Screening of antithrombotic components from Typhae Pollen by a multidimensional evaluation strategy

Typhae Pollen (TP) has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to promote blood circulation and resolve blood stasis, particularly in the management of thrombotic disorders. However, its bioactive constituents and antithrombotic mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

This study aimed to systematically characterize the chemical constituents of TP and to elucidate its antithrombotic activity and underlying mechanisms.

Comprehensive phytochemical profiling of TP was performed using UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS combined with diagnostic fragment ion (DFI) and neutral loss (NL) filtering strategies. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied to evaluate chemical consistency and regional variation among TP samples. Antithrombotic activity was assessed using thrombin inhibition assays, ADP-induced platelet aggregation assays, and zebrafish thrombosis models. Molecular docking was conducted to analyze interactions between active constituents and thrombin. The effects of TP-derived compounds on inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis-related proteins, and adhesion molecules were further investigated.

UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis identified 70 compounds, including flavonoids, organic acids, and other compound classes in TP, with overall chemical consistency despite regional differences. TP extract exhibited significant thrombin inhibitory activity, with seven organic acids showing notable effects (IC₅₀ = 0.209-0.457 mg/mL), and molecular docking revealed favorable binding affinities with thrombin (-5.20 to -6.17 kcal/mol). TP extract, p-coumaric acid, succinic acid, and citric acid significantly inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation in vitro. In zebrafish models, specific organic acids (catechin and p-coumaric acid), and flavonoids (rutin and hyperoside) markedly reduced arachidonic acid-induced cardiac red blood cell accumulation. Network pharmacology analysis suggested that the antithrombotic effects of TP-derived compounds may be associated with multiple targets and pathways related to inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial function, and vascular responses, including HIF-1, AGE-RAGE, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways.

These findings demonstrate that flavonoids and organic acids are the major antithrombotic constituents of TP, providing a scientific basis for its traditional use in treating blood stasis and thrombotic disorders.