Uncovering the effective substances and mechanism of Ipomoea pes-caprae against rheumatoid arthritis using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and targeted network pharmacology.

Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R. Br (Convolvulaceae) is a commonly used marine traditional Chinese medicine in the southern coastal areas of China. It has been widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but its effective substances and anti-rheumatoid arthritis mechanism remain ambiguous. Hence, in this study, the chemical profile and absorbed ingredients of Ipomoea pes-caprae were elucidated by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Moreover, targeted network pharmacology was used to clarify the mechanism of action of Ipomoea pes-caprae in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Finally, 23 compounds were identified in the aqueous extracts of Ipomoea pes-caprae and 12 absorbed ingredients were detected in rats' plasma. These 12 absorbed ingredients might be the essential effective substances of Ipomoea pes-caprae. The tissue distributions of 3 absorbed ingredients in rats were successfully analyzed. The targeted network pharmacological analysis results indicated that the regulation of inflammatory reaction, immune response, cell proliferation, and apoptosis were the critical mechanism of Ipomoea pes-caprae against rheumatoid arthritis. This study successfully clarified the effective substances and potential mechanisms of Ipomoea pes-caprae in treating rheumatoid arthritis. The results of this research could provide a valuable reference for further scientific research and clinical application.