Despite the extensive consumption of ginseng, precise quality control of different ginseng products is highly challenging due to the containing of ginsenosides in common for different Panax species or different parts (e.g. root, leaf, and flower) of a same species. Herein we performed a comparative investigation of diverse ginseng products by simultaneously assaying 15 saponins (notoginsenoside R1, ginsenosides Rg1, -Re, -Rf, -Ra2, -Rb1, -Rc, -Ro, -Rb2, -Rb3, -Rd, 20(R)-ginsenoside Rg3, 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F11, chikusetsusaponins IV, and -IVa) using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/charged aerosol detector (UHPLC-CAD) approach. Twelve Panax-derived ginseng products (involving P. ginseng root, P. quinquefolius root, P. notoginseng root, Red ginseng, P. ginseng leaf, P. quinquefolius leaf, P. notoginseng leaf, P. ginseng flower, P. quinquefolius flower, P. notoginseng flower, P. japonicus root, and P. japonicus var. major root) were considered. Benefiting from the condition optimization, the baseline resolution of 15 ginsenosides was achieved on a CORTECS UPLC Shield RP18 column. This method was validated as specific, precise (0.81-1.94% intra-day variation; 0.86-2.35% inter-day variation), and accurate (recovery: 90.73-107.5%), with good linearity (R2 > 0.999), high sensitivity (limit of detection: 0.02-0.21 μg; limit of quantitation: 0.04-0.42 μg) and sample stability (1.49-4.74%). Its application to 119 batches of ginseng samples unveiled vital information enabling the authentication of these different ginseng products. Detection of ginsenosides by CAD exhibited superiority over UV in sensitivity and the ability to monitor chromophore-free structures. Large-scale comparative studies by quantifying multiple markers provide methodological reference to the precise quality control of herbal medicine.
Keywords: Charged aerosol detector; Ginsenoside; Herbal medicine; Panax; Quality control; Quantitative assay.
Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.