Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To identify the chemical composition of Juyuan Decoction and its exposed components in serum and tissues after oral administration in mice using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS).
METHODS Healthy male C57/BL6J mice(n=12) were divided into a blank group(n=3) receiving purified water and an administration group(n=9) receiving Juyuan Decoction extract at 43.2 g·kg−1 by gavage. Serum and tissue samples were collected at 0.5, 1.5, 3 h, followed by protein precipitation for pretreatment. MS data acquisition was performed, and the chemical composition of Juyuan Decoction as well as exposed prototype components entering the blood and tissues after oral administration were identified by comparison with reference standards, literature, and secondary MS fragmentation information from databases.
RESULTS A total of 225 chemical components were identified from Juyuan Decoction, including 112 terpenoids(saponins), 61 flavonoids, 27 organic acids, 11 alkaloids, 5 phenylethanoid glycosides, 4 lignans, 2 coumarins, and 3 others. After oral administration, 52 prototype components were detected in serum, 10 in lung, 30 in heart, 54 in liver, 56 in spleen, 118 in kidney, and 44 in ileum. Among them, 5-O-feruloylquinic acid, neoliquiritin, 7,4’-dihydroxyflavone, formononetin, cimiside, cimiracemoside A, and 24-epi-7,8-dihydroxycimigenol-3-O-xyloside were found in serum and all tissues examined.
CONCLUSION Based on UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, the chemical composition of Juyuan Decoction and its blood- and tissue-exposed components were rapidly identified, providing key substance information for subsequent establishment of quality standards and multi-component pharmacokinetic studies of Juyuan Decoction.