OBJECTIVE: Farfarae Flos has the effect of cough suppression and phlegm elimination, with cough suppression as the main function. Studies have revealed that certain components of Farfarae Flos may be related to its cough suppressant effect, and some components have been confirmed to have cough suppressant activity. However, the antitussive material basis of Farfarae Flos has not been systematically elucidated. This study aims to elucidate the group of active ingredients in Farfarae Flos with cough suppressant activity by correlating the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint of Farfarae Flos extract with its cough suppressant activity.
METHODS: HPLC was used to establish the fingerprint profiles of 10 batches of Farfarae Flos extract and obtain their chemical composition data. Guinea pigs were selected as experimental animals and the citric acid-induced cough model was used to evaluate the antitussive efficacy data of 10 batches of Farfarae Flos extract. SPF-grade healthy male Hartley guinea pigs were randomly divided into the S1 to S10 groups, a positive control group, and a blank control group (12 groups in total), with 10 guinea pigs in each group. The S1 to S10 groups were respectively administered Farfarae Flos extract S1 to S10 (4 g/kg), the positive control group was administered pentoverine citrate (10 mg/kg), and the blank control group was administered purified water. Each group received continuous oral administration for 5 days. The guinea pigs were placed in 5 L closed wide-mouth bottles, and 17.5% citric acid was sprayed into the bottle with an ultrasonic atomizer at the maximum spray intensity for 0.5 minutes. The cough latency period and cough frequency in 5 minutes were recorded for each guinea pig. Grey relational analysis (GRA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) were used to conduct spectral-effect correlation analysis of the chemical composition data of Farfarae Flos extract and the antitussive efficacy data, and predict the group of active ingredients in Farfarae Flos with antitussive activity. The bioequivalence verification was conducted to verify the predicted group of active ingredients in Farfarae Flos with antitussive activity: SPF-grade healthy male Hartley guinea pigs were randomly divided into a S9 group, an active ingredient group, a positive control group, and a blank control group (4 groups in total), with 10 guinea pigs in each group. The S9 group was administered Farfarae Flos extract S9 (4 g/kg), the active ingredient group was administered the predicted combination of antitussive active ingredients (dose equivalent to 4 g/kg of Farfarae Flos extract S9), the positive control group was administered pentoverine citrate (10 mg/kg), and the blank control group was administered purified water. Each group received continuous oral administration for 5 days, and animal modeling and observation of efficacy indicators were the same as above.
RESULTS: The HPLC fingerprint of 10 batches of Farfarae Flos extract was established, and the peak area data of 14 main common peaks were obtained. The antitussive effect data of 10 batches of Farfarae Flos extract were obtained. Compared with the blank control group, the cough latence in the positive control group and S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10 groups was prolonged (all P<0.01), while the cough frequency in 5 minutes in the positive control group and S1, S2, S4, S6, S8, S9, S10 groups was decreased (all P<0.05). The analysis of spectrum-effect relationship revealed that isochlorogenic acid C, isochlorogenic acid A, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid B, isoquercitrin, and rutin had high contribution to the antitussive effect of Farfarae Flos, and the 6 components were predicted to be the antitussive component group of Farfarae Flos. The verification of bioequivalence showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the antitussive effect between the S9 group and the antitussive component composition group(all P>0.05), which confirmed that isochlorogenic acid C, isochlorogenic acid A, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid B, isoquercetin, and rutin were the antitussive component group of Farfarae Flos.
CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of spectrum-effect relationship combined with the verification of bioequivalence could be used to study the antitussive material basis of Farfarae Flos. The antitussive effect of Farfarae Flos is the result of the joint action of many components.
目的: 款冬花具有止咳化痰的作用,以止咳为主。研究显示款冬花的某些成分可能与止咳作用相关,另有某些成分被证实具有止咳活性,但款冬花止咳药效的物质基础尚未阐明。本研究通过对款冬花提取物的高效液相色谱指纹图谱与止咳作用进行谱效相关分析,旨在阐明款冬花的止咳活性成分群。方法: 采用高效液相色谱法建立10批款冬花提取物的指纹图谱并获得其化学成分数据;选用豚鼠作为实验动物,采用枸橼酸引咳法获得10批款冬花提取物的止咳药效数据。将SPF级健康雄性Hartley豚鼠随机分为S1~S10组、阳性对照组和空白对照组(共12组),每组10只,S1~S10组分别给予款冬花提取物S1~S10(4 g/kg),阳性对照组给予枸橼酸喷托维林(10 mg/kg),空白对照组给予纯化水,各组连续给药5 d,将豚鼠置于5 L容积的密闭广口瓶内,用超声雾化器以最大喷雾力度喷入17.5%的枸橼酸并持续0.5 min,记录每只豚鼠的咳嗽潜伏期和5 min内咳嗽次数。采用灰色关联度分析和偏最小二乘回归对款冬花提取物的化学成分数据和止咳药效数据进行谱效相关分析,预测款冬花的止咳活性成分群。对预测的款冬花止咳活性成分群进行等效性验证:将SPF级健康雄性Hartley豚鼠随机分为S9组、活性成分群组、阳性对照组和空白对照组(共4组),每组10只,S9组给予款冬花提取物S9(4 g/kg),活性成分群组给予预测的止咳活性成分组合物(剂量相当于4 g/kg的款冬花提取物S9),阳性对照组给予枸橼酸喷托维林(10 mg/kg),空白对照组给予纯化水,各组连续给药5 d,动物造模和药效指标观察同前。结果: 共建立10批款冬花提取物的高效液相色谱指纹图谱并获得14个主要共有峰的峰面积数据;获得10批款冬花提取物的止咳药效数据。与空白对照组比较,阳性对照组及S1、S2、S3、S4、S6、S7、S8、S9、S10组的咳嗽潜伏期加长(均P<0.01),阳性对照组及S1、S2、S4、S6、S8、S9、S10组的5 min内咳嗽次数减少(均P<0.05)。谱效相关分析显示:异绿原酸C、异绿原酸A、绿原酸、异绿原酸B、异槲皮苷、芦丁6种成分对款冬花止咳作用的贡献度较高,初步判断为款冬花的止咳活性成分群。等效性验证显示:S9组、活性成分群组的2个药效指标的差异均无统计学意义(均P>0.05),证实异绿原酸C、异绿原酸A、绿原酸、异绿原酸B、异槲皮苷、芦丁为款冬花的止咳活性成分群。结论: 谱效相关分析结合等效性验证可用于款冬花止咳药效物质基础研究。款冬花发挥止咳作用是多成分共同作用的结果。.