ABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze the change regulation of chemical constituent groups in processed aconite during decocting, and also to discuss the scientificity connotation of decoction of processed aconite. Methods: An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was carried out to acquire the chemical constituents information in samples with different decoction time. High precise mass data were processed by multivariate statistical analysis techniques to discover and identify the constituents with significant difference. Furthermore, the content change, toxicity, and activity of these constituents were also discussed. Results: Fifteen chemical markers with significant difference were screened by partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and t test. By analyzing the change regulation of the different constituents during 4 h decocting process, we found that it mainly happened in the constituent dissolution and chemical transformation from monoester alkaloids to aconine alkaloids, which indicates the attenuation process is secondary. Conclusion: In terms of analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect, it suggests that 0.5 h of decoction would be fine, while in terms of cardiotonic effect, it needs the further systemic comparison for cardiac activity between monoester alkaloids and aconine alkaloids to be able to investigate the necessary and scientificity for long time decoction of the processed aconite.