Predictive Analysis and Activity Validation of Quality Markers in Erchen Pill

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• ErChen Pill (ECP) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) effective for dampness-phlegm disorders.
• The complex chemical nature of TCMs like ECP challenges consistent quality control.
• Identifying reliable quality markers (Q-markers) is crucial for ECP standardization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To predict and validate quality markers (Q-markers) for ErChen Pill (ECP).
• To establish a scientific foundation for the quality evaluation of ECP.
• To ensure the clinical efficacy and safety of ECP through standardized quality control.

Main Methods:

• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprinting of 26 ECP batches.
• Chemometrics for identifying quality-differentiating components.
• Network pharmacology and molecular docking for Q-marker validation.
• In vitro experiments to confirm the biological activity of a candidate Q-marker.

Main Results:

• Five candidate Q-markers were identified: hesperidin, liquiritin apioside, nobiletin, liquiritin, and tangeretin.
• Network pharmacology and molecular docking confirmed high binding affinity of Q-markers to core targets.
• Liquiritin apioside demonstrated in vitro anti-tumor effects against prostate cancer cells (PC-3), inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis.

Conclusions:

• Successfully predicted and validated five Q-markers for ErChen Pill (ECP).
• These Q-markers provide a robust method for comprehensive ECP quality assessment.
• The findings support the standardization and reliable clinical application of ECP.