Identification of the Origin, Authenticity and Quality of Panax Japonicus Based on a Multistrategy Platform

Abstract

Background: Panax japonicus (PJ) is a widely used Chinese herbal medicine, functional food and tonic. However, its origin has a great influence on the quality of PJ, and with the increasing demand for PJ, fake and inferior products, such as Panax stipuleanatus (PS), often appear. The identification of the origin and authenticity of PJ is critical for ensuring the quality, safety and effectiveness of drugs. Objective: Proposing a strategy to identify the origin, authenticity, and quality of PJ using HPLC fingerprints, chemometrics, and network pharmacology. Method: The chromatographic fingerprint method was established to analyze the origin and authenticity of PJ. Multiple chemometric methods were performed to analyze the fingerprints, including a hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and counter propagation artificial neural network (CP-ANN). Finally, the network pharmacology method was used to construct the "active ingredient-target" network, predict and assist in analyzing potential Q-markers in PJ. Result: Ward’s method was used for the HCA. The results showed that PJ samples from different origins had significant regional differences and could be accurately distinguished from PS. The PCA classification results are consistent with the HCA classification results, further illustrating the model's accuracy. The CP-ANN model can analyze and predict PJ and PS and accurately obtain PJ and PS chemical markers to identify PJ and PS correctly. The network pharmacology of PJ was constructed, and three PJ Q-markers, namely, ginsenoside Ro, ginsenoside Rb1, and chikusetsu saponin Ⅳa, were identified, which lays a foundation for the establishment of PJ quality standards. Conclusion: This research provides a feasible platform for the quality evaluation of PJ in the future.