Qualitative and quantitative analysis of potential bioactive components in Zhuyeqing liquor

Zhuyeqing liquor (ZYQL) is a traditional Chinese herbal health liquor produced by macerating medicinal herbs in a base liquor. This study aimed to systematically characterize its potential bioactive components using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and quantify 24 major components via UPLC-QqQ-MS. ZYQL and its herbal extract concentrate (ZYQ HEC) were profiled using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS with UNIFI-assisted processing, annotating compounds through accurate-mass and database matching, and verifying them against reference standards. Subsequently, a validated multiple-reaction monitoring method on UPLC-QqQ-MS was established for targeted quantification. A total of 82 constituents were identified (including 32 flavonoids, 11 carotenoids, 11 terpenoids, 8 iridoids, 7 phenolic acids, 6 phthalides, and 7 others), with 24 confirmed by standards. The quantitative method demonstrated excellent linearity (r ≥ 0.994) alongside acceptable precision, stability, and recovery. Hesperidin, genipin 1-gentiobioside, and crocin were present at relatively high levels, and active components were significantly more concentrated in ZYQ HEC than in the finished liquor. Ultimately, this integrated screening and targeted quantification workflow provides a sensitive, accurate, and reproducible approach, serving as a robust basis for advancing ZYQL quality control and process optimization.