Assessment of Suitable Habitats and Quality of <i>Siraitia grosvenorii</i> in China

Climate change impacts the habitats of medicinal plants and potentially affects the quality of herbal medicines. <i>Siraitia grosvenorii</i>, a crucial medicinal and edible traditional Chinese material endemic to China, requires more research on climate adaptation. This study employed Maxent and ArcGIS software to predict suitable habitats for <i>S. grosvenorii</i> across various periods in China. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay measured mogrosides V (MV) content, total flavonoid content (TFC), and total phenolic acid (TPA) in samples from different suitable habitats. Additionally, the in vitro antioxidant potency composite index (APCI) of various samples was compared. The results indicate that precipitation and temperature emerged as significant factors influencing the distribution of <i>S. grosvenorii</i>, with precipitation of warmest quarter (Bio_18), temperature seasonality (Bio_4), and precipitation of wettest quarter (Bio_16) identified as the key factors. Currently, suitable habitats for <i>S. grosvenorii</i> are primarily located south of the Yangtze River, especially in Guangxi and Guangdong Provinces. Future projections indicate a northward expansion of suitable habitats. MV content was significantly higher in samples from high- and medium-suitability habitats compared to those from low-suitability habitats. Conversely, TFC, TPA, and APCI values were higher in low-suitability habitats. These findings offer valuable insights for identifying optimal cultivation areas and assessing the quality of <i>S. grosvenorii</i> resources in China.