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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1538837
This article is part of the Research Topic Quality control for Efficacy and Safety of Herbal Medicinal Products: Volume II View all 12 articles

The Spectrum-Efficacy Correlation of Kai-Xin-San for Cognition of Aβ42 Transgenic Drosophila and Verification of Its Active Ingredients

Provisionally accepted
Jinfu Wu Jinfu Wu 1Hang Sun Hang Sun 1Yiyang Zhao Yiyang Zhao 1Lian Lian Lian Lian 1Hongsheng Bian Hongsheng Bian 1Yong Guo Yong Guo 2Dan Li Dan Li 2Lili Huang Lili Huang 1*
  • 1 Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
  • 2 Shineway Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Shijiazhuang, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study aims to establish the fingerprint spectra of Kai-Xin-San (KXS) and investigate its spectrum-effect relationship in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). Initially, the fingerprints of 15 batches of KXS were established and analyzed using HPLC, with the method’s precision, stability, and repeatability thoroughly evaluated. Subsequently, the effects of the 15 batches of KXS were assessed in an olfactory escape memory experiment, utilizing Aβ42 transgenic drosophila as a model. Finally, the spectrum-effect relationship between the KXS fingerprint and memory improvement was analyzed, with the active ingredients subjected to validation testing. The results identified seventeen common peaks in the fingerprint, and eight active components were determined: polygalaxanthone III, 3-6-disinapoylsucrose, ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1, β-asarone, α-asarone, dehydrotumulosic acid, and dehydropachymic acid. Treatment with KXS (1%, for 4 days) significantly enhanced the performance index of Aβ42 flies in the olfactory experiment. Both spectrum-effect analysis and validation tests indicated that polygalaxanthone III, ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1, β-asarone, and α-asarone were positively correlated with the performance index and improved the performance index in the olfactory experiment. The HPLC fingerprint method for KXS demonstrated excellent precision, accuracy, and reproducibility, making it suitable for quality evaluation and control of KXS. Polygalaxanthone III, ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1, β-asarone, and α-asarone are identified as potential active ingredients of KXS for anti-AD effects. These findings provide an experimental basis for developing new drugs based on KXS and its active ingredient combinations.

    Keywords: Kai-Xin-San, Spectrum-efficacy relationship, Alzheimer's disease, Pharmacodynamic material basis, HPLC, Aβ42 transgenic Drosophila

    Received: 03 Dec 2024; Accepted: 09 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Wu, Sun, Zhao, Lian, Bian, Guo, Li and Huang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Lili Huang, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.