Discovery of quality markers of Chinese materia medica based on Chinmedomics / 中草药

ABSTRACT

The quality of Chinese materia medica (CMM) has become an important factor affecting the inheritance and development of traditional Chinese medicine. However, due to the complexity of CMM ingredients and the specificity of prescription application, the current quality standards of CMM are difficult to guarantee clinical efficacy. Academician Changxiao Liu proposed the concept of the quality marker (Q-marker) of CMM and its basic attributes, which provided a direction for the study of CMM quality standards. Chinmedomics, integrating serum pharmacochemistry and metabolomics technology, under the conditions of correspondence of prescription-syndrome with therapeutic effect, can be used to find the Q-markers of CMM which are related to the clinical efficacy, and reflect the compatibility of prescriptions, and trace the in vivo metabolism and preparation process. The research strategy based on Chinmedomics is an effective method for discovering the Q-markers of CMM, it has been applied to discovery Q-markers of Yinchenhao Decoction, Liuwei Dihuang Pill, NanShi Capsule, AS1350, and other CMM formula as well as the health products.