Abstract: Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis (Gou-Teng), the dried hook-bearing stems of several Uncaria plants (Rubiaceae), is a wellknown herbal medicine in China. The clinical application of Gou-Teng is bewildered for the morphological and chemical similarity between different species. In order to discern their chemical and biological difference, an ultra-fast liquid chromatography equipped with ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UFLC-IT/TOF-MS) combining with melatonin (MT₁ and MT₂) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT_1A and 5-HT_2C) receptors agonistic assay in vitro was conducted on seven Uncaria species. As a result, 57 compounds including 35 indole alkaloids, ten flavonoids, five triterpenoids, five chlorogenic analogues, and two other compounds were characterized based on their MS/MS patterns and UV absorptions. Specifically, cadambine-type and corynanthein-type alkaloids were exclusively present in U. rhynchophylla and U. scandens, whereas corynoxine-type alkaloids were commonly detected in all the seven Uncaria plants. Three Uncaria species, U. rhynchophylla, U. macrophylla, and U. yunnanensis showed obviously agnostic activity on four neurotransmitter receptors (MT₁, MT₂, 5-HT_1A, and 5-HT_2C). This first-time UFLCMS-IT-TOF analyses integrated with biological assay on seven Uncaria plants will provide scientific viewpoints for the clinical application of Gou-Teng.

Key words: Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis, Uncaria plants, LCMS-IT-TOF analyses, Melatonin and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors

摘要： Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis (Gou-Teng), the dried hook-bearing stems of several Uncaria plants (Rubiaceae), is a wellknown herbal medicine in China. The clinical application of Gou-Teng is bewildered for the morphological and chemical similarity between different species. In order to discern their chemical and biological difference, an ultra-fast liquid chromatography equipped with ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UFLC-IT/TOF-MS) combining with melatonin (MT₁ and MT₂) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT_1A and 5-HT_2C) receptors agonistic assay in vitro was conducted on seven Uncaria species. As a result, 57 compounds including 35 indole alkaloids, ten flavonoids, five triterpenoids, five chlorogenic analogues, and two other compounds were characterized based on their MS/MS patterns and UV absorptions. Specifically, cadambine-type and corynanthein-type alkaloids were exclusively present in U. rhynchophylla and U. scandens, whereas corynoxine-type alkaloids were commonly detected in all the seven Uncaria plants. Three Uncaria species, U. rhynchophylla, U. macrophylla, and U. yunnanensis showed obviously agnostic activity on four neurotransmitter receptors (MT₁, MT₂, 5-HT_1A, and 5-HT_2C). This first-time UFLCMS-IT-TOF analyses integrated with biological assay on seven Uncaria plants will provide scientific viewpoints for the clinical application of Gou-Teng.

关键词: Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis, Uncaria plants, LCMS-IT-TOF analyses, Melatonin and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors