Determination of antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of Muntingia calabura Linn. peel by HPLC‐DAD and UPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS

Antioxidant activity in Muntingia calabura Linn. peel was evaluated by DPPH radical, ORAC, ABTS cation radical, FRAP assays and total phenolic contents by different extraction conditions. In addition, a method for determination of phenolic compounds in calabura peel samples harvested in Brazil using methanol:water and magnetic stirring as the extraction method, HPLC‐DAD and UPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS analysis were developed. Calabura peel showed antioxidant activity for all extraction conditions and assays evaluated, the most polar solvents being more effective. The developed HPLC‐DAD method allowed the accurate determination of phenolic compounds, with recoveries in the range of 72–107% and precision values ≤4%, with exception for chlorogenic acid. Gallic acid was determined at the highest concentration levels, followed by myricetin, ferulic acid and vanillic acid. However, all the five proposed phenolic compounds were identified in calabura peel samples by UPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS. Thus, calabura peel, an uncommon edible fruit part, can be appointed as a rich source of phenolic compounds.     

Metabolomics reveals consistency of the shoot system in Medicago truncatula by HPLC‐UV‐ESI‐MS/MS

Flavonoids not only play crucial roles in plant development and resistance, but also provide one of the major natural sources in human nutrition. To investigate the distribution of flavonoids in the shoot system of Medicago truncatula, a high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometer (HPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS) method was established and then applied to determine the quantitation of flavonoids in different parts of the plant. There were twenty‐two, fifteen and eleven different kinds of flavonoids identified from the flower, leaf and stem of M. truncatula, respectively. The identified constituents were either aglycone or glycosides of the typical flavonoid backbones, such as myricetin, quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, tricin, apigenin and laricitrin. It was found that the shoot system of M. truncatula can be differentiated by flavonoids in terms of structures and contents. Our results provide instruction to utilise the shoot system of legume crops as fodder and herb medicine in the future.     

Presence of two forms of methylated (–)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate in green tea

Crude catechins extract from Chinese green tea were fractionated using Sephadex LH‐20 column chromatography. The fraction containing (–)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) was then subjected to a semipreparative high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Using a mobile phase of water : dimethyl formamide : methanol : acetic acid (157 : 49 : 2 : 1 v/v/v/v( the mixture of two methylated catechins was separated and isolated. According to mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H‐NMR) date, these compounds were identified as (–)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐(3‐O‐methylgallate) and (–)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐(4‐O‐methylgallate).     

The Hypolipidemic Effect of Total Saponins from Kuding Tea in High‐Fat Diet‐Induced Hyperlipidemic Mice and Its Composition Characterized by UPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS

Kuding tea are used as a traditional tea material and widely consumed in China. In this study, total saponins (TS) from water extract of Kuding tea was prepared by D101 macroporous resins and analyzed by UPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS. Then the hypolipidemic effect of TS extract was investigated in high‐fat diet‐induced hyperlipidemic mice. For comprehensive identification or characterization of saponins in TS extract, 3 major saponins of Kudinoside A, Kudinoside F, and Kudinoside D were isolated and used as standards to investigate the MS/MS fragmentation pattern. As a result, 52 saponins were identified or characterized in TS extract from Kuding tea. In addition, the increased levels of mice serum TC, LDL‐C, HDL‐C, and atherogenic index (AI) were significantly reduced after the treatment of TS extract. Also, the liver protective effect of TS extract was obviously judged from the photographs stained with oil red‐O staining. Meanwhile, TS extract significantly upregulated the expression of hepatic scavenger receptors including SR‐AI, SR‐BI, and CD36. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the overexpression of hepatic scavenger receptors was involved in the hypolipidemic effect of Kuding tea on the high‐fat diet‐induced hyperlipidemic mice. The TS extract could influence these scavenger receptors, and this could be the potential mechanism of TS extract from Kuding tea in the treatment of lipid disorders. These results give the evidence that the saponins in Kuding tea could provide benefits in managing hypercholesterolemia and may be a good candidate for development as a functional food and nutraceutical.     

