Identification of Estrogenic Constituents in Serum after Oral Administration of Tu-Si-Zi Extract Using HPLC-ESI/Q-TOF MS/MS

To identify the estrogenic constituents in Tu-Si-Zi extracts. Estrogen activity of Tu-Si-Zi extracts was assayed by the method of uterotrophic assay and MTT. Chemical ingredients in the serum were confirmed by HPLC/MS-Q-TOF. Ethanol (95%, v/v) extract of Tu-Si-Zi could significantly increase the uterine coefficient of minor mice and the proliferation of MCF-7 cell lines at the dosage of 24g center dot kg(-1)center dot d(-1)(p<0.05). Nine constituents in the serum, including five prototype ingredients (kaempferol-3-O-coffeeacyl glucoside, apigenin, hyperin, quercetin, and Kaempferol) and four metabolic ingredients (Shikimic acid, Chlorogenic acid Metabolite I, Isorhamnetin glucuronide, and 4-caffeoyl-5-coumaroyl quinic acid Metabolite I) were identified or tentatively characterized based on their MS data, respectively. It is for the first time to identify the estrogenic constituents in Tu-Si-Zi by HPLC/MS. And this finding could be valuable for the further research of Tu-Si-Zi.