Quality Control Of Herbal Medicines Research Articles

Promotion of a quality standard for Scutellariae radix based on the anti-inflammatory efficacy-oriented quality marker of the effect-constituent index.

The quality control of herbal medicines is key to their clinical efficacy. The multi-component and multi-effect characteristics of herbal medicines have prompted scholars to clarify various factors related to quality evaluation through various methods. Nevertheless, the relationship between chemical properties and their associated clinical efficacy is little reflected in the quality control techniques currently in use. To address the issue, a novel herbal quality standard system based on the efficacy-oriented Q-marker of the effect-constituent index (ECI) is promoted in this study, using Scutellariae Radix (SR), a widely used herbal medicine with anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, anti-viral and other therapeutic effects, as a case study. Combined with chromatographic analysis and bioassay, four Q-markers including baicalin, baicalein, wogonin and oroxylin A were selected based on the anti-inflammatory efficacy of SR. The ECI model of SR was constructed by combining the content determination of the Q-markers via ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectroscopy (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) with the corresponding biological potency obtained from the anti-inflammatory effects on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 production. Correlation analysis showed that the ECI was significantly correlated with the measured anti-inflammatory activity (p < 0.01). The ECI exhibited a good ability to determine and predict the bioeffect-based quality grade for SR. Overall, the construction and application of the ECI for SR in this study provides a beneficial reference for quality evaluation methods of other herbs with distinct effects and active ingredients.

Upgrading of Quality Control for Herbal Medicine Use in South Korea by Introducing an Accreditation System: a brief report.

This study aimed to present a government-led accreditation system for upgrading the quality control of herbal medicine by introducing the process and evaluation standard of external herbal dispensaries (EHDs) of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) clinics in South Korea 2018 to refer to other countries where herbal medicine were used similarly in Korea. We organized an EHD accreditation committee for the establishment of an accreditation system. The committee consisted of 9 experts an official of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHW), a professor expert of TKM, a good manufacturing practice expert, a hazard analysis and critical control point expert, and an accreditation system expert. After 3 meetings, a draft of the evaluation standard and evaluation system was established in 2017. Based on the draft, a pilot test was conducted to determine the applicability of the evaluation standards in 2017. Two additional meeting was held to confirm the accreditation standards and was finalized in 2018. The evaluation standard for EHDs was developed. In the case of herbal medicine EHDs, the evaluation standard consisted of 9 evaluation categories, 25 evaluation parts, and 81 evaluation items were developed. The results of the evaluation of the pilot tests are as follows, and the results show that there is a deviation between the EHDs. As a world's first, Korea MoHW successfully launched the accreditation system for upgrading the quality control system of herbal medicine not approved by Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2018. Our report hope to provide a good reference to other countries where having similar herbal medicine system in South Korea hoping to make better quality control of herbal medicines.

WHO guidelines for quality control of herbal medicines: From cultivation to consumption

WHO guidelines serve as a comprehensive framework for ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of herbal products throughout their lifecycle, from cultivation to consumption. Here's why adherence to these guidelines is crucial. By following WHO guidelines, manufacturers can implement practices that minimize the risks associated with herbal medicines, including contamination, adulteration, and variability in potency. This helps protect public health and ensures that consumers can use herbal products with confidence. Quality control measures recommended by WHO contribute to the consistency and reliability of herbal medicines. Standardization of production processes and the establishment of quality parameters help maintain the potency and efficacy of herbal products, leading to more predictable therapeutic outcomes. Adherence to WHO guidelines facilitates compliance with regulatory requirements established by national authorities and international bodies. Regulatory agencies often refer to WHO guidelines when developing regulations for the manufacturing, distribution, and labeling of herbal medicines. Compliance with these guidelines helps manufacturers meet regulatory standards and gain market authorization for their products. WHO guidelines provide a harmonized approach to quality control practices, promoting consistency and uniformity in the assessment of herbal medicines worldwide. This facilitates international trade and ensures that products manufactured in one country meet quality standards accepted globally, fostering trust and confidence among consumers and healthcare professionals. The systematic review highlights the ongoing efforts of WHO to review and update guidelines based on emerging scientific evidence and best practices. Adhering to these evolving guidelines encourages continuous improvement in quality control practices and fosters innovation in the herbal medicine industry.

