TCM PROFILING

TCM Component Profiling

TCM Component Profiling & Serum Pharmacochemistry

Systematic identification and relative quantification of herbal materials, decoction pieces, formulas and blood-absorbed components by UHPLC high-resolution mass spectrometry: multi-stage MS fragmentation combined with database matching delivers a panoramic chemical characterization; the service further supports serum-pharmacochemistry analysis, quality-marker (Q-Marker) screening and integrated network-pharmacology studies, providing data support for TCM quality evaluation and pharmacodynamic-substance research.

Service Scope

SERVICE SCOPE

Category	Details
Chemical characterization	Panoramic identification and relative quantification of components in raw herbs, decoction pieces and extracts
Blood-absorbed component analysis	Identification of prototype components and metabolites in post-dose serum to pinpoint potential active substances
Quality evaluation	Multi-batch consistency assessment and differential-component mining, supporting Q-Marker research
Integrated analysis	Combined with network pharmacology and metabolomics to resolve component–target–pathway relationships

Sample Requirements

SAMPLE REQUIREMENTS

Herb / decoction-piece powder

100 mg

Extract / lyophilized powder

50 mg

Drug-containing serum

100 μL

Tissue

50 mg

Cells

1 × 10⁶ cells

Liquid preparation / decoction

1 mL

Replicates: ≥3 batches for herbal-material samples; ≥6–10 replicates per group for animal experiments.

Submission notes: dry and pulverize herbal materials and ship sealed; ship drug-containing serum on dry ice; specify the botanical origin, provenance and processing method of each material.

Workflow

WORKFLOW

Consultation

Material information / research objective

Proposal & Quote

Test items / timeline / agreement

Sample Intake

Pre-check / labeling

Experiment

HRMS acquisition / fragment annotation

Delivery

Component-identification table + analysis report

FAQ

How long does a TCM Component Profiling project take?

Mature targeted panels typically take 1-3 weeks; untargeted projects take 2-4 weeks (counted from sample receipt and QC approval). The exact timeline is confirmed in writing before project start, and progress is trackable on the OmicsHub cloud platform.

What if my sample amount is below the recommendation?

Please do not dilute your samples. Low-input samples can often be accommodated by adjusting the preparation workflow — tell us the actual amount and our technical team will assess feasibility and note adjustments in the study plan.

Can I add targets to an existing panel?

Yes. Mature panels support on-demand additions; novel analytes outside the list can be implemented through custom method development (requires standards and extra validation time) — see our Custom Targeted Metabolomics service.

What samples do you need for TCM Component Profiling?

Serum/plasma ≥100 μL (fasting, no haemolysis), tissue ≥50 mg (snap-frozen), cells ≥1×10⁶ (medium washed off), urine ≥200 μL. Keep fasting time consistent, aliquot into single-use volumes and avoid freeze–thaw. Full guidance: Technical Resources → Sample Guide.