Abstract
Component fingerprints are a recognized method used worldwide to evaluate the quality of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). To foster the strengths and circumvent the weaknesses of the fingerprint technique in TCM, spectrum-effect relationships would complementarily clarify the nature of pharmacodynamic effects in the practice of TCM. The application of the spectrum-effect relationship method is crucial for understanding and interpreting TCM development, especially in the view of the trends towards TCM modernization and standardization. The basic requirement for using this method is in-depth knowledge of the active material basis and mechanisms of action. It is a novel and effective approach to study TCMs and great progress has been made, but to make it more accurate for TCM research purposes, more efforts are needed. In this review, the authors summarize the current knowledge about the spectrum-effect relationship method, including the fingerprint methods, pharmacodynamics studies and the methods of establishing relationships between the fingerprints and pharmacodynamics. Some speculation regarding future perspectives for spectrum-effect relationship approaches in TCM modernization and standardization are also proposed.
Highlights
Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been performing an increasingly important role in protecting health and controlling disease in China for thousands of years [1]
We suggest that establishing a continuous dynamic fingerprint with different polarity combinations can readily find the above functional components
There are a variety of methods to establish traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) fingerprints, including thin layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), high speed counter current chromatography (HSCCC), mass spectroscopy (MS) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) [105]
Summary
Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been performing an increasingly important role in protecting health and controlling disease in China for thousands of years [1]. Based on their long history of clinical use and sound effects in the treatment of numerous diseases, especially chronic diseases, TCMs are widely accepted and used by billions of people around the world. The healing efficacy of a TCM depends on the combined action of multiple components because it usually contains a lot of ingredients This can cause many difficulties to control the quality and in the search for the effective substance(s) of TCMs. numerous researchers have devoted themselves to devising various means to solve these problems [2]. As a hotspot of TCM studies, spectrum-effect relationship method research has gradually drawn extensive attention and has been supposed to provide a way to clarify the active materials of TCMs and control TCM quality
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