Quality Evaluation of Wenyujin Rhizoma Concisum From Different Districts in China Based on HPLC, Heracles NEO Ultrafast Gas-Phase Electronic Nose, and FT-NIR.

Introduction: Wenyujin Rhizoma Concisum, named as Pian Jianghuang (PJH) in China, is the decoction piece from the dried rhizome of Curcuma wenyujin Y. H. Chenet C. Ling, has been used to relieve pain for many years in China. However, the qualities of PJH in different districts differ greatly due to their growing environments, which would affect their clinical applications.

Objective: To evaluate the qualities of PJH from different districts in China.

Methods: HPLC, Heracles NEO ultrafast gas-phase electronic nose, and Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy were applied to estimate the qualities of PJH from different districts in China.

Results: By HPLC, the average contents of neocurdione, curdione, germacrone, and furanodiene were 0.203%, 0.151%, 0.022%, and 0.022% in Fujian (FJ); 0.447%, 0.786%, 0.298%, and 0.276% in Zhejiang (ZJ); 0.082%, 0.259%, 0.038%, and 0.019% in Yunnan (YN); 0.041%, 0.022%, 0.260%, and 0.024% in Guangxi (GX); and 0.026%, 0.091%, 0.260%, and 0.016% in Anhui (AH), respectively. By Heracles NEO ultrafast gas-phase electronic nose, the unique odor components in PJH from FJ, YN, and GX were 1,2,4-thiadiazole,5-ethoxy-3-(trichloromethyl), 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline, and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, respectively, while ZJ and AH both contained two unique odor components, respectively: pentyl pentanoate and dill ether (ZJ), myrcene, and 2-pentadecanone (AH). Moreover, PJH from above five districts could be discerned quickly by FT-NIR.

Conclusion: The application of multidimensional analytical techniques in quality assessment of PJH from different districts in China would provide a new idea for quality control and geographical origin traceability of traditional Chinese materia medica.