HPLC analysis of costunolide from Costus speciosus (Koen ex. Retz.) Sm. plants of Chhattisgarh region

Costus speciosus (Koen ex. Retz.) Sm. is a medicinal plant known for its therapeutic properties, prominently attributed to its bioactive constituents like costunolide, diosgenin, eremanthin etc. This study presents a detailed investigation on the quantitative analysis of costunolide in Costus speciosus plants collected from different geographical regions of Chhattisgarh, employing High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technique. The research methodology involved the crude extraction of metabolites from the rhizome using methanol as solvent followed by HPLC analysis. The results revealed significant variations in the content of costunolide among the collected samples, possibly influenced by environmental factors and genetic variability. Moreover, phytochemical characterization of Costus speciosus extracts was conducted to complement the quantitative analysis. This study contributes to the understanding of the phytochemical profile of Costus speciosus plants in the Chhattisgarh region. The findings help to get the elite plant with significant concentration and hold implications for the standardization and quality control of herbal medicines derived from Costus speciosus, facilitating their utilization in pharmaceutical and therapeutic applications.

Penetapan Kadar Kuersetin pada Obat Herbal yang Mengandung Ekstrak Tempuyung (Sonchus arvensis) Menggunakan KLT Densitometri

Quercetin are the main marker compounds in extracts of Sonchus arvensis which show nephrolithiasis activity. For quality control of herbal medicines, Densitometric Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) method has been developed in this study using quercetin as phytochemical markers. Objective: Determination for quercetin in herbal medicines. Determination of quercetin by determining the composition of the mobile phase, the wavelength of the analysis, the saturation time, the elution distance and the volume of the spot. The parameters observed in the optimization method and stability test are area, retardation factor (Rf), peak shape and resolution (Rs). The composition of selected mobile phase which results good separation and symmetrical peak shape is chloroform: methanol: dichloromethane: acetonitrile: formic acid (6: 2: 2: 0.05: 0.05 v/v/v/v/v) with a wavelength of 335 nm, time of saturation is 30 minutes, elution distance is 8 cm, volume of spots is 10 µL and Rf 0.48. In this study, it was shown that there were no factors that had a significant effect so that the method could be applied for the determination of quercetin levels in herbal medicines.The research data showed that the range of levels on quercetin 3.26%.

Comparative study of Scleromitrion diffusum and Oldenlandia corymbosa: Microscopy, TLC, HPLC, and antioxidant activity.

Quality control of herbal medicines is crucial, especially the role of herbal drug identification. This is essential for preventing the misuse of herbs, which can affect efficacy or cause toxicity. Scleromitrion diffusum is a common herb, yet it is often mistaken for Oldenlandia corymbosa. This study analyzed the morphology, microscopy, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) using two markers, asperuloside and scandoside methyl ester, to distinguish between S. diffusum and O. corymbosa with the analysis included 10 samples of S. diffusum and 10 samples of O. corymbosa collected from the Taiwan market. By quantifying the total polyphenols and flavonoids, we investigated the antioxidant activity, including the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging effect, 2,2'-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•+) scavenging effect, and reducing power to further elucidate the biological effects of the two herbs. The results of this study revealed notable differences in microscopy and suggested a TLC method for distinguishing between the two herbs in the market. In HPLC, the ratios of asperuloside and scandoside methyl ester differed between the two herbs. S. diffusum contained a higher asperuloside content. In contrast, O. corymbosa contained higher concentrations of scandoside methyl esters. With more total polyphenols and flavonoids in S. diffusum than those in O. corymbosa, the antioxidant activity of S. diffusum was superior to that of O. corymbosa. This study provides a comprehensive understanding for the identification and quality evaluation of S. diffusum in the market. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The study consolidates and clarifies the morphological and microscopic differences between Scleromitrion diffusum and Oldenlandia corymbosa - a common adulterant species of S. diffusum on the Taiwan markets. Using Asperuloside and Scandoside methyl ester as two chemical markers, the study proposes a TLC method for rapidly testing S. diffusum and O. corymbosa on the market. Through HPLC analysis, our results showed that S. diffusum and O. corymbosa had a clear difference in the ratio of two markers, Asperuloside and Scandoside methyl ester: Asperuloside/Scandoside methyl ester in S. diffusum is higher than that in O. corymbosa. Through phytochemicals contents, including total phenols content, flavonoids content, and antioxidant activity, including DPPH, ABTS•+ scavenging activity, and reducing power, S. diffusum showed slightly higher levels of phenols and flavonoids as well as a better antioxidant activity than O. corymbosa.

