Species Differentiation and Quality Evaluation for Atractylodes Medicinal Plants by GC/MS Coupled with Chemometric Analysis

Abstract

The utilization of rhizomes from the genus Atractylodes has been challenging due to their closely related origins. In this study, we developed an analytical strategy to differentiate Atractylodes lancea (A. lancea), Atractylodes chinensis (A. chinensis), Atractylodes japonica (A. japonica), and Atractylodes macrocephala (A. macrocephala), and compared their volatile compositions. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to analyze the volatile profiles of essential oils extracted from 59 batches of samples. Chemometric methods enabled a better understanding of the differences in volatile oils between the four species and identified significant components affecting their classification and quality. A total of 50 volatile components were identified from the essential oils by GC/MS. Unsupervised and supervised chemometric analyses accurately distinguished A. lancea, A. chinensis, A. japonica, and A. macrocephala. Furthermore, five characteristic chemical markers, namely hinesol, β‐eudesmol, atractylon, atractylodin and atractylenolide I, were obtained, and their respective percentage contents in individual species and samples were determined. This study provides a valuable reference for the quality evaluation of medicinal plants with essential oils and holds significance for species differentiation and the rational clinical application of Atractylodes herbs.

Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Sesquiterpenoids from Atractylodes DC. Genus Rhizomes

“…Zhang et al [44] identified atramacronoids A-C (18)(19)(20) from the rhizomes of A. macrocephala using spectroscopic data analysis, chemical calculations, and X-ray diffraction, which were found to contain an unusual 6/6/5/5/6 skeleton furnished by an unexpected C-8-C-16 linkage. Subsequently, twenty undescribed eudesmane-type sesquiterpenes named atramacronoids D-W (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40) were identified in the rhizomes of A. macrocephala using extensive spectroscopic data analysis, Snatzke's rule, ECD calculations, and X-ray crystallographic analysis [45,46]. A chemical investigation of the ethanol extract of A. lancea resulted in the isolation of nine eudesmanetype sesquiterpenoids (41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49), and their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic techniques and HRESIMS [47].…”

“…β -eudesmol, atractylon, and hinesol are usually used as chemical markers for evaluating the quality of Atractylodes DC. in different regions [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Many studies have been conducted on Atractylodes DC.…”

Efficacy and Potential Mechanism of Essential Oils of Three Labiatae Plants against the Pathogenic Fungi of Root Rot Disease in Atractylodes chinensis

“…A. chinensis has been traditionally used to treat digestive disorders, rheumatic diseases, and visual disorders [4]. The main active constituents of A. chinensis are atractylodin, atractylon, and β-eudesmol [5]. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that these substances have excellent pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, and neuroprotective [2,[6][7][8].…”