Analysis of 12 Chemical Compounds And Pattern Recognition of Different Parts of Angelicae Sinensis Radix by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry And Chemometrics Methods.

This article focuses on the development and application of a high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) method to quantitatively analyze 12 bioactive compounds in different parts of Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR), a traditional Chinese medicine known as "women ginseng." The study found that hydrophilic compounds, including amino acids, were predominantly concentrated in the head of ASR, while medium and weakly polar compounds such as organic acids and volatile oils were mainly found in the tail, correlating with their traditional medicinal uses. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on hydrophilic compounds effectively distinguished the different medicinal parts of ASR, supporting their chemical and pharmacological differentiation. These findings provide a scientific basis for the clinical selection and quality control of ASR parts and demonstrate the utility of HPLC-QqQ-MS/MS combined with PCA as a reliable tool for evaluating multi-part herbal medicines.