Rapid Screening of <i>Angelica sinensis</i> Root Adulteration With <i>Angelica pubescens</i> Root in Raw Materials of Chinese Patent Drugs Using Amplicon Sequencing and Gas Chromatography‐Ion Mobility Spectrometry

Herbal adulteration has become a common malpractice, often undertaken to increase the weight or perceived potency of medicinal products or to reduce production costs. Consequently, the development of effective methods for detecting and preventing herbal adulteration is of critical importance. Angelica sinensis root is a well-known medicinal and edible plant with diverse pharmacological activities. However, owing to its increasing demand and market price, various adulterants have emerged, among which Angelica pubescens root is one of the most prevalent. The identification of A. sinensis becomes particularly challenging when it is processed into Chinese patent medicine. To address this issue, a novel analytical strategy was proposed. Amplicon sequencing combined with gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry was employed for the rapid screening of A. sinensis root adulteration with A. pubescens root in raw materials used for Chinese patent drugs. First, adulteration was confirmed using ITS2 amplicon sequencing. Subsequently, a simple and rapid GC-IMS-based screening method was established. Finally, the developed method was validated using two Chinese patent drugs to assess the presence of A. pubescens adulteration. This integrated strategy provides an effective tool for the rapid screening of commercial products and contributes to combating the adulteration of raw materials used in Chinese patent drugs.