UHPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS Identification of Intestinal Absorbable Components of Yindan Pinggan Capsule and Exploration of Its Anti‐NAFLD Mechanism Based on NF‐κB Signaling Regulation

ABSTRACT

Yindan Pinggan capsule (YDPG) is a traditional Chinese formula for liver disorders, but its mechanism against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unclear. Here, UHPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS was used to characterize YDPG's chemical profile, and the YDPG intestinal absorption solution (YDPGIAS) obtained via the everted gut sac model was analyzed to identify absorbable components. Network pharmacology, transcriptomic sequencing, molecular docking, and in vitro assays in oleic acid–induced BRL‐3A hepatocytes were integrated to predict targets and validate effects. A total of 164 compounds were identified from YDPG; 84 were detected in YDPGIAS, with 15 confirmed by reference standards. YDPGIAS significantly reduced lipid accumulation and lowered triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL‐cholesterol, and HDL‐cholesterol levels. Integrated analysis identified the NF‐κB pathway as the core candidate mechanism, involving targets LYN, TNF, and IL1B, and key compounds including baicalin, ferulic acid, and gentiopicroside. Molecular docking predicted favorable binding affinities, and cellular experiments confirmed lipid‐lowering effects. These results demonstrate that YDPG ameliorates NAFLD through multicomponent, multitarget regulation of the NF‐κB‐mediated inflammatory pathway, providing a preliminary basis for further pharmacological and clinical investigation in NAFLD management.