Comprehensive characterization of chemical components in Wenjing decoction by offline two dimensional liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Wenjing Decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine known for its blood-regulating effects, is primarily used to treat gynecological disorders in women. Despite its widespread clinical use, there remain gaps in the quality control of Wenjing Decoction, particularly in the comprehensive characterization of its volatile components, which are crucial to its therapeutic efficacy but often overlooked in conventional analyses. To address this issue and provide a more thorough chemical profile of Wenjing Decoction, we applied two complementary analytical methods: offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Using LC-HRMS, we successfully characterized 401 non-volatile compounds, which were classified into terpenoids, flavonoids, organic acids, phenylpropanoids, and lactones. GC–MS analysis identified 129 volatile components, including sesquiterpenoids, monoterpenoids, alcohols, and esters. These findings fill a critical gap in the systematic characterization of volatile components in Wenjing Decoction and provide a comprehensive chemical profiling approach for complex traditional Chinese medicine formulations. The results not only support the identification of potential quality control markers but also contribute to the standardization and quality assurance of Wenjing Decoction in clinical practice.