Rapidly identify compounds from danshen by using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometer and predict its mechanisms of intervening thrombotic diseases

Abstract

Danshen, having good efficacies of dilating the coronary artery, improving microcirculation and preventing thrombosis, is widely used in clinic to treat various thrombotic diseases in China. This study aimed to identifying and analyzing the chemical constituents of Danshen from different planting areas based on UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS and comprehensively predicting the potential pharmacological targets and pathways of the main chemical constituents that involve in the treatment of thrombotic diseases by using network pharmacology. As a result, we identified 870 single peaks from total ion current and accurately identified 19 compounds from Danshen in this study. Further analysis showed that these compounds had three types of accumulation patterns and contents of most compounds had significant differences in samples from different planting areas. Network pharmacological analysis showed that Tanshinone IIA, Tanshinone IIB, Dehydromiltirone, Cryptotanshinone, Danshenxinkun A, Danshenxinkun B and Neocryptotanshinone might intervene thrombotic diseases by adjusting the targets mainly involved in pathways of endocrine system, signal transduction, signaling molecules and interaction, cell motility, environmental adaptation and nervous system. This study provides a scientific basis for exploring the mechanism of Danshen in treating thrombotic diseases and controlling the quality of Danshen-related preparations.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Bioactive compounds
• mass spectrum
• network pharmacology
• Salvia miltiorrhiza