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

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...

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Main Authors: Jia-yu ZHAO, Yue-guang LYU, Tong XIN, Qian-qian GUO, Wen-ying ZHANG, Jin-hong LI, Hong-yu XUE, Qiang MA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Editorial Board of Journal of Chinese Mass Spectrometry Society 2025-01-01
Series:Zhipu Xuebao
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Online Access:https://zpxb.xml-journal.net/article/doi/10.7538/zpxb.2024.0042
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author Jia-yu ZHAO
Yue-guang LYU
Tong XIN
Qian-qian GUO
Wen-ying ZHANG
Jin-hong LI
Hong-yu XUE
Qiang MA
author_facet Jia-yu ZHAO
Yue-guang LYU
Tong XIN
Qian-qian GUO
Wen-ying ZHANG
Jin-hong LI
Hong-yu XUE
Qiang MA
author_sort Jia-yu ZHAO
collection DOAJ
description 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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spelling doaj-art-16ed7c1a9dc743bf8213b6c595642e202025-01-22T02:33:54ZengEditorial Board of Journal of Chinese Mass Spectrometry SocietyZhipu Xuebao1004-29972025-01-01461112510.7538/zpxb.2024.00422024-042-c10Identification and Mass Spectrometric Fragmentation Pathways of Chemical Components in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula of Jiuwei DecoctionJia-yu ZHAO0Yue-guang LYU1Tong XIN2Qian-qian GUO3Wen-ying ZHANG4Jin-hong LI5Hong-yu XUE6Qiang MA7School of Chemical Engineering, Ocean and Life Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, ChinaChinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, ChinaSchool of Chemical Engineering, Ocean and Life Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, ChinaSchool of Chemical Engineering, Ocean and Life Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, ChinaSchool of Chemical Engineering, Ocean and Life Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, ChinaSchool of Chemical Engineering, Ocean and Life Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, ChinaSchool of Chemical Engineering, Ocean and Life Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin 124221, ChinaChinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100176, ChinaTraditional 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.https://zpxb.xml-journal.net/article/doi/10.7538/zpxb.2024.0042jiuwei decoctionultrasonic/microwave-assisted extraction (umae)ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (uhplc-q/orbitrap hrms)fragmentation pathway
spellingShingle Jia-yu ZHAO
Yue-guang LYU
Tong XIN
Qian-qian GUO
Wen-ying ZHANG
Jin-hong LI
Hong-yu XUE
Qiang MA
Identification and Mass Spectrometric Fragmentation Pathways of Chemical Components in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula of Jiuwei Decoction
Zhipu Xuebao
jiuwei decoction
ultrasonic/microwave-assisted extraction (umae)
ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (uhplc-q/orbitrap hrms)
fragmentation pathway
title Identification and Mass Spectrometric Fragmentation Pathways of Chemical Components in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula of Jiuwei Decoction
title_full Identification and Mass Spectrometric Fragmentation Pathways of Chemical Components in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula of Jiuwei Decoction
title_fullStr Identification and Mass Spectrometric Fragmentation Pathways of Chemical Components in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula of Jiuwei Decoction
title_full_unstemmed Identification and Mass Spectrometric Fragmentation Pathways of Chemical Components in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula of Jiuwei Decoction
title_short Identification and Mass Spectrometric Fragmentation Pathways of Chemical Components in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula of Jiuwei Decoction
title_sort identification and mass spectrometric fragmentation pathways of chemical components in the traditional chinese medicine formula of jiuwei decoction
topic jiuwei decoction
ultrasonic/microwave-assisted extraction (umae)
ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (uhplc-q/orbitrap hrms)
fragmentation pathway
url https://zpxb.xml-journal.net/article/doi/10.7538/zpxb.2024.0042
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