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. 2022 Apr 1;17(1):41.
doi: 10.1186/s13020-022-00594-8.

From non-targeted to targeted GC-MS metabolomics strategy for identification of TCM preparations containing natural and artificial musk

Meng Ding  1 , Jun-Li Fan  1 , Dong-Fang Huang  1 , Yue Jiang  1 , Meng-Ning Li  1 , Yu-Qing Zheng  2   3 , Xiao-Ping Yang  2   3 , Ping Li  4 , Hua Yang  5
Affiliations

From non-targeted to targeted GC-MS metabolomics strategy for identification of TCM preparations containing natural and artificial musk

Meng Ding et al. Chin Med. .

Abstract

Background: Moschus is a rare and precious natural medicine. Due to the properties of resources scarcity and expensive price of natural musk, artificial musk has been developed as substitute materials in some prescriptions. Rapid and accurate identification of natural or artificial musk in complex traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparations is also a challenge.

Method: A strategy from non-targeted to targeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics was developed for discrimination of natural and artificial musk. Firstly, GC-MS-based non-targeted analysis combined with chemometrics was used to find the potential chemical markers to distinguish natural musk and artificial musk. Subsequently, targeted metabolomics was used to analyze musk in preparations with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode by use gas chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-QQQ MS).

Results: Two chemical markers named prasterone and androsterone have been selected and could be detected in all Compound Pien Tze Huang preparations (CPZHs) containing artificial musk, while the CPZHs containing natural musk did not detect two markers with S/N (signal to noise ratio) less than 3.

Conclusion: Our work provides an applicable approach to select the practical chemical markers for the assessment of musk in preparations to realize the traceability of musk in TCM and improve the quality control of musk-containing preparations.

Keywords: Androsterone; Gas chromatography-mass spectrometrys; Metabolomics; Moschus; Muscone; Pien Tze Huang; Prasterone.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no competing interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Frame of “Non-targeted to targeted GC–MS Metabolomics” analysis approach
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Principal component analysis (A) and orthogonal partial least-squares discrimination analysis (B) of natural musk (green) and artificial musk (blue)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Chemical structures of the two chemical markers (A). Histogram (B) of the peak area in two markers. Principal component analysis (C) and orthogonal partial least-squares discrimination analysis (D) of prasterone and androstone in natural musk (green) and artificial musk (blue)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Specific identification of prasterone (A) and androsterone (B) in compound Pien Tze Huang Buccal tablets, Pien Tze Huang Unguentum Compositum and Pien Tze Huang Hemorrhoids Ointment Compositum
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Sample determination of Pien Tze Huang Hemorrhoids Ointment Compositum. (A) Prasterone in samples of Pien Tze Huang Hemorrhoids Ointment Compositum. (Natural Musk); (B) Prasterone in samples of Pien Tze Huang Hemorrhoids Ointment Compositum. (Artificial Musk); (C) Androsterone in samples of Pien Tze Huang Hemorrhoids Ointment Compositum. (Natural Musk); (D) Androsterone in samples of Pien Tze Huang Hemorrhoids Ointment Compositum. (Artificial Musk)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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