Screening and Verification of Blood-Activating Effective Component Group of Panax notoginseng Based on Spectrum–Effect Relationships

Abstract

Panax notoginseng (P. notoginseng) is one of the most famous natural medicines and widely used to promote blood circulation in health care. However, the active component group of P. notoginseng for activating blood is not clear. We aim to screen and validate the pharmacodynamic component group (PCG), which could exert the same blood-activating effect as P. notoginseng. To clarify the active components, the chemical components were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and the fingerprint of P. notoginseng was established. Twenty candidate active monomers were selected through the spectrum–effect relationship analysis. Eleven active monomers, including Ginsenoside Rg1, Rb1, Rd, F1, Rh1, Rg2, Rb2, Rg3, and Rk1 and Notoginsenoside R1 and R2, were screened out as the PCG through validation by platelet aggregation test. Among them, the antiplatelet aggregation activity of Ginsenoside Rh1 was directly confirmed for the first time. The active component group could exert similar efficacy to the P. notoginseng extract in vitro and in vivo through the validation of in vitro platelet aggregation test and the rats with cerebral ischemia. This study laid the foundation for the quality evaluation of P. notoginseng and provided a reference for the research on the material basis of the pharmacodynamics of other Chinese herbs.