ABSTRACT
Objective: To identify the differential metabolic small molecule substances in Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum (CCP) of different segments based on UPLC-QTOF/MS metabonomics technology, and analyze the metabolic pathways involved by differential metabolites combined with histological observation. Methods: The standard trident antler of sika deer (Cervus nippon) were treated by freeze-drying. The tissue morphology was observed by section. The tissue morphology was divided into three sections from top to bottom, VAU, VAM, and VAB. The differential metabolites were analyzed by UPLC-QTOF/MS technology, principal component analysis, and least squares discriminant analysis. Results: A total of 124 kinds of metabolic small molecular substances were identified in CCP. Based on the FC value of differential metabolites higher than 2.2, 16 substances with different relative contents in different parts of CCP were further screened, and the relative content of each substance in different parts were compared. Conclusion: This experiment is based on non-targeted metabonomics to analyze the composition of metabolic small molecules in freeze-dried CCP. By comparing the adjacent zones, it is found that there are some differences in endogenous metabolites among the zones, which provides data support for revealing their functions.