Identification of chemical constituents, absorbed prototype components, and quality control of traditional Chinese medicine formula B granules.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease, and Formula B Granules (FB-G), a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula, exhibits clinical efficacy in RA treatment. However, its chemical basis and in vivo absorption remain unclear. This study employed UHPLC-HRMS to systematically analyze FB-G's chemical composition, absorbed prototypes, and batch quality consistency. A total of 146 compounds (including flavonoids, carbohydrates, and terpenoids) were identified in FB-G, with nine decoction-derived compounds. In rat plasma, 16 absorbed prototype were detected, predominantly flavonoids, supporting anti-inflammatory potential. Quantitative analysis of ten FB-G batches revealed high levels of paeoniflorin, glycyrrhizic acid, and rosmarinic acid, with principal component analysis confirming consistent quality. This study elucidates FB-G's chemical basis and absorption characteristics, providing a scientific foundation for pharmacological mechanism research and quality control standardization.