Rapid characterization of the chemical constituents of Sanhua decoction by UHPLC coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Sanhua decoction, a famous Chinese herbal formula has been widely used for the treatment of stroke. In our study, a rapid, swift and straightforward analytical method with the help of UHPLC-FT-ICR-MS/MS was successfully developed for the first time to separate and identify the chemical constituents of Sanhua decoction. Chromatography was performed on a Universal XB C(18) column (150 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.8 μm) using a mobile phase containing 0.1% formic acid–water (A) and acetonitrile (B). A total of 137 compounds in Sanhua decoction were identified or tentatively characterized. The findings revealed the fact that Sanhua decoction mainly contains flavonoids (in Aurantii fructus immaturus and Rheum palmatum L.), anthraquinones (in Rheum palmatum L.), coumarins (in Notopterygii Rhizoma Et Radix), phenylpropanoid glycosides, alkaloids and lignans (in Magnoliae Officmalis Cortex), which made up the key ingredients existing in Sanhua decoction. This study is hoped to be meaningful for the characterization of components in other traditional Chinese medicines, and lay the foundation for research on the pharmacology of Sanhua decoction.