An Integrated Strategy for Establishing the Chemical Profile of Premna Microphylla Turcz. Leaves and Metabolites in Vivo.

Abstract

Background: Premna microphylla Turcz. (PMT) is a traditional food and medicinal plant, which has been used to treat cure hemostasis, rheumatism, and dysentery. However, there is still a lack of a clear understanding of the chemical profile of PMT and its metabolites in vivo.

Objective: To establish a rapid and efficient analytical method for the identification of phytochemicals in PMT and their metabolites in vivo.

Methods: First, the fingerprint of PMT was established by HPLC with method validation. Then, the phytochemical composition of PMT leaves was identified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS). Finally, the prototype and correlated metabolites were detected after oral administration in mice to understand the absorption and metabolism of phytochemicals in vivo.

Results: The results showed that the established HPLC method for fingerprint evaluation of PMT has good precision, repeatability, and stability. Additionally, a total of 103 phytochemicals were identified in PMT, including mainly flavonoids and terpenoids. Then, 37 prototype components and 20 derived metabolites in vivo were detected.

Conclusion: In this study, we constructed a fingerprint method, which has good stability, precision, and repeatability, and the fingerprint of PMT was established. Then, the chemical profile of PMT in vitro and in vivo was determined. The results showed that flavonoids and terpenoids were the main phytochemicals in PMT, and methylation, sulfonation, and dihydroxylation were the main metabolic pathway in vivo.

Highlights: The present study provides the phytochemical basis for subsequent study of pharmacological activity.