Research and application of mass spectrometry imaging technology in traditional Chinese medicine analysis

<p indent="0mm">Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) contains complex chemical components that are difficult to separate, making the analysis of TCM a significant challenge. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a technology that combines mass spectrometry with ion imaging, requiring no complex sample pretreatment, and is highly efficient and specific while preserving the spatial distribution characteristics of the substances. As a non-destructive tool for <italic>in situ</italic> visualization of metabolite distribution, MSI has been widely used in TCM research in recent years. This review outlines the principles of commonly used MSI techniques in the field of TCM analysis, summarizes its applications in studying the synthesis pathways of active components, quality control of TCM, and the pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms of TCM, and points out existing problems, aiming to the further application of MSI technology in TCM analysis.