Fingerprint–efficacy study of artificial Calculus bovis in quality control of Chinese materia medica

For quality control of Chinese materia medica (CMM), an attempt on fingerprint–efficacy study of artificial Calculus bovis was developed in this work. Chemical fingerprints of artificial C. bovis samples from ten different sources were determined by UPLC–ELSD and investigated by similarity analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis. Antibacterial effects of these samples on Escherichia coli growth were measured using microcalorimetry. The fingerprint–efficacy relationship of chemical fingerprint and antibacterial effect of artificial C. bovis were established by multi-linear regression analysis. Our results showed that the sources and places of production of artificial C. bovis had some important influence on the chemical fingerprints and antibacterial effects of this CMM. These artificial C. bovis could be grouped into four clusters according to their chemical fingerprints and antibacterial effects. Compounds cholic acid, taurocholate sodium, hyodeoxycholic acid and one unknown compound might be the major effective components for quality control of this CMM. Fingerprint–efficacy study provided a powerful way and some insight for the quality control of artificial C. bovis and other CCMs.