Isolated perfused lung extraction and HPLC–ESI–MSn analysis for predicting bioactive components of Saposhnikoviae Radix

A novel strategy for predicting bioactive components in traditional Chinese material herb was proposed, using isolated perfused rat lung (IPL) extraction and high performance liquid chromatography\tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MSn) analysis. The hypothesis is that when the IPL is perfused with the extract of Saposhnikoviae Radix (ESR), the potential bioactive components in the ESR should selectively combine with the receptor or channel of lung, by changing the pH of perfused liquid, the combining components would be eluated and then detected by HPLC–ESI–MSn. Five compounds were detected in the desorption eluate of IPL; among these compounds, two potential bioactive compounds, prim-O-glucosylcimifugin (2) and 4′-O-β-d-glucosyl-5-O-methylvisamminol (4) were identified by comparing with the chromatography of the standard sample, and three other compounds, i.e. cimifugin (1), 5-O-methylvisamminol (3) and sec-O-glucosylhamaudol (5) were determined by analysis of the structure clearage characterization of mass spectrometry. The application of IPL extraction coupled with HPLC–ESI–MSn for predicting potential bioactive components of TCMs is rapid, convenient, operational, economic and reliable.