Chemistry and Biological Activities of Processed Camellia sinensis Teas: A Comprehensive Review

Tea is a typical processed beverage from the fresh leaves of Camellia sinensis [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] or Camellia assamica [Camellia sinensis var. assamica (Mast.) Kitamura] through different manufacturing techniques. The secondary metabolites of fresh tea leaves are mainly flavan‐3‐ols, phenolic acids, purine alkaloids, condensed tannins, hydrolysable tannins, saponins, flavonols, and their glycoside forms. During the processing, tea leaves go through several steps, such as withering, rolling, fermentation, postfermentation, and roasting (drying) to produce different types of tea. After processing, theaflavins, thearubigins, and flavan‐3‐ols derivatives emerge as the newly formed compounds with a corresponding decrease in concentrations of catechins. Each type of tea has its own critical process and presents unique chemical composition and flavor. The components among different teas also cause significant changes in their biological activities both in vitro and in vivo. In the present review, the progress of tea chemistry and the effects of individual unit operation on components were comprehensively described. The health benefits of tea were also reviewed based on the human epidemiological and clinical studies. Although there have been multiple studies about the tea chemistry and biological activities, most of existing results are related to tea polyphenols, especially (‐)‐epigallocatechin gallate. Other compounds, including the novel compounds, as well as isomers of amino acids and catechins, have not been explored in depth.     

Citrinin Determination in Red Fermented Rice Products by Optimized Extraction Method Coupled to Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS)

A rapid and sensitive method was developed and validated for citrinin determination in red fermented rice products by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) under the selected reaction monitoring mode. Sample preparation was especially focused, and the quantitative methods of LC‐MS/MS and high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC‐FLD) were compared. In red fermented rice samples, the limit of detection was 1.0 μg/kg for LC‐MS/MS compared to 250 μg/kg for HPLC‐FLD, the limit of quantification was 3.0 μg/kg for LC‐MS/MS compared to 825 μg/kg for HPLC‐FLD. High correlation coefficient was obtained (R² = 0.999) within the linear range (0.1 to 100 μg/L) in the MS method. The recoveries ranging from 80.9% to 106.5% were obtained in different spiking concentrations. The average intra‐ and inter‐day accuracy ranged from 75.4% to 103.1%, and the intra‐ and inter‐day precisions were from 3.3% to 7.9%. The developed method was applied to 12 commercial red fermented rice products, and citrinin was found in 10 samples ranging from 0.14 to 44.24 mg/kg. Compared to traditional qualitative and quantitative methods, the newly developed LC‐MS/MS method for citrinin determination includes the merits of using a small amount of extraction solvent, simple preparation steps, and high sensitivity.     

Simultaneous Determination of 15 Phenolic Constituents of Chinese Black Rice Wine by HPLC‐MS/MS with SPE

This study established a new method for quantitative and qualitative determination of certain components in black rice wine, a traditional Chinese brewed wine. Specifically, we combined solid‐phase extraction and high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to determine 8 phenolic acids, 3 flavonols, and 4 anthocyanins in black rice wine. First, we clean samples with OASIS HLB cartridges and optimized extraction parameters. Next, we performed separation on a SHIM‐PACK XR‐ODS column (I.D. 3.0 mm × 75 mm, 2.2 μm particle size) with a gradient elution of 50% aqueous acetonitrile (V/V) and water, both containing 0.2% formic acid. We used multiple‐reaction monitoring scanning for quantification, with switching electrospray ion source polarity between positive and negative modes in a single chromatographic run. We detected 15 phenolic compounds properly within 38 min under optimized conditions. Limits of detection ranged from 0.008 to 0.030 mg/L, and average recoveries ranged from 60.8 to 103.1% with relative standard deviation ≤8.6%. We validated the method and found it to be sensitive and reliable for quantifying phenolic compounds in rice wine matrices.     

