An efficacy-linked strategy for the quality evaluation of traditional medicine: Chaenomeles speciosa as an example.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai, a traditional remedy for "Bi-syndrome", possesses potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. It is widely utilized in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and ethnic medical systems of Mongolian, Tibetan, and Miao nationalities.

AIM OF THE STUDY: However, in practical application, Chaenomeles speciosa is frequently confused with its related species Chaenomeles sinensis. This study aims to establish a holistic strategy to screen and validate Quality Markers (Q-markers) for Chaenomeles speciosa by integrating metabolomics, GNPS-guided isolation, and in vivo anti-inflammatory assay.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Initially, a plant metabolomics strategy was employed to screen differential markers. Then, GNPS molecular networking was utilized for the targeted isolation of differential markers from the core active fractions. Next, the anti-inflammatory effects of candidates from Chaenomeles speciosa on LPS-induced Tg(fli1:EGFP) zebrafish were evaluated by confocal microscopy and assessment of inflammatory factor levels. Finally, the selected Q-markers were quantified across 26 batches using a validated HPLC method.

RESULTS

A total of 134 components were characterized, with 15 differential markers prioritized to distinguish Chaenomeles speciosa from Chaenomeles sinensis. GNPS-guided targeted isolation successfully yielded 9 of the 15 differential markers, along with 8 additional constituents. Zebrafish screening identified oleanolic acid, chlorogenic acid, procyanidin B1, (-)-epicatechin, naringenin chalcone, apigenin, and diosmetin as potential Q-markers. The established HPLC method proved rapid and robust for routine quality control across 26 batches of Chaenomeles speciosa.