through PHPLC in order to increase the sensitivity of the trace saponins. Then, specific characteristic fragment ions in both positive and negative mode were utilized to determine the types of aglycone, saccharide, as well as the saccharide chain linkages. As a result, 94 saponins, including 20 pairs of isomers and ten new compounds, which could represent higher than 98% components in ZSYXST, were identified or tentatively identified in commercial ZSYXST samples.

In vitro characterization of potential CYP- and UGT-derived metabolites of the psychoactive drug 25B-NBOMe using LC-high resolution MS

One of the main challenges posed by the emergence of new psychoactive substances is their identification in human biological samples. Trying to detect the parent drug could lead to false-negative results when the delay between consumption and sampling has been too long. The identification of their metabolites could then improve their detection window in biological matrices. Oxidative metabolism by cytochromes P450 and glucuronidation are two major detoxification pathways in humans. In order to characterize possible CYP- and UGT-dependent metabolites of the 2-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxy-phenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine (25B-NBOMe), a synthetic psychoactive drug, analyses of human liver microsome (HLM) incubates were performed using an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography system coupled with a quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry detector (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS). On-line analyses were performed using a Waters OASIS HLB column (30 x 2.1 mm, 20 µm) for the automatic sample loading and a Waters ACQUITY HSS C18 column (150 x 2 mm, 1.8 µm) for the chromatographic separation. Twenty-one metabolites, consisting of 12 CYP-derived and 9 UGT-derived metabolites, were identified. O-Desmethyl metabolites were the most abundant compounds after the phase I process, which appears to be in accordance with data from previously published NBOMe-intoxication case reports. Although other important metabolic transformations, such as sulfation, acetylation, methylation or glutathione conjugation, were not studied and artefactual metabolites might have been produced during the HLM incubation process, the record of all the metabolite MS spectra in our library should enable us to characterize relevant metabolites of 25B-NBOMe and allow us to detect 25B-MBOMe users.

Quantitative analysis of flavanones from citrus fruits by using mesoporous molecular sieve-based miniaturized solid phase extraction coupled to ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

An analytical procedure based on miniaturized solid phase extraction (SPE) and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for determination of six flavanones in Citrus fruits. The mesoporous molecular sieve SBA-15 as a solid sorbent was characterised by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, compared with reported extraction techniques, the mesoporous SBA-15 based SPE method possessed the advantages of shorter analysis time and higher sensitivity. Furthermore, considering the different nature of the tested compounds, all of the parameters, including the SBA-15 amount, solution pH, elution solvent, and the sorbent type, were investigated in detail. Under the optimum condition, the instrumental detection and quantitation limits calculated were less than 4.26 and 14.29ngmL(-1), respectively. The recoveries obtained for all the analytes were ranging from 89.22% to 103.46%. The experimental results suggested that SBA-15 was a promising material for the purification and enrichment of target flavanones from complex citrus fruit samples.

Urinary metabonomics elucidate the therapeutic mechanism of Orthosiphon stamineus in mouse crystal-induced kidney injury

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Orthosiphon stamineus (OS), a traditional Chinese herb, is often used for promoting urination and treating nephrolithiasis.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Urolithiasis is a major worldwide public health burden due to its high incidence of recurrence and damage to renal function. However, the etiology for urolithiasis is not well understood. Metabonomics, the systematic study of small molecule metabolites present in biological samples, has become a valid and powerful tool for understanding disease phenotypes. In this study, a urinary metabolic profiling analysis was performed in a mouse model of renal calcium oxalate crystal deposition to identify potential biomarkers for crystal-induced renal damage and the anti-crystal mechanism of OS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty six mice were randomly divided into six groups including Saline, Crystal, Cystone and OS at dosages of 0.5g/kg, 1g/kg, and 2g/kg. A metabonomics approach using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was developed to perform the urinary metabolic profiling analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were utilized to identify differences between the metabolic profiles of mice in the saline control group and crystal group.

RESULTS

Using partial least squares-discriminant analysis, 30 metabolites were identified as potential biomarkers of crystal-induced renal damage. Most of them were primarily involved in amino acid metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, purine metabolism, and the citrate cycle (TCA). After the treatment with OS, the levels of 20 biomarkers had returned to the levels of the control samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that OS has a protective effect for mice with crystal-induced kidney injury via the regulation of multiple metabolic pathways primarily involving amino acid, energy and choline metabolism.