Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of the impact of bran-processing on the chemical profile of Radix Paeoniae Alba (Baishao)

Abstract

In this study, a rapid and versatile ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry-based chemical profiling approach was applied to evaluate chemical constitution of crude and processed Radix Paeoniae Alba (RPA) samples. A total of 44 compounds were identified, among which the contents of 9 compounds in processed samples were obviously decreased and 8 compounds were increased. Furthermore, compound 28 was not found in RPA sample after stir-frying with wheat bran. The proposed method provided a chemical basis for exploring the processed mechanism of herbal medicine.

Keywords::

• ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry
• processed mechanism
• Radix Paeoniae Alba
• chemical profile

Notes

^1. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 81202918], the Open Project of National First-Class Key Discipline for Science of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine [grant number 2011ZYX2-006], the Project of Science and Technology for Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province, China [grant number 2013KYB183], the Chinese Medicine Research Program of Zhejiang Province, China [grant number 2014ZQ008], the Science and Technology Project of Hangzhou, China [grant number 20130533B68], [grant number 20131813A23] and the Science Foundation of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University [grant number 2013ZZ12].