Rapid screening of neuroprotective components from Huang-Lian-Jie-Du Decoction by living cell biospecific extraction coupled with HPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS/MS analysis

•Live cell biospecific extraction with LC-HRMS was established to screen neuroprotective components.•Seven compounds in HLJDD were found to exhibit binding affinity to PC12 cells.•Baicalin, wogonoside and berberine exerted neuroprotective effects by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis. Huang-Lian-Jie-Du Decoction (HLJDD), a well-known traditional Chinese formulation, has been proved to exert neuroprotective effects, however, the bioactive components in HLJDD still remain to be elucidated. In the present study, a rapid and effective method involving live cell biospecific extraction and HPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS/MS was utilized to rapidly screen and identify the neuroprotective compounds from the HLJDD crude extract directly. Firstly, sixteen principal components in HLJDD crude extract were identified by HPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS/MS analysis. After co-incubation with PC12 cells, which have been validated as the key target cells for neurodegenerative diseases, seven compounds of them were demonstrated to exhibit binding affinity to the target cells. Furthermore, three representative compounds named baicalin, wogonoside, and berberine were subsequently verified to exert cytoprotective effects on PC12 cells injured by hydrogen peroxide via inhibiting oxidative stress and cell apoptosis, indicating that these screened compounds may possess a potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and were responsible, in part at least, for the neuroprotective beneficial effects of HLJDD. Taken together, our study provides evidence that live cell biospecific extraction coupled with LC-HRMS/MS technique is an efficient method for rapid screening potential bioactive components in traditional Chinese medicines.