Insight into Metabolomic Profiling of Tinospora cordifolia: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives of Quality Control

Abstract The objective of this study was to offer a review of previous works on Tinospora cordifolia (TC) metabolomics with a highlight on the use of metabolomics in comparative evaluations between varieties and selection of optimum cultivation, collection, and extraction procedures, providing insights into pharmaceutical and food product quality monitoring. Scholarly databases were searched to gather relevant information on TC’s therapeutic usefulness, phytoconstituent studies, metabolomics, and applications. PubChem was used to learn the structures of several of the metabolites. The various medicinal properties of TC were extensively researched. The most essential portions of the plant in Ayurvedic medicines are the stems. Bioactive phytochemicals such as steroidal lactones, alkaloids, diterpenoids, and phenolic compounds are present in the roots and leaves. Metabolomic analysis revealed that, in addition to the season and geographical region of the sample collected, the metabolite profiles of TC also depend on the parts of the plant taken as a sample and also the plant’s stage of growth. The amounts of secondary metabolites differed between morpho/chemotypes within the TC species. Despite the fact that research on TC began several decades ago, the diversity of phytoconstituents was not appreciated because of a lack of reliable techniques for phytochemical fingerprinting. The uncovering of several novel metabolites was aided by advances in chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. To produce a full metabolomic profile, researchers used mutually complementary techniques. Following that, data analysis and searches against spectrum databases allowed for signal annotation and interpretation of metabolites in large quantities without separating them separately. The current review includes a critical assessment of metabolomic data and an overview of the technique’s various applications. It is vital to establish the metrics of quality control of herbal medicines in order to accomplish formulation purity assessments. Such information would assist us in determining the best geolocation for the plants and the best time to harvest them. Metabolomic investigation of TC-based herbal products is recommended for quality standards and the identification of novel bioactive components.

Determination of Polyphenolic Compounds Present in Guduchyadi Kashaya Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

The utilization of various contemporary analytical methods has become indispensable when it comes to assessing polyherbal Ayurvedic formulations, aiming to ensure their quality, safety, and effectiveness. Quality control of herbal medicines involve analytical evaluation using instrumental techniques such as TLC, HPTLC, HPLC, GC-MS, LC-MS and spectrophotometer etc. Among them Liquid Chromatography with tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is a powerful hyphenated analytical technique that combines the separating power of liquid chromatography with the mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry. Generally, its application is oriented towards the specific detection and potential identification of chemicals in a complex mixture. Polyphenolic compounds are usually referred to as a diverse group of naturally occurring compounds containing multiple phenolic functionalities. The anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, antiproliferative, and antioxidant like biological properties of phenolic compounds have been described in several studies. This research study was taken to analyse polyphenolic compounds in Guduchyadi kashaya by LC-MS/MS. Phenolic compounds are abundant in the ingredients of Guduchyadi kashaya, as evidenced by previous studies. So, to determine the polyphenolic contents of Guduchyadi kashaya, this study was conducted. The quantification of the polyphenols was carried out on Shimadzu Shim Pack GISS C18 column with .1%formic acid as mobile phase. A total of 28 polyphenolic compounds were analysed, and 24 of these compounds were found to be present in Guduchyadi kashaya. The results showed that the phenolic compounds present in the ingredients were also present in the formulation in high abundance.

