Highly selective screening of the bioactive compounds in Huoxue capsule using immobilized β2-adrenoceptor affinity chromatography

A highly selective assay was developed for screening compounds that bind to the porcine recombinant β2-adrenoceptor (β2-AR) with affinity chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF–MS). The methodology involved selective screening with immobilized β2-AR, a highly accurate identification via Q-TOF–MS, and a functional evaluation of the screened compounds with a sensitive myograph system. Ferulic acid, hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), and naringin were confirmed to be the bioactive compounds in Huoxue capsule that specifically bound to the β2-AR. These compounds produced a concentration-dependent relaxation of arteries that were contracted by treatment with phenylephrine, and the relaxation caused by these compounds was attenuated in the presence of ICI 118551, a type of β2-AR antagonist. Our data indicate that the use of an immobilized receptor is potentially an alternative method for the rapid screening of bioactive compounds in a complex matrix because of its high specificity. β2-AR affinity chromatography was valuable in focusing attention on the further investigation of ferulic acid, HSYA, and naringin as β2-AR agonists.