Integrating chemical profiling and network pharmacology analysis based on anti-inflammatory effects for quality control of Scutellaria barbata

Introduction With the wide application of Scutellaria barbata D. Don for hepatitis and mastitis, its quality control issues have also received increasing attention. Based on the multi-component and multi-target characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine, there is an urgent need to establish a quality evaluation system. Objectives This study intends to integrate the "quality-activity-quantification" strategy and establish an activity-related quality control method to ensure the safety and effectiveness of S. barbata. Material and methods Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/ion mobility-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/IM-QTOF-MS) was used to characterize the chemical components of S. barbata, and network pharmacological analysis was carried out on the identified components. The index components were determined on the basis of comprehensive activity prediction results and content information. At the same time, the contents of 16 batches of S. barbata from different origins were determined. Results A total of 94 compounds were identified according to mass spectrometric data, 12 of which were isolated and structure-confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance technology. Network pharmacological analysis was applied to predict their key targets and the major pathways mediating their anti-inflammatory effects. On the basis of comprehensive activity prediction and content information, five components were chosen as crucial quality indicators of S. barbata, including scutellarin, scutellarein, luteolin, apigenin, and hispidulin. Conclusion In this study, 16 different S. barbata batches were compared, and five quality indicators were determined on the basis of qualitative and activity results. The present study provides useful information for evaluating the quality of S. barbata in different areas, and also provides a new basis for the development of quality evaluation methods.