Isolation and identification of two major acylated anthocyanins from purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. cultivar Eshu No. 8) by UPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS and NMR

In recent years, researches on the isolation and preparation of monomeric anthocyanins have intensified because of the requirements of quantitative and structure–bioactivity relationship analyses. However, simple and effective methods about the scale of monomeric anthocyanins from the natural purple sweet potato powder are rarely reported. In this study, high molecular weight acylated monomeric anthocyanins were isolated from purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. cultivar Eshu No. 8) via the combination of column chromatography and semi‐preparative HPLC technology and identified mainly by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS) and ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Two major acylated anthocyanins were unambiguously determined as peonidin 3‐O‐(6‐O‐(E)‐caffeoyl‐(2‐O‐(6‐O‐p‐hydroxybenzoyl)‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl)‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside)‐5‐O‐(β‐D‐glucopyranoside) and peonidin 3‐O‐(6‐O‐(E)‐caffeoyl‐(2‐O‐(6‐O‐(E)‐feruloyl)‐β‐D‐ glucopyranosyl)‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside)‐5‐O‐(β‐D‐glucopyranoside). The results of this study may help promote the purification of high molecular weight acylated anthocyanins from purple sweet potato as well as from other plant materials in nature.     

Simultaneous determination of theanine,gallic acid,purine alkaloids,catechins, and theaflavins in black tea using HPLC

In the present study, we employed high performance liquid chromatography with an amide‐C₁₆ column to determine the eighteen major active ingredients in black tea, including theanine, gallic acid, four purine alkaloids, eight catechins and four theaflavins. The method was successfully used to analyse two new kinds of black teas from the leaves of Camellia ptilophylla and Camellia kucha in China and several other world‐ famous black teas. Forty percentage ethanol was chosen as the extraction solvent for preparing tea extracts. All of the eighteen compounds could be separated within 86 min with a gradient elution system. Excellent linearity was observed for all the standard calibration curves, and correlation coefficients were above 0.9991. The developed method is accurate and sensitive enough for the determination of active components in black tea.     

Multitoxin extraction and detection of trichothecenes in cereals: an improved LC‐MS/MS approach

BACKGROUND: Many multiresidual methods to evaluate natural occurrence of Fusarium toxins are already reported in the scientific literature but a new rapid, reliable, cost‐efficient and high‐sensitivity method for the simultaneous determination of several fusariotoxins is always welcome. Nivalenol (NIV), deoxynivalenol, fusarenon‐X (FUS‐X), 3‐acetyldeoxynivalenol, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), HT‐2 toxin, T‐2 toxin, neosolaniol (NEO), zearalanone and zearalenone (ZON) belong to the most common mycotoxins in food matrix grains, e.g., wheat and maize. The proposed method is a multitoxin analytical method that combines high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), triple‐quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) under the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode, and it is focused on the optimization of the sample preparation without the need for any cleanup. RESULTS: Three different methods for sample preparation and for the simultaneous extractions of the above‐mentioned fusariotoxins were tested: two of these were followed by a different cleanup step for comparison, while the extraction method proposed in this work, which uses an 84% (v/v) acetonitrile aqueous solution, sample homogenization and subsequent filtration, was validated without any further cleanup step. CONCLUSION: Calibration curves for all analytes are linear, except DAS, HT‐2 and ZON, over the working range of 10–1000 µg kg^?1. The calibration curve of DAS was linear between 10 and 500 µg kg^?1, although the curves of HT‐2 and ZON were linear in the range 10–250 µg kg^?1. Squared correlation coefficients (R²) were in the range 0.995–0.998 for the all point calibration curves. The lowest limits of detection (LOD) were found for DON and ZAN with 0.5 and 0.2 µg kg^?1, respectively, while the highest LODs were obtained for NIV, FUS‐X and NEO, with 3.3 µg kg^?1 for each toxin. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

HPLC Analysis of Catechins, Theaflavins, and Alkaloids in Commercial Teas and Green Tea Dietary Supplements: Comparison of Water and 80% Ethanol/Water Extracts