Existing status and future advancements of adulteration detection techniques in herbal products.

Herbal products have been commonly used all over the world for centuries. Its products have gained remarkable acceptance as therapeutic agents for a variety of disorders. However, following recent research disclosing discrepancies between labeling and actual components of herbal products, there is growing concern about the efficacy, quality and safety of the products. The admixture and adulteration of herbal medicinal products pose a risk of serious health compromise and the well-being of the consumers. To prevent adulteration in raw ingredients and final herbal products, it is necessary to use approaches to assess both genomes as well as metabolomics of the products; this offers quality assurance in terms of product identification and purity. The combinations of molecular and analytical methods are inevitable for thorough verification and quality control of herbal medicine. This review discusses the combination of DNA barcoding, DNA metabarcoding, mass spectroscopy as well as HPLC for the authentication of herbal medicine and determination of the level of adulteration. It also discusses the roles of PCR and real-time PCR techniques in validating and ensuring the quality, purity and identity of the herbal products. In conclusion, each technique has its own pros and cons, but the cumulative of both the chemical and molecular methods is proven to be the best strategy for adulteration detection. Moreover, CRISPR diagnosis tools equipped with multiplexing techniques may be implemented for screening adulteration from herbal drugs, this will play a crucial role in herbal product authentication in the future.

METHODOLOGY OF SPECIFIC ENZYME BIOTEST-SYSTEMS IN VITRO APPLICATION IN HERBAL MEDICINES COMPLEX LABORATORY QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM

Relevance. Improving methods for quality control of medicines, including those of plant origin, is one of the urgent tasks of modern pharmaceutical science and practice. The growing interest in herbal medicine stimulates not only the expansion of the diversity of raw materials and the development of new drugs, but also the constant improvement of approaches and methods for controlling their quality. The purpose of the study is to develop a methodology for the use of specific in vitro enzyme biotest systems (IBTS) in complex laboratory quality control of herbal medicines for additional assessment of their biological activity, which determines therapeutic effectiveness, in addition to physical, physicochemical, and chemical indicators. Material and methods. We used in silico (PASS), in vitro (specific enzyme biotest systems) and in vivo (experimental models) methods. Results. A method has been developed for the use of specific in vitro enzyme biotest systems (IBTS) in complex laboratory quality control of medi-cines, as well as methods of physical, physico-chemical, and chemical analysis to assess their biological properties, which determine the therapeutic effectiveness of medicines. Conclusions. Specific enzyme biotest systems make it possible to identify the specific biological activity of research objects and confirm the feasibil-ity of their use in an in vitro quality control system for herbal medicines at different stages of their life cycle, as demonstrated by the example of ex-tracts from native and biotechnological raw materials, as well as experimental dosage forms, developed at FGBNU VILAR, and comparison drugs.

Characterization and comparison of cardiomyocyte protection activities of non-starch polysaccharides from six ginseng root herbal medicines

