Analysis of quality evaluation and optimal harvest period of Aurantii Fructus from different sources using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS

Zi Xuan Liu; Ling Wang; Xue Sen Fu; Yu Qing Long; Juan Zeng; Guang Yu Chen; Ri Bao Zhou; Xiang Dan Liu

doi:10.1002/pca.3355

Analysis of quality evaluation and optimal harvest period of Aurantii Fructus from different sources using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS

Phytochem Anal. 2024 Apr 19. doi: 10.1002/pca.3355. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Zi Xuan Liu^{1

2}, Ling Wang^{1

2}, Xue Sen Fu^{1

2}, Yu Qing Long^{1

2}, Juan Zeng^{1

2}, Guang Yu Chen^{3

4}, Ri Bao Zhou^{1

2

5}, Xiang Dan Liu^{1

2

5}

Affiliations

¹ College of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China.
² Key Laboratory of Germplasm Resources and Standardized Planting of Hunan Large-scale Genuine Medicinal Materials, Changsha, China.
³ Engineering Technology Research Center for Medicinal and Functional Food, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of TCM Heart and Lung Syndrome Differentiation & Medicated Diet and Dietotherapy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Modern Research of TCM, Education Department of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.

PMID: 38639073
DOI: 10.1002/pca.3355

Abstract

Introduction: The active constituents in Aurantii Fructus sourced from different regions within Hunan Province exhibit variations, with certain samples demonstrating substandard quality.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the chemical composition and quality of Aurantii Fructus from various sources, establish a robust methodology for quality evaluation, and determine the optimal harvesting period.

Materials and methods: The components of Aurantii Fructus were qualitatively analyzed using a non-targeted metabolomics approach. Multivariate statistical analyses were conducted to identify potential markers, enabling qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the quality and optimal harvest period of Aurantii Fructus.

Results: Overall, 155 compounds were identified in Aurantii Fructus, with Huangpi exhibiting the highest number of components. Eleven potential markers were selected to assess the quality of Aurantii Fructus. The average content of Huangpi was the highest, indicating a high level of similarity. The samples' overall scores were ordered as follows: Huangpi > Xiangcheng > Choucheng > Daidai. Anren and Changde's Huangpi exhibited high contents, being rich in chemical components, resulting in favorable scores. Similarly, Changde's Xiangcheng displayed significant medicinal value. As the harvest time was delayed, there was an increase in fruit size, accompanied by thinner peels and a continuous decrease in the contents of potential markers. The best harvest period of Aurantii Fructus was within 1 week before and after the Lesser Heat.

Conclusion: The present study establishes a precise and efficient method for evaluating the quality of Aurantii Fructus, thereby providing more comprehensive insights into its composition. This research lays the foundation for subsequent development and utilization of Aurantii Fructus.

Keywords: Aurantii Fructus; components; fingerprint; harvest time; quality evaluation; ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry.

Abstract

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