Frontiers in Pharmacology (Jan 2022)

Practical Protocol for Comprehensively Evaluating Sulfur-Fumigation of Baizhi Based on Metabolomics, Pharmacology, and Cytotoxicity

  • Ai-Ping Deng,
  • Chuan-Zhi Kang,
  • Li-Ping Kang,
  • Chao-Geng Lyu,
  • Wen-Jin Zhang,
  • Sheng Wang,
  • Hong-Yang Wang,
  • Tie-Gui Nan,
  • Li Zhou,
  • Lu-Qi Huang,
  • Zhi-Lai Zhan,
  • Lan-Ping Guo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.799504
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Sulfur Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (Baizhi) is a common medicinal herb in Asian countries. A practical protocol combining metabolomics, pharmacology, and cytotoxicity was developed to comprehensively evaluate the influence of sulfur-fumigation on the quality of Baizhi. Furocoumarins could be transformed into sulfur-containing compounds during the sulfuring process, among which 1 and 3 were purified with relatively high abundance and identified as 3,4-dihydrobyakangelicin-4-sulfonic acid and (4R,12S)-3,4-dihydrooxypeucedanin hydrate-4-sulfonic acid (OXH-S), respectively. OXH-S was found to be an addition product of sulfite and oxypeucedanin hydrate (OXH-N). Then, the cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory activity of OXH-N, OXH-S, and water extracts of sulfured (extraction-S), and unsulfured Baizhi (extraction-N) were evaluated. OXH-S and extraction-S were less toxic than OXH-N and extraction-N, respectively. A comparison of OXH-N with OXH-S and extraction-N with extraction-S showed no significant differences in anti-inflammatory activity. These results suggest that sulfur fumigation can reduce toxicity and does not influence the anti-inflammatory activity of Baizhi, even after chemical composition changes. The proposed protocol based on marker screening, pharmacology, and safety evaluation provides a scientific basis for the standardization and regulation of sulfured Baizhi and other medical materials.

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