Identification and quantification of the major volatile constituents in antidepressant active fraction of xiaoyaosan by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 141; no. 1; pp. 187 - 192
• Main Authors: Zhou, Yuzhi, Ren, Yanling, Ma, Zhijie, Jia, Guangcheng, Gao, Xiaoxia, Zhang, Lizeng, Qin, Xuemei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 07.05.2012
• Subjects: 4-Butyrolactone - analogs & derivatives; 4-Butyrolactone - analysis; 4-Butyrolactone - pharmacology; Active fraction; Angelica sinensis; Animal models; Animals; Antidepressants; Antidepressive Agents - chemistry; Antidepressive Agents - pharmacology; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Data processing; Depression; Depression - drug therapy; Depression - psychology; Disease Models, Animal; Drugs; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - chemistry; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Gas chromatography; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; laboratory animals; Lactones - analysis; Lactones - pharmacology; Male; mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Molecular Structure; Motor Activity - drug effects; Palmitic acid; Palmitic Acid - analysis; Palmitic Acid - pharmacology; petroleum ether; Phytotherapy; Plants, Medicinal; Poria; Radix angelicae sinensis; Sesquiterpenes - analysis; Sesquiterpenes - pharmacology; Song; tail; volatile compounds; Volatiles; Volatilization; XYS; Depression; Active fraction; XYS; Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.02.018

Xiaoyaosan (XYS), a well-known formula for relieving depression, was originated from the book of “Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang” in Song Dynasty (960–1127 AD), composed of Radix Bupleuri, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Poria, Herba Menthae, Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens and Radix Glycyrrhizae with dose proportion of 6:6:6:6:6:3:2:2. It is commonly used for the treatment of depression-related syndromes in China. In the formula, Radix Bupleuri usually serves as the principal drug, Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Radix Paeoniae Alba serve as the ministerial drugs, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Poria, Herba Menthae and Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens serve as adjunctive drugs, Radix Glycyrrhizae serves as messenger drug, they coordinate with each other and enhance the effect of the formula. In our previous experiments, the antidepressant effect of XYS was revealed. However, the antidepressant part (or component) of this prescription was still obscure. An experimental despair animal model: the mice tail suspension test (TST) was used to evaluate the antidepressant activity of XYS and its fractions. GC–MS method was developed to identify the volatile components and determine 4 major volatile components in active fraction. In the TST test, the effect of a low polar fraction (XY-EA) was superior to other fractions of XYS. 13 volatile compounds in the XY-EA were identified on the basis of standards, isolation and structural determination in our laboratory, NIST 05 database and literature data. The content of 4 major volatile compounds in XY-EA which is 6.703%. The petroleum ether fraction (XY-EA) appears to be the active fraction of XYS. 4 major components Z-ligustilide, palmitic acid, atractylenolide I, and atractylenolide II may be the antidepressant active compounds.