Kim Kyu Won, Park Geonha, Ku Sejin, Jang Young Pyo
Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
Division of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
Molecules. 2025 Jun 28;30(13):2786. doi: 10.3390/molecules30132786.
Celosiae Argentea Semen (CAS), derived from L., is traditionally used in Korean and Chinese medicine to treat eye disorders and liver heat and is recognized in official Pharmacopeias. In contrast, Celosiae Cristatae Semen (CCS), despite its frequent presence in the market, is not officially listed. The morphological and chemical similarities between the two pose challenges for accurate identification. This study presents an integrative method combining digital image analysis and high-performance thin-layer chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPTLC-MS) to differentiate CAS from CCS. Digital microscopy and ImageJ analysis showed that CCS has a projection area over twice that of CAS. Chemically, an optimized HPTLC method using ethyl acetate, methanol, water, and formic acid revealed distinct fingerprint patterns under UV 366 nm and white light. Notably, celosin F was exclusively detected in CAS, while celosin H, J, and K were characteristic of CCS. ESI-TOF-MS analysis confirmed these markers, resolving an overlap in values. Repeatability tests showed total SDs of sucrose for intra-day, inter-day, and inter-analysis precision were 0.006, 0.004, and 0.005, respectively, confirming method reliability. This combined approach offers a rapid, reliable, and practical tool for distinguishing these two medicinal seeds, supporting enhanced quality control and regulatory standardization in pharmaceutical applications.
青葙子（CAS）来源于青葙（L.），在传统的韩国和中国医学中用于治疗眼部疾病和肝热，并且在官方药典中得到认可。相比之下，鸡冠花子（CCS）尽管在市场上经常出现，但未被官方列入。两者在形态和化学上的相似性给准确鉴别带来了挑战。本研究提出了一种结合数字图像分析和高效薄层色谱-质谱联用（HPTLC-MS）的综合方法，以区分青葙子和鸡冠花子。数码显微镜和ImageJ分析表明，鸡冠花子的投影面积是青葙子的两倍多。在化学方面，使用乙酸乙酯、甲醇、水和甲酸的优化HPTLC方法在366nm紫外光和白光下显示出明显的指纹图谱。值得注意的是，仅在青葙子中检测到青葙素F，而青葙素H、J和K是鸡冠花子的特征成分。电喷雾飞行时间质谱（ESI-TOF-MS）分析证实了这些标志物，解决了保留值的重叠问题。重复性测试表明，蔗糖在日内、日间和分析间精密度的总标准差分别为0.006、0.004和小0.005，证实了方法的可靠性。这种综合方法为区分这两种药用种子提供了一种快速、可靠且实用的工具，有助于加强制药应用中的质量控制和监管标准化。
