Chemical comparison of Semen Euphorbiae and Semen Euphorbiae Pulveratum by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS coupled with multivariate statistical techniques

Abstract

In the present study, we aimed to assess the chemical composition changes of Semen Euphorbiae (SE) and Semen Euphorbiae Pulveratum (SEP) by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and multivariate statistical methods. The UPLC-Q-TOF/MS method and SIMCA-P software were used to analyze the changes of chemical components of SE and SEP based on PCA and PLS-DA multivariate statistical methods. A "component-target-disease" network model was constructed by Intelligent Platform for Life Sciences of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to predict potential related diseases. The differences of chemical composition were significant between SE and SEP. Under positive ion mode, the amounts of Euphorbia factor L2, L3, L7a, L8, L9 and lathyrol were obviously decreased after processing. Under negative ion mode, the amounts of aesculetin, bisaesculetin, ingenol and cetylic acid were increased obviously, while Euphorbia factor L1, L4 and L5 were decreased obviously after processing, and the components of euphobiasteroid, aesculetin, lathyrol and linoleic acid among the 14 differentiated compounds were closely related to the SE-related diseases through the "component-target-disease" network model. UPLC-Q-TOF/MS technology in combination with multivariate statistical methods had certain advantages in studying the complex changes of chemical composition before and after manufacturing pulveratum of SE. It provided a basis for clarifying the toxicity-attenuated mechanisms of SE manufacturing pulveratum, and laid the foundation for its further development and utilization.