Identification of the absorbed components and metabolites of Zhi-Zi-Da-Huang decoction in rat plasma by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
Zhi-Zi-Da-Huang decoction (ZZDHD), consisting of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, Rheum palmatum L., Citrus aurantium L. and Sojae Semen Praeparatum, is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine preparation for the treatment of acute or chronic hepatic diseases. In the present study, a sensitive and selective ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) method was developed to separate and identify the absorbed components and metabolites in rat plasma after oral administration of ZZDHD. The plasma samples were pretreated by protein precipitation and separated on a Shim-pack XR-ODS C18 column (75 mm × 3.0 mm, 2.2 μm) using a gradient elution program. Mass spectrometric detection was performed on an Agilent 6520 Q-TOF mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionization (ESI) source in positive and negative ion modes. By comparing the retention time, high resolution mass data of blank plasma and dosed plasma, a total of 43 constituents, including 21 prototype compounds and 22 metabolites were identified or tentatively characterized. Results indicated that glucuronidation and sulfation were the main metabolic pathways of iridoid glycosides and anthraquinones, glucuronidation was the main metabolic pathways of flavanone-related compounds. It is concluded the developed UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS method with high sensitivity and resolution is suitable for identifying and characterizing the absorbed components and metabolites of ZZDHD, and the results will provide essential data for further studying the relationship between the chemical components and pharmacological activity of ZZDHD.
School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical College, 5 Jilin Street, Fengman District, Jilin 132013, China.
Heyun
H
Zhu
School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China.
Kaishun
K
Bi
School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China.
Fei
F
Han
School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China; School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical College, 5 Jilin Street, Fengman District, Jilin 132013, China.
Jiao
J
Guan
School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China.
Xiaoshu
X
Zhang
School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China.
Xinjuan
X
Mao
School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China.
Longshan
L
Zhao
School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China.
Qing
Q
Li
School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China.
Xiaohong
X
Hou
School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110016, China. Electronic address: yinran_syphu@163.com.
Ran
R
Yin
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry*; D057889:Iridoid Glycosides / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012250:Rheum / Q000737:chemistry*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods
D000880:Anthraquinones; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D057889:Iridoid Glycosides
Absorbed components; Identification; Metabolites; Quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry; Zhi-Zi-Da-Huang decoction