中药复方九味汤化学成分鉴定及质谱裂解规律研究

Identification of Chemical Components in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula of Jiuwei Decoction and Investigation of Mass Spectrometric Fragmentation Pathway

  • 摘要: 基于超高效液相色谱-四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱(UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS)技术,建立了中药复方九味汤中化学成分的鉴定方法。在样品处理过程中,采用超声/微波辅助萃取技术提取九味汤中的有效成分。提取液经Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18色谱柱(150 mm×2.1 mm,1.7 µm)分离,在电喷雾正、负离子模式下电离,四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱仪检测。采用全扫描-数据依赖型二级质谱扫描(Full MS/dd-MS2)模式采集数据,Xcalibur 4.1软件对数据进行色谱峰对齐和提取,随后将母离子和碎片离子的精确质量数信息与中药成分高分辨质谱数据库(OTCML)及自建数据库进行匹配,共鉴定出黄酮类、生物碱类、萜类、苯丙素类、氨基酸类、有机酸类、甾体类等144种化合物,并对代表性化合物的质谱裂解规律进行解析。本研究可为进一步揭示九味汤的药理作用提供科学依据。

     

    Abstract: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), both a longstanding medical practice in Asia and an increasingly utilized supplement or alternative medicine in Western countries, has become a focal point within the life sciences in recent years. TCM formulations represent a cornerstone of treatment, with their chemical composition serving as the fundamental basis for their pharmacological effects. However, the intricate nature of chemical composition, low abundance of various constituents, and presence of numerous isomeric compounds, alongside interactions among different medicinal substances, render the effective separation and identification of the components in TCM herbs challenging by using traditional analytical methods. In this study, an analytical method of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap HRMS) was developed for identifying the chemical components in the traditional Chinese medicine formula of Jiuwei decoction. The sample pretreatment method involved ultrasonic/microwave-assisted extraction, ensuring comprehensive extraction of the active components in Jiuwei decoction. Parameters of this extraction included a microwave power at 300 W, ultrasonic power at 340 W, temperature at 45 ℃, and an extraction duration of 30 min. Subsequent to extraction, chromatographic separation was achieved using a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (150 mm×2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) at 30 ℃, with an injection volume of 2 μL per run. The mobile phase consisted of water with 0.1% formic acid (A) and acetonitrile (B) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. Before entering the quadrupole/Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometer for detection, samples underwent ionization under both positive and negative ion modes. Data acquisition was then conducted in full MS scan/data-dependent MS/MS scan (Full MS/dd-MS2) acquisition mode. Following data collection, chromatographic peak alignment and extraction were performed using the Xcalibur 4.1 software. Accurate mass information of precursor ions and fragment ions was meticulously compared with various databases, including the Orbitrap Traditional Chinese Medicine Library (OTCML), as well as other online databases such as TCMSP, ChemSpider, PubChem, PubMed, and Web of Science, in addition to a self-curated database for identification purposes. A total of 144 compounds are successfully identified, encompassing 24 flavonoids, 30 alkaloids, 12 terpenes, 23 phenylpropanoids, 26 phenols, 10 amino acids, 7 organic acids, 5 steroids, and 7 other types of compounds. Among these compounds, alkaloids such as sinomenine, phellodendrine, magnoflorine, isocorydine, and corydinematrine exhibit notably high contents and mass spectrometric responses, whereas flavonoids and saponins display comparatively lower MS responses. The herbal sources of these compounds were identified, and the fragmentation patterns of representative compounds were thoroughly analyzed. This study provides a precise identification of the chemical constituents in Jiuwei decoction, thus furnishing a robust scientific foundation for further exploration into its pharmacological effects and mechanisms of action. Moreover, this study serves as an invaluable reference for the analysis of the chemical composition of TCM formulations. Nonetheless, it is crucial to acknowledge the inherent limitations and scopes of various analytical methods and instruments. Therefore, in the pursuit of analyzing active components in TCMs, it is advisable to delve deeper into separation and identification through the utilization of diverse techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, ultraviolet/infrared spectroscopy, and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry.

     

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