Screening of Q-markers for the wine-steamed Schisandra chinensis decoction pieces in improving allergic asthma

Abstract

Abstract Background Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) posits that Chinese medicinal materials can only be used for clinical use after being processed and prepared into decoction pieces. Schisandra Chinensis Fructus (derived from the dried and mature fruits of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.) has been traditionally used as an antiasthmatic, kidney strengthening, and hepatoprotective agent for 2000 years. TCM clinic believes that the decoction pieces of wine-steamed Schisandra chinensis (WSC) is advantageous over the raw decoction pieces of Schisandra chinensis (RSC) for cough and asthma. Studies have shown that steaming with wine can promote the dissolution of ingredients. However, the relationship between the changes of components in the decoction pieces of WSC and the therapeutic effect remains unclear. Methods The efficacy of the decoction of RSC and WSC were compared based on allergic asthma rats. The potential bioactive components in the serum of the WSC treatment group and the changes of chemical composition in the decoction pieces before and after wine steaming were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) analysis to speculate quality markers (Q-markers) related to the efficacy of WSC, which was further verified based on the zebrafish model of inflammation. Results: The results indicated the effect of RSC decoction pieces in improving allergic asthma was increased after being steamed with wine. Moreover, 12 components were detected in the serum of the WSC treatment group, which were conjectured to be the potential effective components. Among them, 5 components, such as Schisandrin, Schisandrol B, Schisandrin A, Schisandrin B, and Gomisin D, have higher dissolution rates than RSC after steaming with wine. The validation test based on the inflammatory zebrafish model showed that these 5 ingredients exerted their effects in a dose-dependent manner, demonstrating that they were Q-markers for WSC in the treatment of allergic asthma. Conclusion: This study clarified the changes of components of the decoction pieces of RSC and WSC and the Q-markers related to the WSC efficacy, which provide precious value for expanding the application of WVS and establishing its exclusive quality standard.