ABSTRACT:  To help meet the needs of consumers, producers of dietary tea supplements, and researchers for information on health-promoting tea compounds, we compared the following conditions for the extraction of tea leaves and green tea-containing dietary supplements: 80% ethanol/water at 60 °C for 15 min and boiled water for 5 min. The following 7 catechins, 4 theaflavins, and 3 alkaloids were separated in a 70-min single HPLC analysis: (−)-epigallocatechin, (−)-catechin, (+)-epicatechin, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, (−)–gallocatechin-3-gallate, (−)-epicatechin-3-gallate, (−)-catechin-3-gallate, theaflavin, theaflavin-3-gallate, theaflavin-3'-gallate, theaflavin-3,3'-digallate, caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. The following ranges of concentrations of flavonoids (catechins plus theaflavins) in the tea leaves extracted with 80% ethanol were observed (in mg/g): in 32 black teas, 19.8 to 115.1; in 24 green teas, 12.3 to 136.3; in 14 specialty teas, 4.9 to 118.5; in 7 herbal teas, 0 to 46.0. Total alkaloids in all teas ranged from 0 to 32.6 mg/g. Significantly greater amounts of flavonoids were extracted from the tea leaves with aqueous ethanol than with boiled water. Levels of tea catechins in 10 capsules sold as dietary supplements were about 50 to 75% lower than the amounts listed on the labels. Catechin content of 4 commercial green tea extracts ranged from 96 to 696 mg/g. The results make it possible to maximize the extraction of tea compounds to better relate the flavonoid and alkaloid content of teas and dietary tea supplements to their health-promoting effects.     

Analysis of characteristic aroma of fungal fermented Fuzhuan brick‐tea by gas chromatography/mass spectrophotometry

Fuzhuan brick‐tea is a popular fermented Chinese dark tea because of its typical fungal aroma. Fungal growth during the production process is the key step in achieving the unique colour, aroma and taste of Fuzhuan brick‐tea. To further understand the generation of the characteristic aroma, changes in the main volatile compounds of Fuzhuan brick‐tea during the fungal growth stage were studied by gas chromatography/mass spectrophotometry. The results showed that the content of volatile compounds, especially aldehyde compounds with stale aroma such as (E)‐2‐pentenal, (E)‐2‐hexenal, 1‐penten‐3‐ol, (E, E)‐2,4‐heptadienal and (E, Z)‐2,4‐heptadienal, increased significantly in fermented tea samples. The concentration of terpene alcohols with flower aroma also increased notably during the fermentation process. The compounds with stale and flower aromas in combination with some volatile components of the raw material contributed to the characteristic ‘fungal/flower’ aroma of Fuzhuan brick‐tea. Microbial metabolism during the fermentation process probably played the key role in the generation of characteristic aromatic compounds of Fuzhuan brick‐tea. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Binding affinity of tea catechins for HSA: Characterization by high‐performance affinity chromatography with immobilized albumin column

Catechins are the major polyphenols in green tea leaves. Recent studies have suggested that the catechins form complexes with HSA for transport in human blood, and their binding affinity for albumin is believed to modulate their bioavailability. In this study, the binding affinities of catechins and their analogs were evaluated and the relationship between the chemical structure of each catechin and its binding property were investigated. Comparing these catechins by HPLC analysis with the HSA column, we showed that galloylated catechins have higher binding affinities with HSA than non‐galloylated catechins. In addition, pyrogallol‐type catechins have a high affinity compared to catechol‐type catechins. Furthermore, the binding affinity of the catechin with 2,3‐trans structure was higher than those of the catechin with 2,3‐cis structure. The importance of the hydroxyl group on the galloyl group and B‐ring was confirmed using methylated catechins. These results indicate that the most important structural element contributing to HSA binding of tea catechins is the galloyl group, followed by the number of hydroxyl groups on the B‐ring and the galloyl group or the configuration at C‐2. Our findings provide fundamental information on the relationship between the chemical structure of tea catechins and its biological activity.     

