Microscopic Characteristic and Chemical Composition Analysis of Three Medicinal Plants and Surface Frosts

The accumulation of chemical constituents of some medicinal plants, such asPaeonia ostiiT. Hong et J. X. Zhang,Houpoëa officinalis(Rehder and E. H. Wilson) N. H. Xia and C. Y. Wu. andAtractylodes lancea(Thunb.) DC, can precipitate on the surface and form frosts after natural or artificial intervention. The characteristics of these three medicinal plants and their frosts were analyzed by light microscope, polarizing microscope, stereomicroscope, and metalloscope. The results of ordinary Raman ofP. ostiiandH. officinalisshowed that the frosts ofP. ostiimatched paeonol, while that ofH. officinalismatched magnolol and honokiol. InP. ostiiand its frost, 19 peaks were identified by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS, and the main component was paeonol. Eleven components were identified inH. officinalisand its frosts, and the main components were magnolol and honokiol.A. lanceaand its frosts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), 21 were identified, and its main components were hinesol and β-eudesmol. These three medicinal plants accumulate compounds and precipitate frosts on the surface. The results show that the components of the frosts provide a basis for quality evaluation and research on similar medicinal plants, and reveals the scientific connotation of “taking the medicinal materials’ precipitated frosts as the best” ofP. ostii,H. officinalis, andA. lancea, to some extent.Keywords:Atractylodes lancea;chemical constituents;Houpoëa officinalis;Frosts;Paeonia ostii;UPLC-Q/TOF-MS;UPLC-Q Orbitrap;GC-MS