Quality assessment of ginseng by (1)H NMR metabolite fingerprinting and profiling analysis

Metabolite profiling and fingerprint analysis by (1)H NMR spectroscopy were used to identify potential biomarkers capable of distinguishing different ginseng species, varieties, and commercial products with the aim of establishing quality control code protocol based on biochemical phenotype. Principal component (PC) analyses of (1)H NMR spectra reliably discriminated between the various ginseng samples, demonstrating the potential utility of metabolomics in the natural health products industry. Four Asian ginseng varieties separated along the PC1 and PC2 axes, and four different Korean ginseng products were divided into two groups by PC1. A strong separation was also revealed between Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Glutamine, arginine, sucrose, malate, and myo-inositol were the major metabolites in ginseng samples tested in this study. Combined metabolite fingerprinting and profiling suggested that several compounds including glucose, fumarate, and various amino acids could serve as biomarkers for quality assurance in ginseng.