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Planta Med 2022; 88(14): 1369-1383
DOI: 10.1055/a-1747-6004
Natural Product Chemistry and Analytical Studies
Original Papers

Systematic Identification of the Main Constituents from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. and Their Metabolites in Rats using HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS

Song Mengmeng‡
1   School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
,
Xu Zhuicheng‡
1   School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
,
Han Sixuan
2   School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
,
Sheng Xianjie
1   School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
,
Chen Yan
1   School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
,
Li Xinru
1   School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
,
Su Yan
1   School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
,
Li Qin
1   School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
,
Shan Chenxiao
1   School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
,
Xie Tong
3   Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Disease, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
,
Kang An
1   School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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Abstract

Agrimonia pilosa is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant, commonly known as agrimony or hairy agrimony. The dried aerial parts of this species have been widely used for the treatment of acute diarrhea, hemostasis, and other inflammation-related diseases. However, information on the in vivo metabolism of A. pilosa constituents is limited. In this study, the phytochemical profile of A. pilosa was investigated using HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS combined with a nontargeted diagnostic ion network analysis strategy. An information-dependent acquisition method with multiple filters was utilized to screen possible prototypes and metabolites in complex biological matrices. Furthermore, various data-processing techniques were applied to analyze possible prototypes and their metabolites in rat plasma, feces, and urine following oral administration of A. pilosa extract. A total of 62 compounds, which belonged to five main structural classes (21 phenols, 22 flavonoids, 6 coumarins, 3 triterpenes, and 10 organic acids), were tentatively identified in A. pilosa. In addition, using our proposed stepwise method, 32 prototypes and 69 metabolites were detected in rat plasma, feces, and urine. The main metabolic pathways after the oral administration of A. pilosa extract were revealed to include methylation, dihydroxylation, demethylation, hydrolysis, sulfation, and glucuronidation. This comprehensive in vivo and in vitro identification of the possible active components in A. pilosa could provide a basis for understanding its various pharmacological activities.

Key words

Agrimonia pilosa - Rosaceae - HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS - chemical identification - metabolites

Supporting Information

    HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS data of phytochemicals identified in A. pilosa extract are available as Supporting Information.

  • Supporting Information


Publication History

Received: 14 October 2021

Accepted after revision: 21 January 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
21 January 2022

Article published online:
17 March 2022

© 2022. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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