Comparative study of chemical components in different organs of Boluohui using HPLC fingerprinting combined with chemical stoichiometry
Macleaya cordata (Willd.) R. Br is a perennial upright herbaceous plant of the genus Macleaya in the family Papaveraceae. It was first recorded in “Materia Medica Collection” and is mainly produced in Hunan, Yunnan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other regions. Boluohui whole plant is used as medicine and has high toxicity. It should not be taken orally, but externally has the effects of dispelling wind, dispelling cold, detoxifying and relieving pain, and killing insects. It is used to treat various inflammations such as trichomonas vaginitis. The main active ingredients of Boluohui are alkaloids, including protopine (PRO), allocryptine (ALL), chelerythrine (CHE), sanguinarine (SAN) and other isoquinoline alkaloids. Their pharmacological effects include anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-tumor and liver function improvement.
Boluohui is widely used and has great potential for development and application as a characteristic traditional Chinese medicine resource. At present, the main veterinary drug preparations developed and marketed based on Boluohui alkaloids in the market include Boluohui Powder and Bopu Total Alkaloids; Boluo Hui San, with the main components of Baiqu Cai Hong alkaline and Xue Gen alkaline, has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and growth promoting effects; Bopu total alkaloids, mainly composed of protopine and allopurine, have anti-inflammatory effects. Boluohui extract is also used as a feed additive in the livestock and poultry industry, with functions such as anti parasitic and antibacterial, which can improve the production and growth performance of livestock and poultry, improve intestinal health, and enhance immunity. Boluohui is still a raw material for new biopesticides.
With the continuous increase in market demand for components such as protopine, allopurine, quercetin, and sanguinarine, artificial cultivation of Polygonatum sibiricum has taken shape. Currently, the market mainly uses Polygonatum sibiricum leaves and fruits as raw materials for extracting related alkaloids, while Polygonatum sibiricum roots and stems have not been utilized. Boluohui is a perennial perennial herbaceous plant that is usually replanted once every three years. It has a large number of underground roots and aboveground stems. Comparative studies and quality evaluations of the chemical components of Boluohui roots, stems, leaves, and fruits can provide a basis for fully utilizing Boluohui resources, which is of great research significance.

Selection of detection wavelength. This study examined three detection wavelengths of 270, 284, and 300 nm. It was found that at 284 nm, protopine, allopurine, sanguinarine, and quercetin all showed good absorption and could detect more peaks of the components in the sample. The separation and peak shape of each component were good, so 284 nm was chosen as the detection wavelength for this study.
Comparative analysis and quality evaluation of chemical components in Boluohui medicinal materials from different sources and organs. This study established chemical fingerprint spectra for the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of Boluo Hui, and the results showed that there were certain differences in the chemical components of different organs; From Figure 1, it can be seen that there are more types of chemical components in roots and fruits, followed by leaves, and the chemical components detected in stems are relatively the least. This study compared and analyzed the contents of four alkaloids in the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of Boluo Hui, including berberine, allopurine, sanguinarine, and quercetin. The results showed that there were differences in the content of these four alkaloids in different organs, and the order of the total amount of the four alkaloids in each organ was fruit>root>leaf>stem (see Figure 5). The differences in the content of the four alkaloids mentioned above are minimal but extremely low in the stem of Boluo Hui. The differences in the content of the four alkaloids mentioned above are relatively small and high in the fruit of Boluo Hui. The differences in the content of the four alkaloids mentioned above are relatively large in the roots and leaves of Boluo Hui, among which the content of protopine and allopurine is relatively high; Analysis found that the average content of protopine and allopurine in roots was higher than that in fruits and leaves, respectively (see Figure 5). Boluohui is a perennial herbaceous plant with developed root systems and high yields. According to research results, Boluohui roots can be used as raw materials for extracting protopine and allopurine, in order to fully utilize Boluohui resources. Alkaloids are secondary metabolites continuously synthesized during the growth process of plants. According to Table 4 and Figure 5, different growth methods have a relatively small impact on the accumulation of alkaloids in the roots, stems, and leaves of Platycodon grandiflorus. The accumulation of alkaloids in the fruit varies between wild and cultivated growth methods, with wild Platycodon grandiflorus having a higher alkaloid content than cultivated Platycodon grandiflorus. According to the local standards for Boluo Huiguo and Ye in Hunan Province, the classification criteria for Boluo Huiguo and Ye are based on the sum of sanguinarine and quercetin, as well as the sum of protopine and allopurine. If the sum of sanguinarine and quercetin in Boluo Huiguo is greater than 1.5, it is classified as first-class, while the sum of protopine and allopurine in Boluo Huiye is greater than 1.5, it is classified as first-class. The results showed that the sum of sanguinarine and erythrine in wild and cultivated fruit samples in this study was greater than 1.5, and the sum of protopine and allopurine in wild and cultivated leaf samples was greater than 1.5. From this, it can be seen that the cultivation of Boluohui has good adaptability and can meet the market demand for Boluohui raw materials through artificial cultivation. Based on the analysis of Figure 4, it can be concluded that among the five different varieties collected from Changde Cotton Research Institute, the total alkaloid content in different organs of the Boluohui CK JS sample is the highest. This variety can be selected for promotion and planting in the subsequent cultivation and production process.
Analysis of potential quality markers in roots, leaves, and fruits of Boluo Hui. This study found that the total alkaloid content of Boluo Hui stem was low, and the types of components contained were relatively small, so it was not subjected to chemometric analysis. Based on the OPLS-DA analysis results in item 2.4 of the article, it can be concluded that if the VIP value is greater than 1, Bie Yinpin alkaloid and Bai Qu Cai Hong alkaloid can be used as potential quality markers for the root of Boluo Hui; Original opiate alkaloids, allopurine alkaloids, and sanguinarine alkaloids can serve as potential quality markers for Boluohuiguo; Blood root alkaloids and white clover red alkaloids can be used as potential quality markers for the leaves of Boluohuiye, while other unknown shared peaks for calibration need further research and correction.
conclusion
This article compares and analyzes the HPLC fingerprint spectra of the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of Platycodon grandiflorus. The study found that there are differences in the chemical components of different organs in Platycodon grandiflorus, with more abundant chemical components in the roots, stems, and leaves and fewer in the stems. The content of four alkaloids in different organs of Boluohui, including protopine, allopurine, sanguinarine, and quercetin, was determined. The results showed that the alkaloid content in the roots, stems, and leaves of wild Boluohui was similar to that of cultivated Boluohui, and there was a significant difference in the alkaloid content in the fruit. However, they all met the local standards for Boluohui fruit and leaves in Hunan Province, indicating that cultivated Boluohui has strong adaptability and good quality.
At present, the market mainly uses fallen leaves and fruits as raw materials for extracting alkaloids, while roots and stems have not been utilized; Boluohui is a perennial perennial herbaceous plant with a large underground root system and aboveground stems; Research has found that the content of the above four alkaloids in the stem of Boluohui is low, and their utilization value is low. However, the content of protopine and allopurine in the root is higher than that in the fruit and leaves, and the resources are abundant. They can be used as extraction materials for protopine and allopurine to fully utilize Boluohui resources. The above research results can provide a basis and reference for the quality control and root development and utilization of Boluohui.