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Tissue-Specific Analysis of Secondary Metabolites Creates a Reliable Morphological Criterion for Quality Grading of Polygoni Multiflori Radix

School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
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Molecules 2018, 23(5), 1115; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23051115
Received: 9 April 2018 / Revised: 28 April 2018 / Accepted: 6 May 2018 / Published: 8 May 2018
In commercial herbal markets, Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR, the tuberous roots of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.), a commonly-used Chinese medicinal material, is divided into different grades based on morphological features of size and weight. While more weight and larger size command a higher price, there is no scientific data confirming that the more expensive roots are in fact of better quality. To assess the inherent quality of various grades and of various tissues in PMR and to find reliable morphological indicators of quality, a method combining laser microdissection (LMD) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) was applied. Twelve major chemical components were quantitatively determined in both whole material and different tissues of PMR. Determination of the whole material revealed that traditional commercial grades based on size and weight of PRM did not correspond to any significant differences in chemical content. Instead, tissue-specific analysis indicated that the morphological features could be linked with quality in a new way. That is, PMR with broader cork and phloem, as seen in a transverse section, were typically of better quality as these parts are where the bioactive components accumulate. The tissue-specific analysis of secondary metabolites creates a reliable morphological criterion for quality grading of PMR. View Full-Text
Keywords: Polygoni Multiflori Radix; laser microdissection; ultra-performance liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS); secondary metabolites; quality grading Polygoni Multiflori Radix; laser microdissection; ultra-performance liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS); secondary metabolites; quality grading
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MDPI and ACS Style

Liang, L.; Xu, J.; Liang, Z.-T.; Dong, X.-P.; Chen, H.-B.; Zhao, Z.-Z. Tissue-Specific Analysis of Secondary Metabolites Creates a Reliable Morphological Criterion for Quality Grading of Polygoni Multiflori Radix. Molecules 2018, 23, 1115. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23051115

AMA Style

Liang L, Xu J, Liang Z-T, Dong X-P, Chen H-B, Zhao Z-Z. Tissue-Specific Analysis of Secondary Metabolites Creates a Reliable Morphological Criterion for Quality Grading of Polygoni Multiflori Radix. Molecules. 2018; 23(5):1115. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23051115

Chicago/Turabian Style

Liang, Li, Jun Xu, Zhi-Tao Liang, Xiao-Ping Dong, Hu-Biao Chen, and Zhong-Zhen Zhao. 2018. "Tissue-Specific Analysis of Secondary Metabolites Creates a Reliable Morphological Criterion for Quality Grading of Polygoni Multiflori Radix" Molecules 23, no. 5: 1115. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23051115

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