Objective: To deeply investigate the chemical components and pharmacodynamic components differences of different sources of Metaplexis species, and explore the mechanism of Metaplexis japonica in treating erectile dysfunction. Methods: The metabolic profiles of Metaplexis japonica and Metaplexis hemsleyana were comprehensively characterized by using the widely targeted metabolomics technology. The effective components, effective targets and diseases of Metaplexis japonica were screened by network pharmacology and enrichment analysis was conducted. Results: A total of 2122 metabolites of 13 types were detected in Metaplexis species, among which the top three were flavonoids, lipids and phenolic acids. The principal component analysis (PCA) results showed that the metabolites of samples within the same source group were highly similar, and the samples between groups were well separated. Combined with orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), 550 differential metabolites (194 up-regulated and 356 down-regulated) were screened out. KEGG enrichment showed that the differential metabolites were mainly concentrated in the biosynthesis of quercetin aglycones Ⅰ and Ⅱ , the biosynthesis of kaempferol aglycones Ⅱ , and the biosynthesis of phenylacetic acid derivatives. The analysis of five targets (BCL2L1, EDNRA, EDN1, NOS3 and BCL2) of Metaplexis japonica in treating erectile dysfunction indicated that they were the key to exerting the efficacy. The KEGG pathway analysis showed that these targets were significantly enriched in AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, the HIF-1 signaling pathway, the fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis pathway, the lipid and atherosclerosis pathway, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Flavonoids such as quercetin, naringenin and morin acted on the pathway targets of treating erectile dysfunction. Conclusion: This study establishes a good foundation for the identification of metabolites in Metaplexis species and the exploration of the resource value of Metaplexis species, and provides a theoretical basis for elucidating the underlying mechanism by which Metaplexis japonica treats erectile dysfunction.

Objective: To conduct a comparative study on the Mongolian medicine Halenia sibirica and its adulterants Halenia elliptica, with the aim of establishing a specific testing method for Mongolian medicine Halenia sibirica. Methods: The origin identification, morphological identification, microscopic identification, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) identification, and chromatographic fingerprint were adopted. [High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was performed on a Kromasil 100-5-C₁₈ column (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm). A gradient elution was performed with a mobile phase comprising acetonitrile-0.1% phosphoric acid at a flow rate of 1.0 mL · min^-1 and the detection wavelength was 241 nm. The common peaks were identified and the similarity was calculated by the traditional Chinese medicine fingerprint evaluation system, and content determination (HPLC was adopted, with the same chromatographic conditions as those for the fingerprint chromatogram; the detection wavelength was 348 nm) were used to compare Halenia sibirica and its adulterants Halenia elliptica. Results: The root, stem, and leaf traits of the two were basically the same. The difference lies in that the corolla of the Halenia sibirica was pale white or pale green, and the calyx lobes were linear or linear-lanceolate, while the corolla of the Halenia elliptica was blue or blue-purple, and the calyx lobes were ovate or elliptical. The cross-sectional and powder microscopic features of the stems of the two were basically the same, no obvious difference. In TLC (1), there was no significant difference in the characteristic spots between the Halenia sibirica and the Halenia elliptica. In TLC (2), the Halenia sibirica had one more yellow-green main spot than the Halenia elliptica, which could effectively distinguish the two origins. Compared with the established Halenia sibirica reference fingerprint chromatogram, the similarity of 11 batches of Halenia sibirica samples was all higher than 0.93, with an average similarity of 0.97, while the similarity of 3 batches of Halenia elliptica samples was all lower than 0.65, with an average similarity of 0.63. The fingerprint chromatograms of the two were significantly different. In terms of the content of the differential component galuteolin, there was a 10∶1 difference between the Halenia sibirica and the Halenia elliptica. Conclusion: By integrating the traditional identification methods with a series of established detection methods, the differences between the Halenia sibirica and the confused Halenia elliptica can be identified intuitively and hierarchically. This study provides a reliable method for the accurate identification and quality control of the characteristic Mongolian medicine Halenia sibirica.

Objective: To investigate the medicinal history and botanical origin of Rubus sachalinensis in Mongolian medicine, clarify its similarities and differences with Rubus biflorus used in Tibetan medicine, and establish a scientific quality control approach. Methods: By systematically reviewing classical texts such as Four Medical Tantras, Mongolian Materia Medica, and Chinese Tibetan Materia Medica, the botanical origin and traditional applications of the two species were examined. Samples were collected, and comparative quality control evaluations were performed via macroscopic and microscopic identification, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), HPLC fingerprinting, and quantitative determination. Results: The two materials originated from distinct species: Rubus sachalinensis H. Lév. and Rubus biflorus Buch.-Ham. ex Sm., respectively. Microscopic characteristics differ significantly, with Rubus sachalinensis contained non-glandular hairs and large calcium oxalate cluster crystals, whereas Rubus biflorus lacked non-glandular hairs and containing prismatic crystals. Significant differences were observed in HPLC fingerprinting, with caffeic acid content ranged from 0.19% to 0.35% in Rubus sachalinensis but either undetectable or extremely low in Rubus biflorus samples. Conclusion: Rubus sachalinensis and Rubus biflorus exhibit notable differences in historical usage, botanical origin, and chemical composition. These findings provided scientific support for standardizing their usage and promoting the standardization of Mongolian medicine.

Objective: To systematically reveal the chemical composition differences among Delphinium taliense, Delphinium kamaonense, and Delphinium sherriffii. Methods: The ethanol extracts of the three Delphinium species were separated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures of the compound were identified using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, optical rotation, potassium bismuth iodide reaction, and UV-light color reactions. The Metabolites of the three Delphinium species were identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole electrostatic field orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE-MS/MS), and data processing was performed with compound discoverer software. The structure of each metabolite was confirmed by referencing databases and literature. Differential metabolites were screened using SIMCA-P 14.1 software and the MetaboAnalyst 6.0 platform. Results: Talitine A (compound 1) and talitine B (compound 2) were isolated from talitine C (compound 3) and lycoctonine (compound 4) were isolated from delectinine (compound 5), caerudelphinine A (compound 6), and oxoglaucidaline (compound 7) were isolated from Delphinium sherriffii. Additionally, a total of 218 chemical compositions were identified across the three Delphinium species using plant metabolomics method. Based on the combined results of VIP scores, P-values, and FC results, 18 differential metabolites were screened in the comparison between Delphinium kamaonense and Delphinium taliense; 15 differential metabolites were screened in the comparison between Delphinium taliense and Delphinium sherriffii; and 12 differential metabolites were identified in the comparison between Delphinium kamaonense and Delphinium sherriffii. Conclusion: Although the three species of Delphinium are similar in morphology, they exhibit significant differences in chemical composition and should not be used interchangeably. The identified differential metabolites can serve as quality markers to distinguish the three medicinal materials and provide a basis for further pharmacological studies.