Identification of Artemisia argyi H.Lév. and Artemisia mongolica Based on GC Fingerprint and Chemometrics Analysis

Artemisia argyi Lévl. et Vant. and Artemisia mongolica (Fisch. ex Besser) Nakai are two distinct species of the genus Artemisia (Asteraceae). In some regions of China, Artemisiae Mongolicae Folium is frequently used as a substitute for Artemisiae Argyi Folium. These two herbal materials exhibit marked differences in chemical composition, which result in distinct therapeutic effects. Herein, gas chromatography (GC) fingerprinting and chemometrics were employed to compare their volatile constituents and establish an effective discrimination method. A standard GC fingerprinting procedure for Artemisiae Argyi Folium was established, yielding 21 common characteristic peaks. The similarity values of 20 batches of Artemisiae Argyi Folium were ≥ 0.894, whereas those of 12 batches of Artemisiae Mongolicae Folium were ≤ 0.812. Common peaks were further identified by GC-MS. Cluster analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were applied to identify differential components. Multivariate analyses clearly separated the two species. Five volatile compounds with VIP > 1.2 were selected as potential chemical markers to distinguish Artemisiae Argyi Folium from its adulterant Artemisiae Mongolicae Folium.