Ginseng is rich of polysaccharides, however, the evidence supporting polysaccharides to distinguish various ginseng species is rarely reported. Focusing on six root ginseng (e.g., Panax ginseng-PG, P. quinquefolius-PQ, P. notoginseng-PN, red ginseng-RG, P. japonicus-PJ, and P. japonicus var. major-PJM), the contained non-starch polysaccharides (NPs) were structurally characterized and compared by both the chemical and biological evaluation. Holistic fingerprinting at three levels (the NPs and the acid hydrolysates involving oligosaccharides and monosaccharides) utilized various chromatography methods, and the treatment of H9c2 cells with the NPs by OGD and H2O2-induced injury models was used to assess the protective effect. NPs from six Panax herbal medicines occupied about 20 % of the total polysaccharides, which were of the highest content in RG and the lowest in PN. NPs from six ginseng exhibited weak differentiations in the molecular weight distribution, while marker oligosaccharides were found to distinguish PN and RG from the others. Glc and GalA were more abundant in the NPs for PG and RG, respectively. NPs from PQ (100/200 μg/mL) showed significant cardiomyocyte protection effect by regulating the mitochondrial functions. This work further testifies the role of polysaccharides in quality control of herbal medicine, with new markers discovered beneficial to distinguish the ginseng.

Reversed phase‐high‐performance liquid chromatography simultaneous estimation of phenolic compounds in hydroalcoholic extract of Potentilla fulgens root

AbstractThe roots of Potentilla fulgengs have been utilized for a long time as an astringent and tonic for treating gum and tooth diseases, microbial contagions, inflammation, diabetes mellitus, and wounds and are rich in polyphenols and flavonoids. Authentication and constant excellence are the rudimentary limitations of herbal medicines and their complexity is a key challenge for quality control. High‐performance liquid chromatography has become an important technique for the quality control of herbal medicines because of its simplicity and uniformity. It can be applied for the identification, confirmation, and quality control of herbal medicines. So, an approach using reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of phenolic compounds in the hydroalcoholic extract (methanol:water::70:30% v/v) of Potentilla fulgens roots. The results revealed that ellagic acid was found in the highest amount (8.191 ± 0.463 mg/g) followed by rutin (5.429 ± 0.062 mg/g) and caffeic acid (3.032 ± 0.453 mg/g) among the studied phenolic compounds while quercetin was not detected. The validation parameters involved selectivity, linearity, range, limits of detection and quantitation, precision, and accuracy. All calibration curves were linear (R2 &gt; 0.99) within the range, and good precision (relative standard deviation &lt; 2.0%) and recovery (96.129%–117.110%) were found for all standards.

Quality control of herbal medicines in hyperlipidaemia: Metabolomics approach

Hyperlipidaemia is one of the essential public health risk factors that can cause other metabolic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Dieting and healthy lifestyle have been among the primary approaches. However, medication is required to regulate the lipid profile in some instances. Therefore, there has been an increase in interest in using or integrating herbal medicine with modern medicine in treating hyperlipidaemia. Nonetheless, preparing standardised herbal extract or products has been one of the major challenges in the herbal industry. Standardising herbal extract or product (single plant-based or mixture of multiple herbs) is needed to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of the herbal maintained from batch to batch before it is released to the market. The present review thus evaluates several herbal plants with anti-hyperlipidaemic activities, quality control using chemical markers, and metabolomics application in herbal plants.

Chemometric Approach for Profiling of Metabolites of Potential Antioxidant Activity in Apiaceae Species Based on LC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS and FT-NIR

Chemometrics is a tool for data mining and unlocking the door for solving big data queries. Apiaceae is a family species which is commonly cultivated worldwide. Although members of this species are widely used as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory agents, their metabolites profiling remains ambiguous. Based on WHO support, chemometrics has been used in evaluating the quality and authenticity of the herbal products. The objective of this study is to profile and characterize phenolic metabolites in nine species from Egyptian cultivars and three different species of German cultivars from the Apiaceae family using multivariate analysis after LC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS and near infrared spectroscopy data are generated. Principal component analysis was successfully applied to distinguish between the nine Egyptian cultivars and the three German cultivars, and hierarchical cluster analysis also confirmed this distinctive clustering. Partial least square regression (PLS-R) models showed a relationship between phytochemicals and antioxidant activities. The metabolites responsible for the clustering pattern and variables important for projection (VIP) were identified, being twelve amongst nine Egyptian cultivar samples and thirteen amongst the Egyptian cultivar and the German cultivar comparison. The identified VIPs were also correlated with the antioxidant activity using PLS-R. In conclusion, the study showed novelty in the application of hyphenated analytical techniques and chemometrics that assist in quality control of herbal medicine.

WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Chinese Medicine: Use in Context, Creatively

WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Chinese Medicine: Use in Context, Creatively

Analysis of quality differences between Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Scutellaria rehderiana Diels based on phytochemistry and bioactivity evaluation

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (SG) and Scutellaria rehderiana Diels (SD) belong to the same genus of Scutellaria in the Labiatae (Lamiaceae) family. SG is confirmed as the medicinal source according to the Chinese Pharmacopeia, but SD is often used as a substitute for SG due to its abundant plant resources. However, the current quality standards are far from sufficient to judge the quality differences between SG and SD. In this study, an integrated strategy of “biosynthetic pathway (specificity) - plant metabolomics (difference) - bioactivity evaluation (effectiveness)” was established to evaluate this quality differences. First, an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS) method was developed for the identification of chemical components. The abundant components information was obtained and the characteristic constituents were screened according to the location in the biosynthetic pathway as well as species specificity. Then, plant metabolomics combined with multivariate statistical analysis to find differential components between SG and SD. The chemical markers for quality analysis were determined based on the differential and characteristic components, and the content of each marker was tentatively evaluated through the semi-quantitative analysis of UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS. Finally, the anti-inflammatory activity of SG and SD was compared by measuring the inhibitory effect on the release of NO from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Under this analytical strategy, a total of 113 compounds were tentatively identified in both SG and SD, among which baicalein, wogonin, chrysin, oroxylin A 7-O-β-D-glucuronoside, pinocembrin and baicalin were selected as chemical markers due to their species characteristics and differentiation. The contents of oroxylin A 7-O-β-D-glucuronoside and baicalin was higher in SG, and the others were higher in SD. In addition, both SG and SD exhibited prominent anti-inflammatory activity, but SD was less effective. The analysis strategy combining phytochemistry and bioactivity evaluation realized the scientific evaluation of the intrinsic quality differences between SG and SD, which provides a reference for fully utilizing and expanding the medicinal resources, and also provides a reference for the comprehensive quality control of herbal medicines.

Development, transfer and validation of a HPLC-DAD method for analysis of six herbal medicines marketed in D.R. Congo: Fingerprinting and stability study

ContextPhytomedicines, also known as improved traditional medicines (ITMs), are increasingly used in the management of diseases throughout the world. While quality control widely known to be an essential tool that can ensure the efficacy and safety of health products, most ITMs lack appropriate analytical methods for their control. The aim of this study was to develop a reliable analytical method for the quality control of ITMs commonly used in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (D.R. Congo). For this purpose the method needs to be validated and transferred. ObjectivesThe objective of this research was to develop, transfer, and validate an affordable, rapid and easily implementable analytical method by HPLC-DAD for the quality control of herbal medicines marketed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Also, to determine these drugs fingerprint and their stability under accelerated conditions. MethodsChromatographic separation was achieved using two chromatographic columns, an XBridge C18 (250 × 4.6 mm i.d.; 5 μm particle size) and an XBridge C18 (100 × 4.6 mm i.d.; 3.5 μm particle size), column maintained at 30 °C. The mobile phase consisted of a gradient mixture of mobile phases A (acetonitrile) and B (aqueous solution of trifluoroacetic acid 0.05%) pumped at 1.0 mL/min. UV detection was performed at 280 nm. The method using the short column was validated using the total extracts as references. The strategy of total error was used to decide on the reliability of the method taking into account the acceptance limits fixed at ± 10%. ResultsThe validation results show that the developed HPLC-DAD method presented an adequate trueness, linearity, precision and accuracy. Two extra peaks found in the finish products did not interfere with phytomarkers, thus confirming the selectivity of the developed method as appropriate chromatographic profiles. The method was successfully used to determine the content of the phytomarkers in six ITMs. Furthermore, we could notice that the ITMs submitted to the accelerated degradation studies remained chemically stable over six months of harsh treatments. ConclusionA generic method of analysis of herbal medicines was developed using HPLC-DAD, and subsequently validated before being applied in a stability study of these drugs. The proposed method holds the promise of providing a new tool for quality product development in the field of traditional herbal medicines.

