Abstract:[Objective]The aim of this study was to analyze the compositional changes of the alcohol extracts of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Harms (APS)-Ganoderma applanatum (Pers.) Pat. (GA) before and after compounding at a mass ratio of 5∶1 (mAPS∶mGA=5∶1) and to investigate the immunomodulatory effects and marker components of the extracts.[Method]The mouse models of compromised immunity and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) were established with cytoxan (CTX) and 2, 4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), respectively, to investigate the effects of the alcohol extracts on the immune system. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) was used to analyze the changes of the active ingredients before and after compounding. Differential thermal analysis was performed to determine whether new substances were generated after compounding. Single solvent extraction was employed to qualitatively analyze the chemical components.[Result]The alcohol extract of A. senticosus-G. applanatum compounding at a mass ratio of 5∶1 possessed strong immunomodulatory effects. UHPLC-MS showed that the mass fractions of the active ingredients in the alcohol extract were directly proportional to the mass of the two drugs. The differential thermal analysis showed that new compounds different from those in A. senticosus and G. applanatum were generated after the compounding of the two drugs, mainly including tannins, oxygen-containing heterocyclic anthraquinones, polysaccharides, volatile oils, and lipids.[Conclusion]The strong immunomodulatory effects of the alcohol extract of A. senticosus-G. applanatum compounding at a mass ratio of 5∶1 are presumably related to the co-action of new compounds produced by the compounding, and these compounds could be used as maker components for the quality evaluation of A. senticosus-G. applanatum.
