Abstract:Objective:This study aimed to establish UPLC method for simultaneous determination of seven kinds of saponins in Panax japonicus and evaluate its quality combined with chemometrics analysis.Methods:ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm) was used, and the mobile phase was water (A)-acetonitrile (B) with gradient elution. The flow rate was 0.4 mL/min, at 30 ℃, and the injection volume was 1 μL detected 203 nm. Cluster analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) and quality fluctuation analysis in chemometrics were used to identify the content determination results, in order to analyze the similarities and differences between Panax japonicus in different regions.Results:Seven saponins (ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rb1, chikusetsusaponin Ⅴ, chikusetsusaponin Ⅳ, chikusetsusaponin Ⅳa and pseudoginsenoside RT1) had good linear relationship within the approved range (R2≥0.999 4). The average recovery rate was 99.00%~104.37%. The contents of ginsenoside Rg1, Re, Rb1, chikusetsusaponin Ⅴ, Ⅳ, Ⅳa and pseudoginsenoside RT1 were 0.21~18.85, 0.59~2.82, 1.25~8.12, 59.14~97.16, 22.21~47.19, 15.97~32.66 and 0.07~34.09 mg/g, respectively. According to the results of cluster analysis and principal component analysis, nine batches of P. japonicus samples were divided into three categories: S6 was classified as I; S3, S7 and S8 were classified as II, and S1, S2, S4, S5; S9 were classified as III. The quality fluctuation analysis showed that the contents of ginsenoside Rg1 and pseudoginsenoside RT1 fluctuated greatly.Conclusion:Simultaneous determination of seven saponins in P. japonicus by UPLC combimed with chemometrics comprehensive evaluation could be used for quality evaluation of P. japonicus.