Identifying the effective components of Yaobitong capsule against lumbar disc herniation using a multi-technique...

The Yaobitong Capsule (YBTC) is a notable traditional Chinese medicine employed in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH). However, its therapeutic effective components are not well understood. This study aimed to systematically elucidate its pharmacodynamic basis by integrating comprehensive chemical analysis, bioactivity prediction, and experimental validation. Through UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis, 137 chemical constituents were tentatively identified in YBTC. Subsequent network pharmacology and molecular docking studies were conducted to prioritize candidate bioactive compounds, while serum pharmacochemistry analysis identified the components that were systematically absorbed. The analysis identified that four blood-entering components overlapped with the top predicted 25 effective components, specifically tetrahydropalmatine (Thp), corydaline, angelol A, and ligustilide. Among these, Thp exhibited the highest relative abundance in the bloodstream and demonstrated the strongest molecular docking affinity with the core targets. Furthermore, preliminary in vivo efficacy evaluations indicated that Thp possesses significant analgesic and tissue-protective properties, establishing it as the core pharmacodynamic component for further investigation. The findings suggest that Thp exerts neuroprotective and analgesic effects by inhibiting the activation of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Additionally, Thp significantly down-regulates the expression of key inflammatory mediators, such as iNOS and COX-2, as well as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), thereby producing synergistic pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory actions and inhibition of extracellular matrix degradation. In conclusion, this study systematically elucidates the pharmacodynamic effective components of YBTC in the treatment of LDH and identifies Thp as one of its principal active components.