Metabolite identification

Human metabolism is an integral part of cellular function that reflects individual differences in health, disease, diet, and lifestyle. Many health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer are associated with abnormal metabolic states. In the pathological state of the human body, metabolic pathways are significantly altered, resulting in aberrant levels of intermediates or end-products that can be viewed as potential diagnostic biomarkers or even therapeutic targets. Therefore, detection, identification and quantification of human metabolites are very important for drug metabolism research in drug development.

MCE offers a unique collection of 6,756 human metabolites, including endogenous metabolites and exogenous metabolites, covering multiple structure types, such as lipids, amino acids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, organic acids, biogenic amines, vitamins,. MCE Human Metabolites Library is a helpful tool for studying the relationship between diseases and metabolism.

Accumulating evidence has revealed that intestinal microbiota play an important role in human health and disease, including cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and depression, etc. Changes in the composition of gut microbiota associated with disease, referred to as dysbiosis, have been linked to pathologies. Indeed, the gut microbiome functions like an endocrine organ, generating bioactive metabolites which play important roles in human metabolism, health, and disease. Gut microbiome has become a novel therapeutic target for many diseases. Analysis and identification of gut microbial metabolite will contribute to the development of therapeutic methods.

In order to meet the need of gut microbiome research, MCE carefully selected a unique collection of 474 gut microbial metabolites. MCE gut microbial metabolite library is a powerful tool for gut microbiome research and gut microbiome -related drug discovery.

Metabolomics is the large-scale study of cellular metabolic complement, with proven utility in both basic and applied studies of plants, microorganisms, and mammals. As an important tool for the study of complex biological systems, metabolomics monitors the complex molecular networks that exist in the natural flow of information from genes to mRNA and proteins to organisms. The metabolome is composed of biomolecules that most closely resemble the phenotype of an organism, and changes in its composition can easily lead to the production of diseases. Therefore, metabolomics has received much attention in drug target discovery, drug response and translational research of disease mechanisms. Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics methods can simultaneously detect and quantify thousands of metabolite signatures, thereby characterizing the pathophysiological mechanisms of various biomedical symptoms.

MCE can provide 666 mass spectrometry human endogenous metabolites that can be used for metabolite identification and quantification, functional cell detection and phenotypic screening of mass spectrometry.

Metabolomics, positioned as the systemic characterization of small-molecule metabolites within biological systems, has emerged as an indispensable analytical platform in both fundamental research and translational applications across plant sciences, microbial biotechnology, and biomedical investigations. Functioning as a critical component in multi-omics integration, this discipline deciphers the intricate molecular networks operating downstream of genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic regulation, thereby capturing the dynamic biochemical phenotype closest to organismal functionality. The metabolome, comprising endogenous compounds with molecular weights typically below 1500 Da, serves as the functional readout of cellular processes and environmental interactions, where perturbations in metabolic networks are frequently implicated in disease pathogenesis. Such unique attributes have propelled metabolomics into a pivotal role in pharmacological research, particularly in target deconvolution, pharmacodynamic assessment, and mechanistic elucidation of pathological processes.

MCE can provide 6,043 mass spectrometry human metabolites that can be used for metabolite identification and quantification, functional cell detection and phenotypic screening of mass spectrometry.

Natural products are small-molecule compounds produced in nature, derived from animals, plants, and microorganisms, including both primary and secondary metabolites. With their structural diversity and favorable biological activities, natural products have long been an important source for drug discovery. Traditional natural product research has often focused on isolating single active components, whereas metabolomics emphasizes a holistic approach—comprehensively detecting all metabolites in a sample and systematically capturing both known and unknown constituents. Consequently, mass spectrometry‑based metabolomics databases have become a key technological support for screening known components and identifying unknown compounds from natural sources.

MCE Mass Spectrometry Natural Product Library contains 4,314 natural products, covering multiple structural classes, including sugars and glycosides, phenylpropanoids, quinones, flavonoids, terpenoids, etc. All compounds have undergone rigorous quality control by LC/MS and other analytical methods, and can serve as high‑purity reference standards for metabolite identification.

The TCA cycle (tricarboxylic acid cycle)—is also known as the Krebs cycle or the citric acid cycle (CAC). The TCA cycle is a series of chemical reactions that release stored energy through the oxidation of acetyl-CoA in carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

For decades, the TCA cycle has been considered as the central pathway for cell oxidative phosphorylation to produce energy and biosynthesis. Research shows that TCA cycle is associated with many diseases, especially cancer. In colon carcinoma, liver cancer and other cancers, there are mutations that lead to the imbalance of TCA cycle metabolites, indicating that TCA cycle may be related to the occurrence of cancer. Understanding the role and molecular mechanism of TCA cycle in inhibiting or promoting cancer progression will promote the development of new metabolite-based cancer treatment methods in the future.

MCE supplies a unique collection of 25 key intermediates of the TCA cycle, which can be utilized for TCA-related research and metabolomics identification studies.

Amino acids are indispensable building blocks for life activities and are widely involved in key biological processes such as cell signal transduction, energy metabolism, gene expression regulation, and neurotransmitter synthesis. As components of proteins, 20 kinds of amino acids make up over one million kinds of proteins in the human body. These amino acids can be classified into nine types of "essential amino acids" that the human body cannot synthesize on its own and must obtain from food, as well as eleven types of "non-essential amino acids" that the human body can synthesize on its own.

MCE offers 18 kinds of amino acids provided which can be applied in research fields such as the study of amino acid metabolic processes, metabolite identification, food/cosmetic ingredient research, and the development of nutritional supplements.

Traditional Chinese medicine provides abundant natural resources for medicinal compounds, which are often considered effective and safe for drug discovery. Traditional Chinese medicine is based on the principle of "multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways", and naturally has multiple pharmacological effects. As herbal medicine, the secondary plant metabolites in Chinese herbal medicine play an important role in alleviating many diseases in Traditional medicine and folk use. Therefore, the identification of traditional Chinese medicine derived compounds is also an important process in drug development and a necessary factor in dissecting the overall mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine. FDA listed compounds have completed extensive preclinical and clinical studies, exhibiting good biological activity, safety, and bioavailability.

MCE designs a unique collection of 305 FDA/EMA/NMPA/PMDA etc-approved traditional Chinese medicine active compounds, including flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, and other structural types. It is a good tool for drug reuse and screening drugs from traditional Chinese medicine sources.