Determination of catechins and flavonol glycosides in Chinese tea varieties

A standardised profiling method based on high performance liquid chromatography combined with ultraviolet (UV) and mass spectrometric detection (MS) was established to analyse the phenolic compounds of selected tea varieties used for manufacturing of green, black and oolong teas. The composition and content of 24 tea constituents were analysed, including catechins, flavonol and flavones glycosides, phenolic acids and purine alkaloids. Each tea variety had a unique chemical profile. The compositions of catechins were lower in the tea varieties for green tea manufacturing, while the content of myricetin glycosides was the lowest in the tea variety for oolong tea manufacturing. The content of individual phenolic compounds in the selected tea varieties is highly variable. However, the content of total catechins is proposed to be helpful to classify tea according to the future application as non fermented green and fermented oolong or black tea.     

Identification of Bioactive Candidate Compounds Responsible for Oxidative Challenge from Hydro‐Ethanolic Extract of Moringa oleifera Leaves

Free radicals trigger chain reaction and inflict damage to the cells and its components, which in turn ultimately interrupts their biological activities. To prevent free radical damage, together with an endogenous antioxidant system, an exogenous supply of antioxidant components to the body in the form of functional food or nutritional diet helps undeniably. Research conducted by the Natl. Inst. of Health claimed that Moringa oleifera Lam possess the highest antioxidant content among various natural food sources based on an oxygen radical absorbent capacity assay. In this study, a 90% (ethanol:distilled water—90:10) gradient solvent was identified as one of the best gradient solvents for the effectual extraction of bioactive components from M. oleifera leaves. This finding was confirmed by various antioxidant assays, including radical scavenging activity (that is, 1, 1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl, H₂O₂, and NO radical scavenging assay) and total antioxidant capacity (that is, ferric reducing antioxidant power and molybdenum assay). High‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprints of the 90% gradient extract visually showed few specific peaks, which on further analysis, using HPLC–DAD–ESI–MS, were identified as flavonoids and their derivatives. Despite commonly reported flavonoids, that is, kaempferol and quercetin, we report here for the 1st time the presence of multiflorin‐B and apigenin in M. oleifera leaves. These findings might help researchers to further scrutinize this high activity exhibiting gradient extract and its bio‐active candidates for fruitful clinical/translational investigations.     

Analysis of the volatile components of tea seed oil (Camellia sinensis O. Ktze) from China using HS‐SPME‐GC/MS

Tea seed oil is unique to Asia and boasts significant nutritional and health benefits. In this study, the volatile components of tea seed oil from eight major producing areas in China were analysed using HS‐SPME‐GC/MS. The comparison was made among them to obtain their characteristic volatile compounds. After fibre selection and extraction and desorption condition optimisation, 194 types of volatile components, mainly consisting of aldehydes, pyrazines and esters, were detected. Three principle components were obtained by principal component analysis (PCA), allowing the different cultivars of tea seed oil to be characterised with strong correlation coefficients between factors. Both cluster discriminant analysis and PCA showed that geographical regions could influence the composition and content of tea seed oil's volatile components.     

Analysis of tea catechins in vegetable oils by high‐performance liquid chromatography combined with liquid–liquid extraction

In this study, a method was developed for the determination of various tea catechins in vegetable oils. Firstly, vegetable oils including tea seed oil, sunflower seed oil and soya bean oil were extracted by methanol/water (40:60, v/v), and then, a high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of GA, caffeine, EGC, EGCG, EC, ECG, GC, GCG, C and CG. For the compounds detected in tested vegetable oils, LODs were in the range of 0.05–1.65 ng, both intraday and interday relative standard deviations (RSDs) were <5.0%, and the recovery rates were in the range of 96.2–100.5% with RSD <3.7%. The results showed in vegetable oils which declared to had added tea catechins in, the concentrations of tea catechins were less than that showed in package label, and the content of EGCG was the highest in all samples. Therefore, the advancement made in our study will facilitate studies of tea catechins in oil industry.     

