biostudies-literatureUnknown8(21)Zhang XLiquiritin (LQ), the main bioactive constituent of licorice, is a common flavoring and sweetening agent in food products and has a wide range of pharmacological properties, including antidepressant-like, neuroprotective, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. This study investigated the metabolic pathways of LQ in vitro (rat liver microsomes) and in vivo (rat model) using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid triple quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). Moreover, supplementary tools such as key product ions (KPIs) were employed to search for and identify compounds. As a result, 56 in vivo metabolites and 15 in vitro metabolites were structurally characterized. Oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, methylatRSC advances11813-11827https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9079117biostudies-literatureIdentification of metabolites of liquiritin in rats by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS: metabolic profiling and pathway comparison in vitro and in vivo.PMC9079117Liang CZhang XZhang LSun YYin JfalseIdentification of metabolites of liquiritin in rats by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS: metabolic profiling and pathway comparison in vitro and in vivo.Liquiritin (LQ), the main bioactive constituent of licorice, is a common flavoring and sweetening agent in food products and has a wide range of pharmacological properties, including antidepressant-like, neuroprotective, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. This study investigated the metabolic pathways of LQ in vitro (rat liver microsomes) and in vivo (rat model) using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid triple quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). Moreover, supplementary tools such as key product ions (KPIs) were employed to search for and identify compounds. As a result, 56 in vivo metabolites and 15 in vitro metabolites were structurally characterized. Oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, methylat2018-01-01T00:00:00Z2018 Mar2025-04-04T21:32:27.015Z2025-04-04T21:32:27.015ZS-EPMC90791173554282210.1039/c7ra13760e