Chemical profiling of Clematis intricata Bunge using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry and evaluation of its osteogenic activities

Clematis intricata Bunge , a traditional medicinal herb widely used to treat rheumatism and ostealgia, has not been comprehensively characterized with respect to its phytochemical composition and osteogenic potential. In this study, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QEO MS) was employed to comprehensively profile the chemical components of C. intricata extracts, and its osteogenic activity was evaluated through a series of in vitro assays. A total of 172 compounds were identified, comprising 49 flavonoids, 96 phenylpropanoids (78 phenolic acids, 10 simple phenylpropanoids, 7 coumarins, and 1 lignan), 14 aliphatic organic acids, and 13 compounds from other chemical classes. Notably, 157 of these compounds were reported in C. intricata for the first time. The osteogenic activity of the extract was assessed using a dexamethasone-induced osteoporosis model in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). Compared with the untreated model, C. intricata extracts significantly enhanced osteogenic differentiation at low, medium, and high concentrations, with the high-dose group exhibiting greater osteogenic efficacy than the positive control. These findings provide comprehensive phytochemical evidence and experimental validation of the osteogenic activity of C. intricata , highlighting its potential as an adjuvant therapeutic agent for osteoporosis. This work also provides a scientific basis for the development of C. intricata -derived natural anti-osteoporotic agents and supports further investigation of its clinical potential.