Comprehensive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprint profiling and network pharmacology analysis for the quality assessment of Lygodium japonicum (Thunb.) Sw.

To evaluate the quality of Lygodii Spora by comparing its components before (WH) and after boiling (SH) using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and chemometric analysis. Additionally, network pharmacology was employed to investigate the possible mechanisms of action of Lygodii Spora in the urinary calculi (UC) treatment. A fingerprinting method was established to identify components through UHPLC-tandem mass spectrometry. Chemometric techniques were used to compare the Lygodii Spora extraction methods. Furthermore, various network pharmacological approaches were used to identify and analyze the potential targets of the identified components in relation to UC. The WH and SH extracts were distributed into two distinct clusters. Significant differences in the levels of protocatechuic aldehyde, caffeic acid, and p-coumaric acid were observed between SH and WH. Network pharmacology analysis revealed that the primary targets of Lygodii Spora in the UC treatment were serum albumin and epidermal growth factor receptors, with potential active components including protocatechuic acid and caffeic acid. This study comprehensively examined the therapeutic components of Lygodii Spora before and after boiling, shedding light on its potential mechanisms of action in UC treatment. These findings offer valuable insights into the development and utilization of Lygodii Spora resources. • Create a Lygodium japonicum fingerprinting technique. After identifying 18 batches of samples from various production regions, 7 similar peaks were discovered.By using mass spectrometry to identify the fingerprint's common chromatographic peaks, five components—protocatechuic aldehyde, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, and p-hydroxycinnamic acid—were found. • The two distinct haijinsha extraction techniques (Boiled and not boiled)were examined using the fingerprint method, and their analyses were conducted using the chemical pattern recognition technique. It was discovered through analysis that the two extraction techniques differed noticeably from one another. The reactivity of certain components, particularly caffeic acid (CAAC) and protocatechuic aldehyde (PRAL), varied dramatically after decocting as compared to non-decocting. During decocting, it was hypothesized that PRAL would transform into CAAC. • The possible mechanism of Haijinsha in the treatment of urinary calculi (UC) was investigated using the network pharmacology technique based on the five components found in the fingerprint.It was discovered that Haijinsha could treat UC through a variety of targets, with ALB and EGFR serving as the main targets. Additionally, it was confirmed that Haijinsha was more effective at treating urinary calculi after decoction, with CAAC and PRAC potentially acting as active ingredients.