Screening and analysis of the multiple absorbed bioactive components and metabolites of Dangguibuxue decoction by the metabolic fingerprinting technique and liquid chromatography/diode-array detection mass spectrometry.

Based on the metabolic fingerprinting technique and liquid chromatography/diode array detection mass spectrometry (LC/DAD-MS), a method for rapid screening and analysis of the multiple absorbed bioactive components and metabolites of an oral solution of Dangguibuxue decoction (ODD) in rabbit plasma after oral administration of ODD was developed. The results obtained from a comprehensive comparative analysis of the fingerprints of the ODD and its metabolic fingerprints in rabbit plasma indicated that 46 components in the ODD were absorbed into the rabbit's body. Of them, ten components were tentatively identified from their MS and UV spectra and retention behaviors by comparing the results with the reported literature. They were calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glycoside, (6aR,-11aR)-hydroxy-9,10-dimethoxypterocarpan-3-O-beta-D-glycoside, ononin, L-3-hydroxy-9,10-dimethoxypterocarpan, formononetin, (3R)-7,2'-dihydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxyisoflavan, sedanenolide, E-ligustilide, Z-ligustilide, and Z-butylidenephthalide. In addition, 21 components were only found in the metabolic fingerprints, which suggested that they might be metabolites of some components in the ODD. The findings demonstrated that the proposed method could be used to rapidly and simultaneously analyze and screen the multiple absorbed bioactive constituents and metabolites in a formula of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) by comparing and contrasting the chromatographic fingerprints with its metabolic fingerprints. This is very important not only for the pharmaceutical discovery process and the quality control of crude drugs, but also to explain the curative mechanism of TCMs.