Simultaneous Quantification of 66 Compounds in Two Tibetan Codonopsis Species Reveals Four Chemical Features by...

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Traditional Medicine

Background:

• Codonopsis canescens and Codonopsis nervosa are traditional Tibetan medicinal herbs (Zangdangshen).
• These herbs are widely used for treating various diseases.
• A comprehensive chemical analysis is needed for quality control and sustainable development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically analyze and identify compounds in aerial and underground parts of Codonopsis canescens and Codonopsis nervosa.
• To quantify the identified compounds and determine their distribution.
• To recommend chemical markers for quality control of these Tibetan Codonopsis species.

Main Methods:

• Database-enabled Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole-Orbitrap-Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS) was employed.
• Three adduct ions ([M - H]⁻, [M + H]⁺, and [M + NH₄]⁺) were used for compound identification.
• Linear regression was used for quantification of identified compounds.

Main Results:

• A total of 66 compounds were putatively identified, with at least 16 isomers differentiated.
• Compound contents varied significantly, ranging from 0.00 to 39,127.03 µg/g.
• Key chemical features included enrichment of sesquiterpenes in CoC, abundance of quinic acid derivatives in aerial parts, higher flavonoid content in CoC, and ubiquitous distribution of lobetyolin.

Conclusions:

• Lobetyolin, atractylenolide III, diosmetin, and chrysoeriol were identified as potential quality markers for Codonopsis canescens and Codonopsis nervosa.
• These findings support the sustainable development and quality control of these important Tibetan medicinal herbs.
• The study provides a foundation for further research into the therapeutic applications of these Codonopsis species.