title: Integrating targeted glycomics and untargeted metabolomics to investigate the processing chemistry of herbal medicines, a case study on Rehmanniae Radix.
abstract: It is well-recognized that multiple components, the majority of which are secondary metabolites and carbohydrates, collectively contribute to the therapeutic effects of herbal medicines. The chemical characterization of herbal medicines has focused extensively on secondary metabolites but has largely overlooked carbohydrates. Here, we proposed an integrated chromatographic technique based targeted glycomics and untargeted metabolomics strategy simultaneously determining carbohydrates and secondary metabolites for the overall chemical profiling of herbal medicines; this strategy was successfully exemplified in an investigation of processing chemistry of Rehmanniae Radix (RR), a Chinese medicinal herb. It was demonstrated that the integrated strategy holistically illuminated the variations in the glycome and metabolome of RR samples processed by the traditionally-adopted nine cycles of steaming and drying, and further elucidated the processing-induced chemical transformation mechanisms of carbohydrates and secondary metabolites, and thereby revealed the inherent chemical connections between carbohydrates and secondary metabolites. The result suggested that the proposed strategy meets the technical demands for the overall chemical characterization of herbal medicines, and therefore could serve as a powerful tool for deciphering the scientific basis of herbal medicines.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China; Department of Metabolomics, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Jiangsu Branch of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jin-Di
authors: JD
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Metabolomics, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Jiangsu Branch of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Shan-Shan
authors: SS
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Qian
authors: Q
authors: Mao
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Ming
authors: M
authors: Kong
authors: Department of Metabolomics, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Jiangsu Branch of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Shen
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China; Department of Metabolomics, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Jiangsu Branch of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xiu-Yang
authors: XY
authors: Li
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China; Department of Metabolomics, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Jiangsu Branch of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Su-Min
authors: SM
authors: Duan
authors: School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong. Electronic address: davidxujun@hkbu.edu.hk.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China; Department of Metabolomics, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Jiangsu Branch of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: songlinli64@126.com.
authors: Song-Lin
authors: SL
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002845:Chromatography / Q000379:methods; D003890:Desiccation; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D054794:Glycomics / Q000379:methods*; D029001:Herbal Medicine; D055442:Metabolome; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D032267:Rehmannia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D064210:Secondary Metabolism; D013227:Steam
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D013227:Steam
keywords: Integrated strategy; Overall chemical characterization; Processing chemistry; Rehmanniae Radix; Targeted glycomics; Untargeted metabolomics