HPLC with evaporative light scattering detection as a tool to distinguish Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)

A high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) method was developed to identify Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) and North American ginseng (P quinquefolius L.), and their products. The method is based on the baseline chromatographic separation or ginsenoside Rf and 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F-11, two potential chemical markers present in the methanolic extracts of ginseng roots and their products, and their on-line detection using an evaporative light scattering detector. As a result, ginsenoside Rf could be detected only in Asian ginseng and 24(R)-pseudoginsenoside F-11 could only be detected in North American ginseng in the current study. The method developed is very simple and highly sensitive down to the nanogram level.