Abstract
Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS) was developed for rapid and sensitive analysis of the effect of rice wine on the metabolites of the main components of herbal medicine in rat urine. Using Cornus officinalis as a model of herbal medicine, the metabolite profiles of crude and processed (steaming the crude drug presteeped in rice wine) Cornus officinalis extracts in rat urine were investigated. The metabolites of Cornus officinalis were identified by using dynamic adjustment of the fragmentor voltage to produce structure-relevant fragment ions. In this work, we identified the parent compounds and metabolites of crude and processed Cornus officinalis in rats. In total, three parent compounds and seventeen new metabolites of Cornus officinalis were found in rats. The contents of the parent compounds and metabolites in vivo varied significantly after intragastric (i.g.) administration of aqueous extracts of crude and processed Cornus officinalis. Data from this study suggests that UPLC-QTOF/MS could be used as a potential tool for uncovering the effects of excipients found in the metabolites of the main components of herbal medicine, in vivo, to predict and discover the processing mechanisms of herbal medicine.
Highlights
The processing of Chinese materia medica is based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and has undergone continual development and refinement for thousands of years
We expected that in addition to the major iridoid glycosides in Cornus officinalis extract, several metabolites would be detected in rat urine
We identified three iridoid glycosides in crude Cornus officinalis and its processed extracts, including morroniside, loganin, and sweroside, by comparing their retention times and MS data with established standards
Summary
The processing of Chinese materia medica is based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and has undergone continual development and refinement for thousands of years. Traditional processing and treatment of TCM utilize a range of decoction pieces, with the aim of altering the nature of the medicine to accommodate different clinical dispensings and preparation requirements [1, 2]. Fire and wine are utilized in heat and excipient treatments in many herbs, respectively [3]. The processing of Chinese materia medica with excipients has a long history and the efficacy of treatment can be enhanced by using a combination of excipient treatments. The inherent property of such medicine can be improved through these processes to improve its treatment efficacy, which is often achieved by heating the medicine and excipient together.
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