The Profiling and Identification of the Absorbed Constituents and Metabolites of Guizhi Decoction in Rat Plasma and Urine by Rapid Resolution Liquid Chromatography Combined with Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Guizhi decoction (GZD), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription consisting of Ramulus Cinnamomi, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Radix Glycyrrhizae, Fructus Jujubae and Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens, is usually used for the treatment of common colds, influenza, and other pyretic conditions in the clinic. However, the absorbed ingredients and metabolic compounds of GZD have not been reported. In this paper, a method incorporating rapid resolution liquid chromatography (RRLC) with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS) was used to identify ingredients after oral administration of GZD. Identification of the primary components in GZD, drug-containing serum and urine samples was carried out in order to investigate the assimilation and metabolites of the decoction in vivo. By comparing the total ion chromatograms (TICs) of GZD, a total of 71 constituents were detected or characterized. By comparing TICs of blank and dosed rat plasma, a total of 15 constituents were detected and identified as prototypes according to their retention time (tR) and MS, MS/MS data. Based on this, neutral loss scans of 80 and 176 Da in samples of rat plasma and urine helped us to identify most of the metabolites. Results showed that the predominant metabolic pathways of (epi) catechin and gallic acid were sulfation, methylation, glucuronidation and dehydroxylation; the major metabolic pathways of flavone were hydrolysis, sulfation and glucuronidation. Furthermore, degradation, oxidation and ring fission were found to often occur in the metabolism process of GZD in vivo.

Systematic investigation for the mechanisms and the substance basis of Yang–Xin–Ding–Ji capsule based on the metabolite profile and network pharmacology

“…The saponins detected in the YXDJ capsule were mainly triterpenoid saponins, which were the bioactive ingredients of Radix Glycyrrhizae. For saponin-related metabolites, the biotransformation pathways included glycosylation and demethylation, which were consistent with previous publications (Huang et al, 2018;Xiang et al, 2016).…”

Quality Grade Evaluation of Nvjin Pills Based on TCMRD and Application of Network Pharmacology to Explore the Anti- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Activity of Focused Compounds

“…As for paeoni orin, ferulic acid and paeonol, these three indicative components exist in the multi-CMMs in the herbal formula of NJP, but their minimum limits in the corresponding CMM are not speci ed all, and their contents vary greatly [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]. Therefore, the second grade limit for the three markers in NJP was speci ed as 60% of their mean contents in three TCMRDs.…”

To Predict Anti-Inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Targets of Guizhi Decoction in Treating Asthma Based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and Experimental Validation

“…Modern pharmacology studies have shown that GZD has two-way regulation effects on sweat glands, body temperature, immune function, gastrointestinal motility, blood pressure, etc. [ 13 , 33 , 34 ]. It also has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antiallergic, analgesic, hypoglycemic, and cardiovascular protection effects [ 13 , 35 , 36 ].…”