Integrating serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology to identify chemical markers for quality control of Apocyni Veneti Folium.

Apocyni Veneti Folium (AVF) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal herb for the treatment of hypertension. Chemical markers are crucial for the quality control of herbal medicines; however, the therapeutic components of AVF remain to be well elucidated. This study was intended to integrate serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology to identify chemical markers of AVF and establish an efficacy-related quality control method of AVF. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) was applied to identify the absorbed AVF constituents in rat serum. Network pharmacology was further used to identify anti-hypertension-related chemical markers. Subsequently, a quantitative method was established using UPLC with diode array detection (DAD) and applied for quality evaluation of commercial AVF samples. Thirteen prototype constituents were unequivocally or tentatively characterized in serum samples, among which quercetin, kaempferol, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, and neochlorogenic acid were identified as dominant chemicals related to anti-hypertensive efficacy. The quantitative data showed that the total contents of seven marker components even showed 2-fold variation among 14 batches of commercial AVF samples with RSD values ranging from 12.15% to 75.61%. Hierarchical cluster analysis and heatmap analysis showed that 14 batches of commercial AVF samples could be divided into three main groups. The chemical markers obtained from this study could be applicable for efficacy-related quality control of AVF.

Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) in the Screening of Botanicals-Its Versatile Potential and Selected Applications.

The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive overview of the main aims and scopes in screening of botanicals, a task of which thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is, on an everyday basis, confronted with and engaged in. Stunning omnipresence of this modest analytical technique (both in its standard format (TLC) and the high-performance one (HPTLC), either hyphenated or not) for many analysts might at a first glance appear chaotic and random, with an auxiliary rather than leading role in research, and not capable of issuing meaningful final statements. Based on these reflections, our purpose is not to present a general review paper on TLC in screening of botanicals, but a blueprint rather (illustrated with a selection of practical examples), which highlights a sovereign and important role of TLC in accomplishing the following analytical tasks: (i) solving puzzles related to chemotaxonomy of plants, (ii) screening a wide spectrum of biological properties of plants, (iii) providing quality control of herbal medicines and alimentary and cosmetic products of biological origin, and (iv) tracing psychoactive plants under forensic surveillance.

Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging Illustrates the Quality Characters of Isatidis Radix

For a long history, herbal medicines have made significant contributions to human health all around the world. However, the exploration of an effective approach to illustrate their inner quality remains a challenge. So, it is imperative to develop new methods and technologies to characterize and identify quality markers of herbal medicines. Taking Isatidis Radix, the dried root of Isatis indigotica as an example, desorption electrospray ionization (DESI), in combination with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF/MS), was applied in this work for the first time to reveal the comprehensive spatial distribution of metabolites and, further, to illustrate quality characters of this herbal medicine. After simple pretreatment, 102 metabolites including alkaloids, sulfur-containing compounds, phenylpropanoids, nucleosides, amino acids, organic acids, flavonoids, phenols, terpenes, saccharides, peptides, and sphingolipids were characterized, some of which were successfully localized and visualized in the transverse section of the root. Based on the ion images, samples with different quality characters were distinguished unambiguously by the pattern recognition method of orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA). Simultaneously, 11 major influencing components exerting higher ion intensities in superior samples were identified as the potential quality markers of Isatidis Radix. Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), together with chemometric analysis could not only improve the understanding of the plant biology of herbal medicines but also be beneficial in the identification of quality markers, so as to carry out better quality control of herbal medicines.