Use of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry To Distinguish Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer(Asian Ginseng) and Panax quinquefolius L.(North American Ginseng)

摘要

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS-MS) method was developed to distinguish Asian ginseng(Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer) and North American gineseng(Panax quinquefolius L.).The method is based on the baseline chromaatographic separation of ginsenoside Rf and 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F_(11), two potential chemical markers present in ginseng root methanolic extracrs, and their unambiguous on -line identificatio using tandem mass spoectrometry. Consistent with the literature, 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F_(11)was detected in abundance in North American ginseng roots in excess of 0.1%(w/w)of the dried root. In contrst to some reports 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F_(11) was also identified in Asian ginseng roots at trace levels using LC-MS-MS but at less than 0.0001%(w/w). Besides showing identical tandem mass spectra to authentic 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F_(11), the corresponding compound in Asian ginseng root coeluted with standard under different HPLC conditions, thus confirming this compound as 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F_(11). Another ginsenoside ofter used to distingusish Asian and North American ginseng, ginsenoside Rf, was found in abundance in Asian ginseng roots at more than 0.021%(w/w). In Asian ginseng roots, the ratio of ginsenoside Rf to 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F_(11) exceeded 700:1. The limit of detection of ginsenoside Rf or 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F_(11) was 120 pg on-column. In summary, LC-MS-MS analysis of ginseng products for the presence and ratio of ginsenoside Rf and 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F_(11) may be used for the unambiguous identification of Asian and North Amerian ginsengs.