Rapid screening of neuroprotective components from Huang-Lian-Jie-Du Decoction by living cell biospecific extraction coupled with HPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS/MS analysis.

Huang-Lian-Jie-Du Decoction (HLJDD), a well-known traditional Chinese formulation, has been proved to exert neuroprotective effects, however, the bioactive components in HLJDD still remain to be elucidated. In the present study, a rapid and effective method involving live cell biospecific extraction and HPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS/MS was utilized to rapidly screen and identify the neuroprotective compounds from the HLJDD crude extract directly. Firstly, sixteen principal components in HLJDD crude extract were identified by HPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS/MS analysis. After co-incubation with PC12 cells, which have been validated as the key target cells for neurodegenerative diseases, seven compounds of them were demonstrated to exhibit binding affinity to the target cells. Furthermore, three representative compounds named baicalin, wogonoside, and berberine were subsequently verified to exert cytoprotective effects on PC12 cells injured by hydrogen peroxide via inhibiting oxidative stress and cell apoptosis, indicating that these screened compounds may possess a potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and were responsible, in part at least, for the neuroprotective beneficial effects of HLJDD. Taken together, our study provides evidence that live cell biospecific extraction coupled with LC-HRMS/MS technique is an efficient method for rapid screening potential bioactive components in traditional Chinese medicines.

Rapid discrimination of Citrus reticulata 'Chachi' by headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry fingerprints combined with principal component analysis.

Dried pericarps of Citrus reticulata 'Chachi', named Guangchenpi (GCP), have been used as both food and medicine in China for centuries. Due to its special flavour and taste, the price of GCP is much higher than those of dried pericarps from other Citrus reticulata Blanco varieties (collectively called "Chenpi", CP). Therefore, some CP have been disguised has GCP by dishonest businessmen to obtain a higher profit. In this study, a simple, rapid, effective and economic analytical method based on headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) was established to discriminate GCP and CP by their volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to extract meaningful attributes from VOCs based on the GC-IMS chromatograms and to give the analysis results. Twelve, 12 and 14 markers were identified and established as the characteristic fingerprints of GCP analysis of 45 batches of samples via SE-54, OV-1701 and Inter Cap WAX gas chromatographic columns, respectively. The PCA results indicated that GCP and CP could be effectively discriminated. This study confirmed the potential of HS-GC-IMS combined with PCA as a reliable analytical screening technique to discriminate between GCP and CP.

[Application of near infrared spectroscopy to identify authenticity of Polygonum multiflorum].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a near-infrared qualitative analysis model to identify the authenticity of Polygonum multiflo- rum and distinguish processed products Polygoni Multiflori Radix. METHOD: The NIR spectra were peformed on over 30 batches of P. multiflorum and Polygoni Multiflori Radix samples and the adulterants Cynanchum bungei, Pteroxygonum giraldii, Polygonum cillinerve to establish the qualitative discriminant model and the conformity test model of Polygonum multifiorum , and cluster analysis was used to analyze the samples from different origins. RESULT: The model is able to identify correctly P. multiflorum with its counterfeit, and distinguish between P. multiflorum and Polygoni multiflori Radix. CONCLUSION: Near-infrared spectroscopy can be applied in the identification of P. multiflorum, which could be used to screen Chinese herbal medicine preliminarily.