Study on anti-hyperuricemia effects and active ingredients of traditional Tibetan medicine TongFengTangSan (TFTS) by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

TongFengTangSan (TFTS), a traditional Tibetan medicine comprising of Tinospora sinensis (TS), Terminalia chebula Retz (TC) and Trogopterori faeces (TF), is used to treat joint diseases like gout, gout arthritis, swelling, pain etc. Despite the significant therapeutic effects of TFTS, its pharmacological components have not been analyzed so far. Therefore, the chemical composition of the effective part of TFTS was analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). The results show that the ethanol extract (EE) of TFTS was more effective in reducing the serum uric acid (SUA) and XOD (Serum and Liver) levels in a hyperuricemic rats model compared to the TFTS raw powder (RP). UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS identified a total of 106 compounds in the positive and negative ion mode, of which 87 were from TC, 13 from TS and 6 from TF. In addition, 106 compounds contained 57 tannins, 6 triterpenoids, 10 alkaloids, 7 flavonoids, 22 organic acids and 4 phenylpropanoids. The preliminary results indicate that the EE of TFTS includes the active anti hyperuricemic substances. The present study first investigated the efficacy and the active components of TFTS in hyperuricemic treatment, and further summarized the diagnostic ion and neutral loss patterns of MS/MS cracking of tannic compounds. These findings lay the foundation for the further study and clinical application of TFTS.

[Quantitative analysis of phenolic acids in ainsliaea fragrans from different habitats].

OBJECTIVE: The contents of major phenolic acids in Ainsliaea fragrans from different habitats were determined,in order to improve quality standards of Ainsliaea fragrans and provide reference for optimization its daodi habitat. METHODS: Separation and determination of two kinds of phenolic acids, caffeoylquinic acids (CQA)and dicaffeoylquinic acid (DCQA), in Ainsliaea fragrans were carried out by RP-HPLC with Cosmosil RP-C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm), acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid solution as mobile phase at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, detection wavelength at 328 nm and column temperature at 35 °C. RESULTS: CQA and DCQA were uneven in Ainsliaea fragrans from different habitats. In the sample from Wuyuan, Jiujiang and Shangrao in Jiangxi, the contents of phenolic acids were higher than those from other habitats significantly. The sample from Guangxi habitat had the lowest phenolic acids content. And the chlorogenic acid and 3,5-DCQAs' percentage were higher than other phenolic acids. CONCLUSION: This method is accurate and easy with good repeatability, which can be used in determination of eight phenolic acids in Ainsliaea fragrans from different habitats. Ainsliaea fragrans in Jiangxi Province has good qulity.

Simultaneous quantification of polymethoxylated flavones and coumarins in Fructus aurantii and Fructus aurantii immaturus using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS.

The major lipid-soluble constituents in Fructus aurantii (zhiqiao) and Fructus aurantii immaturus (zhishi) are polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) and coumarins. In the present study, a high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method was developed to quantify PMFs (nobiletin, tangeretin, 5-hydroxy-6,7,8,4'-tetramethoxyflavone, and natsudaidai) and coumarins (marmin, meranzin hydrate, and auraptene) simultaneously. PMFs and coumarins were detected by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in positive ion mode and quantified with multiple reaction monitor. Samples were separated on a Diamonsil C18 (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) column using acetonitrile and formic acid-water solution as a mobile phase in gradient mode with a flow rate at 0.5 mL/min. All calibration curves showed good linearity (r² > 0.9977) within the test ranges. Variations of the intraday and interday precisions were less than 4.07%. The recoveries of the components were within the range of 95.79%-105.04% and the relative standard deviations were less than 3.82%. The method developed was validated with acceptable accuracy, precision, and extraction recoveries and can be applied for the identification and quantification of four PMFs and three coumarins in citrus herbs.