The development of a suitable manufacturing process for ‘Benifuuki’ green tea beverage with anti‐allergic effects

Epigallocatechin‐3‐O‐(3‐O‐methyl) gallate (EGCG3″Me) has been reported to inhibit type I allergy better than epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major catechin in tea leaves (Camellia sinensis L). We examined the effects of extraction and sterilization on the catechin content and histamine release from mast cells, as a representative reaction of early phase allergy, in the manufacture of ‘Benifuuki’ green tea beverage. Among various varieties of tea, the cultivar ‘Benifuuki’ contains approximately 2% of EGCG3″Me. Ester‐type catechins and their epimers increased with the increased extraction temperature of the tea. A tea infusion, extracted at 90 °C, strongly inhibited histamine release from mast cells. Furthermore, sterilization affected the catechin content in the manufactured green tea beverage. Sterilization at high temperature promoted the isomerization of catechins and the sterilized green tea beverage had a strong inhibitory effect. When EGCG3″Me, EGCG, epicatechin‐3‐O‐gallate (ECG) and their epimers, GCG3″Me (gallocatechin‐3‐O‐(3‐O‐methyl) gallate), GCG (gallocatechin‐3‐O‐gallate) and CG (catechin‐3‐O‐gallate) were compared, the anti‐allergic effect of GCG3″Me was strongest, and the order of activity was GCG3″Me > EGCG3″Me > GCG > EGCG. We consequently suggest that it was necessary to extract components from tea at the highest temperature possible, and to pasteurize under retort conditions (118.1 °C, 20 min), to manufacture functional green tea beverage with an anti‐allergic action. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Development and Application of a Method for the Analysis of 9 Mycotoxins in Maize by HPLC‐MS/MS

A reliable and sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of aflatoxins (AFB₁, AFB₂, AFG₁, and AFG₂), ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA), fumonisin B₁ (FB₁), and T2‐toxin in maize. The samples were first extracted using acetonitrile: water: acetic acid (79 : 20 : 1), and then further cleaned‐up using OASIS HLB cartridge. Optimum conditions for the extraction and chromatographic separation were investigated. The mean recoveries of mycotoxins in spiked maize ranged from 68.3% to 94.3%. Limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.01 to 0.64 μg/kg and from 0.03 to 2.12 μg/kg, respectively. The LC‐MS/MS method has also been successfully applied to 60 maize samples, which were collected from Shaanxi Province of China. Twenty‐four of the total 60 samples (40%) were contaminated with at least 1 of these 9 mycotoxins. Occurrence of mycotoxins were 6.7%, 1.7%, 3.3%, 6.7%, 1.7%, 23.3%, and 3.3% for AFB₁, AFB₂, OTA, ZEA, DON, FB₁, and T2‐toxin, respectively. The results demonstrated that the procedure was suitable for the simultaneous determination of these mycotoxins in maize matrix.     

Comparison of ginsenosides in radix and rhizome of wild Panax species using LC‐ELSD and LC‐Q‐TOF‐MS

High‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) and quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (Q‐TOF‐MS) were used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of wild Panax species, especially wild P. vietnamensis, which is an important medicinal plant. We determined the types and concentrations of ginsenosides in radix and rhizome of wild P. vietnamensis. Identification of ginsenosides was achieved using Q‐TOF‐MS; concentrations were determined by ELSD. The most abundant ginsenosides in wild Vietnamese ginseng were of the ocotillol type, accounting for more than 50% of the total. Compared to the rhizome, the radix had 31% higher ginsenoside content due to variation in protopanaxatriol‐type ginsenoside contents. We also found an unusual difference in the chromatograms of the two parts of wild P. vietnamensis. This difference did not appear in other wild species such as P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius. Our study provides an opportunity for further in‐depth study of the distinctive characteristics of P. vietnamensis.