A nontargeted approach to determine the authenticity of Ginkgo biloba L. plant materials and dried leaf extracts by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) and chemometrics

• Published in: Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry 2020-10, Vol.412 (25), p.6969-6982
• Main Authors: Cruz, Meryl B., Place, Benjamin J., Wood, Laura J., Urbas, Aaron, Wasik, Andrzej, de Carvalho Rocha, Werickson Fortunato
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Biochemistry; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemometrics; Chromatography; Chromatography, Liquid - methods; Dietary supplements; Food Science; Ginkgo; Ginkgo biloba; Ginkgo biloba - chemistry; Herbal medicine; High resolution; Identification and classification; Laboratory Medicine; Leaves; Liquid chromatography; Mass spectrometry; Mass Spectrometry - methods; Mass spectroscopy; Materia medica, Vegetable; Mental performance; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Motivation; Plant extracts; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plants; Principal Component Analysis; Principal components analysis; Quality Control; Raw materials; Research Paper; Scientific imaging; Spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1618-2642; 1618-2650
• DOI: 10.1007/s00216-020-02830-2

The lack of stringent regulations regarding raw materials for herbal supplements used for medicinal purposes has been a constant challenge in the industry. Ginkgo biloba L. leaf extracts attract consumers because of the supposed positive effect on mental performance and memory. Supplements are produced using dried leaf materials and standardized leaf extracts such as EGb 761. Adulteration of Ginkgo biloba L. plants and extracts are becoming more and more common practice due to economically driven motivation from increasing demand in the market and the high cost of raw materials and production. Reinforcement in quality control (QC) to avoid adulterations is necessary to ensure the efficacy of the supplements. In this study, liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) was used with principal component analysis (PCA) as an unsupervised exploratory method to analyze, identify, and evaluate the adulterated Ginkgo biloba L. plant materials and dried leaf extracts using the PCA scores and loadings obtained and compound identification.