Component analysis and antiasthmatic effects of Huashanshen dripping pill

Abstract

Huashanshen dripping pill (HSS), a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in China due to its properties of antiasthma, expectorant, and antitussive. However, it was less in-depth understanding of the chemical composition, their absorption in plasma and potential biological mechanism. In this research, ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was developed to simultaneously identify the chemical constituents and absorption in rat plasma after oral administration of HSS. IgE-sensitized to ovalbumin was induced in BALB/c mice. ELISA and molecular docking analysis were carried out to identify their antiasthmatic mechanisms. As a result, 11 compounds were tentatively characterized by comparing the retention time, ion fragments, and the accurate mass measurement of [M + H]+ ions in the HSS. Two alkaloids including d-anisodamine and l-anisodamine were identified in the rat plasma after oral administration of HSS. The pills alleviated airway inflammation in lung tissues, and inhibited IgE, IL-4, and IL-5 in the serum. Furthermore, there were several amino acid residues involved in anisodamine-targeting receptors of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions via molecular docking indication. All in all, anisodamine would be the main component in the HSS whose antiasthmatic effects based on the inhibition of IgE, IL-4, and IL-5 production.