Systematic screening and characterization of the major bioactive components of Poria cocos and their metabolites in rats by LC-ESI-MS(n).
Poria cocos is a well-known medicinal plant widely used in China and other East Asian countries owing to its various therapeutic effects. However, the bioactive constituents responsible for the pharmacological effects of Poria cocos and their metabolites in vivo are still unclear to date. The aim of the present study was to develop a practical method based on the combined use of the liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization multistage tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS(n) ) for the comprehensive and systematic separation and characterization of the bioactive constituents of Poria cocos extract and their metabolites in rats. Based on the proposed strategy, a total of 34 compounds were characterized from the extract of Poria cocos. Among them, eight were unambiguously identified by comparing their retention times and mass spectra with those of reference standards, and 26 were tentatively identified on the basis of their MS(n) fragmentation behaviors and molecular weight information from literatures. In vivo, seven compounds were successfully detected in rat urine whereas one was found in rat plasma. This study proposed a series of potential bioactive components and provided helpful chemical information for further research on the action mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine.
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China.
Yun
Y
Ling
Mingcang
M
Chen
Ke
K
Wang
Zhaolin
Z
Sun
Zhixiong
Z
Li
Bin
B
Wu
Chenggang
C
Huang
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D055441:Poria / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000652:urine*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D014315:Triterpenes