Optimization of extracting technology of iridoid glycosides and phenylethanoid glycosides from <i>Pedicularis decora</i> Franch. by G1-entropy-coupled response surface methodology and rapid identification by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS

Quality control and clarifying ingredients are the foundation of pharmacodynamic material basis research. <i>Pedicularis decora</i> Franch. (<i>P. decora</i>) is clinically used to treat Alzheimer’s disease and exerts significant antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. However, there is little systematic research on the extraction and composition and the current research on <i>P. decora</i> focused on the quality control and extraction with aucubin as only quality marker. It reported that Iridoid glycosides (IGs) and phenylpropanoid glycosides (PeGs), which are characteristic components of the Pedicularis species, have been reported to have various anti-Alzheimer’s activity. This study focused on the extraction and rapid qualitative analysis of IGs and PeGs in <i>P. decora</i>. First, HPLC-UV method was established to detect five IGs and PeGs analytes simultaneously and assess the effect of the extraction technology. Then, the G1-entropy method with the Box-Behnken response surface design methodology was used to optimized extraction technology. The optimum conditions were determined to be reflux with 55% methanol aqueous solutions, at 75 °C for 50 min. Finally, by establishing UPLC-Q/TOF-MS, 15 IGs and 15 PeGs in <i>P. decora</i> were rapidly identified and characterized for the first time. The results will provide a reverence of a higher quality standard and the pharmacodynamic material basis research.