Comparison of the anti-inflammatory active constituents and hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in two Senecio plants and their preparations by LC–UV and LC–MS

• Published in: Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis 2015-11, Vol.115, p.260-271
• Main Authors: Chen, Pinghong, Wang, Yi, Chen, Lulin, Jiang, Wei, Niu, Yan, Shao, Qing, Gao, Lu, Zhao, Quancheng, Yan, Licheng, Wang, Shufang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-inflammatory; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Calibration; Cell Line; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - isolation & purification; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Feining granule; LC–MS; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; Liver - drug effects; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - immunology; Mice; Molecular Structure; Nitric Oxide - antagonists & inhibitors; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular - methods; Pyrrolizidine alkaloids; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids - analysis; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids - toxicity; Reference Standards; Reproducibility of Results; Senecio - chemistry; Senecio - classification; Senecio cannabifolius; Senecio cannabifolius var. integrifolius; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization - methods; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet - methods
• ISSN: 0731-7085; 1873-264X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2015.07.014

[Display omitted] •Chemical profiles of two Senecio plants were comprehensively compared by LC–MS.•83 Constituents were identified unambiguously or tentatively by LC–MS and NMR.•Eleven constituents showed inhibition effect against NO production.•Ten major constituents (seven active ones) were determined in the preparations.•Senecio cannabifolius contained more active constituents and less toxic PAs than its variation. Two Senecio plants, Senecio cannabifolius Less. and its variety S. cannabifolius Less. var. integrifolius (Kiodz.) Kidam., were both used as the raw material of Feining granule, a traditional Chinese medicine product for treating respiratory diseases. In this study, the chemical profiles of these two plants were investigated and compared by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). A total number of 83 constituents, including 55 organic acids, 11 flavonoids, 4 alkaloids, 3 terpenes and 10 other types of compounds, were characterized. The results indicated that the levels of most flavonoids were higher in S. cannabifolius than in S. cannabifolius var. integrifolius, however, the levels of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) were higher in S. cannabifolius var. integrifolius than in S. cannabifolius. Fifteen constituents were evaluated on lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced RAW 264.7 cells, and eleven of them showed inhibition effect against nitric oxide (NO) production. Finally, the levels of ten major constituents (including seven anti-inflammatory active ones) and two PAs in Feining granule from two Senecio plants were determined and compared by the LC–UV and LC–MS methods, respectively. It was found that one organic acid (homogentisic acid) and two PAs (seneciphylline and senecionine) had higher contents in the preparation of S. cannabifolius var. integrifolius than in that of S. cannabifolius, however, the situations were inverse for the levels of four organic acids and flavonoids (chlorogenic acid, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, and isochlorogenic acid B). Based on the above results, S. cannabifolius might be a better raw material for Feining granule than S. cannabifolius var. integrifolius, because it contained more anti-inflammatory constituents and less hepatotoxic PAs than the latter. However, more pharmacological evaluations should be carried out to support the selection. The results in this study were helpful for the quality control of Feining granule.