Studies On Chemical Composition And Quality Control Of Anti Depressant Fractions From Xiaoyaosan

RATIONALES:Depression is a common mental illness, which has become the second most serious disease. With the accelerating pace of people’s life and pressure increasing from family and social, depression have become the world’s second largest source of disease burden on people’s life and work.Xiaoyaosan is from Taiping huimin heji jufang, composing of Chai Hu, Chinese angelica, Poria, white peony root, Atractylodes, Baked Licorice, Mint and Ginger. This prescription is commonly used for treatment of depression. Clinical and experimental studies have shown that it has definite antidepressant effect. More comprehensive exposition of the scientific basis Xiaoyaosan recipe and mechanism can be discovered with the development of the research. Aspects of the mechanism of antidepressant have been studied but not the material basis of the antidepressant effect. Moreover, the Xiaoyaosan antidepressant effective fraction(s) and the active ingredients have not been reported in the literature. It has great difficulties in its quality control.OBJECTIVE:To clarity the types and structures of chemical compositions in antidepressant effective fraction(s). To determine the content of primary active components in antidepressant effective fraction(s), which could lay the foundation for the establishment of quality standards of the effective antidepressant fractions of Xiaoyaosan.METHODS:Firstly, various major categories chemical compositions of antidepressant effective fractions from Xiaoyaosan were studied according to their specific color reactions and precipitation reactions. Then, GC-MS method was selected to analyze GC-MS fingerprint and herbs attributions on the basis of the property (smaller polarity) of the antidepressant effective fractions. In addition, GC-MS, HPLC combined with the standard method and the separation and purification were used to identify the specific chemical compositions in the antidepressant effective fractions. Finally, On the basis of qualitative identification of the chemical compositions in the antidepressant effective fractions and the spectrum-effect relationships study, GC-MS method was used to determine the main active ingredients in antidepressant effective fractions.RESULTS:(1) The analysis of major categories chemical compositions according to specific color reactions and precipitation reactions showed that:the antidepressant effective fractions containing volatile oils, triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, steroidal saponins, tannins, organic acids.(2) The study of the correlation analysis between fingerprint peaks of the antidepressant effective fractions and its relevant herbs by GC-MS showed that the main peaks of the antidepressant effective fractions are from Radix Bupleuri, Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae. Radix Bupleuri plays the greatest contribution to antidepressant effective fractions, then Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, but Poria, Herba Menthae, Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens and Radix Glycyrrhizae play smaller contribution to antidepressant effective fractions.(3) GC-MS, HPLC combined with the standard method and the separation and purification were used to identify the specific chemical compositions in the antidepressant effective fractions.39chemical compositions were identified in fraction A (28chemical compositions were identified by GC-MS,9chemical compositions were identified by HPLC combined with the standard,2chemical compositions were identified by separation and purification).27chemical compositions were identified in fraction B3(16chemical compositions were identified by GC-MS,9chemical compositions were identified by HPLC combined with the standard,2chemical compositions were identified by separation and purification). A new compound was separation and named as (2Z,8E10E)-pentadecatrien-4,6-diyn-1-ol, acetate.(4) GC-MS method was developed to determine4major (active) volatile components in active fractions. The content of4major (active) volatile compounds is6.703%in fraction A and1.012%in fraction B3.CONCLUSION:This article successfully and systematically studies the chemical compositions of the antidepressant effective fraction from Xiaoyaosan. The major categories chemical compositions in antidepressant effective fractions are volatile oils, triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, steroidal saponins, tannins, organic acids. Radix Bupleuri Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae play great contribution to antidepressant effective fractions but Poria, Herba Menthae, Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens and Radix Glycyrrhizae play smaller contribution.39and27chemical compositions were identified in fraction A and fraction B3respectively through GC-MS, HPLC combined with the standard method and the separation and purification.4major (active) volatile components in active fractions were determined by GC-MS method. The content of4major (active) volatile compounds is6.703%in fraction A and1.012%in fraction B3.