Characterization of Chemical Constituents and Metabolites in Rat Plasma after Oral Administration of Zhi-Zi-Hou-Po Decoction by High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Abstract Zhi-Zi-Hou-Po decoction (ZZHPD), consisting of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, Magnolia officinalis cortex and Citrus aurantium L., is a classic traditional Chinese medicine prescription for the treatment of depression. However, the therapeutic material foundation of ZZHPD is still not very clear. In the present study, a high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was developed to simultaneously characterize and identify the chemical constituents and metabolites of ZZHPD in rat plasma after oral administration for the first time. As a result, a total of 88 compounds including 12 iridoid glycosides, eight lignans, 37 flavonoids, eight coumarins, seven monoterpenoids, four crocetin, three organic acids, one alkaloid and eight other compounds were identified or tentatively characterized. After intragastric administration of ZZHPD to rats, 40 compounds were detected in rat plasma, including 29 prototype constituents and 11 metabolites. Results showed that glucuronidation and sulfation were the main metabolic pathways of ZZHPD in rats. The analytical method established in this study provides an effective method for the study of the chemical composition of ZZHPD in vitro and in vivo, and provides an important basis for the study of the pharmacodynamic material basis and mechanism of action of ZZHPD.