ABSTRACT The pneumonia mixture has demonstrated significant therapeutic effects against pneumonia; however, its active compounds remain poorly understood. The spectrum–effect relationship is a method for studying correlations between chemical spectra and pharmacological effects. In the present study, a pneumonia rat model was established via intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide. After molding, the pneumonia mixture was administered by gavage. The lungs, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and plasma samples were collected for determination of pharmacodynamic indices. UPLC–MS/MS detected eight compounds in the plasma, and these were used as indicators for quality control of the pneumonia mixture (Q‐maker). Correlation analysis using partial least square regression (PLSR) established the relationship between the constituents of the pneumonia mixture absorbed into the blood and pharmacodynamic parameters, thereby facilitating the identification of potential active ingredients. In total, seven components were detected in rat plasma, among which six showed significant positive/negative relations (variable importance in projection > 1) with one or more of the pharmacodynamic indices. Thus, the active compounds of the pneumonia mixture were identified based on the spectrum–effect relationship. This study provides a robust framework for evaluating the material basis and efficacy of the pneumonia mixture and a group of similar medicines.
Zhang et al. (Thu,) studied this question.