Research on Quality Difference Between Quzhou Aurantii Fructus and Its Similar Medicinal Part Based on HPLC Characteristic Fingerprint, Chemical Pattern Recognition Analysis and Multiple Compounds Determination

OBJECTIVE  To study and reveal the differential components and content characteristics of Quzhou Aurantii Fructus(QZQ) and its similar medicinal parts Huyou Peel(HYP), and provide a basis for the quality evaluation of QZQ.

METHODS  The HPLC characteristic fingerprints of 10 batches of QZQ and 12 batches of HYP were established, and similarity were evaluated. Principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least square discriminate analysis(OPLS-DA) were applied for differential components screening. The relative peak area ratios of characteristic peaks were analyzed to explore quality differences between QZQ and HYP. The contents of the selected characteristic components were determined, and t test and hierarchical cluster analysis(HCA) were performed to verify method reliability.

RESULTS  The HPLC characteristic fingerprints of QZQ and HYP were established, and the similarity(all >0.9) within the group was higher than that between the groups. Totally 12 characteristic peaks in QZQ and 15 characteristic peaks in HYP were confirmed, including 10 common peaks, and 8 chromatographic peaks were identified by reference substances. Chemical pattern recognition analysis was carried out based on the area of 17 characteristic peaks in each batch. Two principal components were extracted by PCA, and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 83.841%. Four characteristic components, neoeriocitrin, narirutin, naringin and neohesperidin were screened by OPLS-DA. The results of statistical analysis showed that the peak area ratio of peak 8 and peak 13 could be used for QZQ and HYP classification. In addition, the contents of neoeriocitrin, narirutin, naringin and neohesperidin were 0.25%‒0.55%, 0.84%‒2.29%, 4.24%‒8.57% and 3.40%‒10.13% in 10 batches of QZQ, and 0.66%‒1.40%, 0.30%‒0.45%, 3.60%‒5.52% and 2.19%‒3.69% in 12 batches of HYP, which showed significant difference(P<0.01) in QZQ and HYP. HCA based on 4 characteristic components could clearly divided 22 batches of samples into QZQ and HYP.

CONCLUSION  The method established in this study can specifically identify the characteristic components of QZQ from its similar medicinal parts and effectively distinguish them, and this work would provide a basis for the quality control of QZQ.