Differentiation of genuine Inula britannica L. and substitute specimens based on the determination of 15 components using LC–MS/MS and principal components analysis

The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical differences between genuine Inula britannica L. (I. britannica) and substitute specimens. A linear ion trap LC–MS/MS analytical method has been developed for the identification and quantification of 15 major components from I. britannica. Data acquisition was performed in multiple-reaction-monitoring transitions mode followed by an information-dependent acquisition using the enhanced product ion (EPI) scan in one run. The target compounds were further identified and confirmed using an EPI spectral library. The determination results of 45 batches of samples were then analysed and classified by principal component analysis (PCA). The content of 11 components could be used to distinguish the two official Flos Inulae species (I. britannica and Inula japonica) from unofficial species (Inula hupehensis), and the content of 3 components could be used to differentiate the two official species.