ABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze and predict the Q-marker of Cinnamomi Ramulus in Danggui Sini Decoction based on fingerprint and network pharmacology. Methods: The fingerprints of Cinnamomi Ramulus Decoction and Danggui Sini Decoction were established, and analyzed by using the similarity evaluation system software for chromatographic fingerprint of traditional Chinese medicine (2012 edition); The network pharmacology was used to screen and analyze the function target and pathway of related components of Cinnamomi Ramulus, and the "component-target-pathway" network was constructed to predict the potential Q-marker of Cinnamomi Ramulus in Danggui Sini Decoction. Results: The fingerprints of 15 batches of Cinnamomi Ramulus Decotion and 15 batches of Danggui Sini Decoction were established. The similarity of fingerprints was more than 0.96, and seven common components were identified, including protocatechuic acid, coumarin, cinnamic acid, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alcohol, 2-methoxy cinnamic acid, and 2-methoxy cinnamaldehyde. A total of five active components, seven core target sites and 15 key pathways of Cinnamomi Ramulus were screened out through network pharmacology system, and based on the "Five Principles" of quality markers, 2-methoxy cinnamaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, and cinnamic acid were predicted as potential quality markers. Conclusion: In this study, the quality markers of Cinnamomi Ramulus in Danggui Sini Decoction are analyzed by fingerprint and network pharmacology, which provides a basis for comprehensive control of the quality of Danggui Sini Decoction, reference for further study on the mechanism of Danggui Sini Decoction, and demonstration for the correlation study of quality markers of compound and single medicine in the classic prescription.