Comparative analysis of volatile components of Panax ginseng flower by four extraction methods

Panax ginseng flowers (PGF), a constituent of ginseng, possess medicinal value and are widely recognized as a functional food. Therefore, ensuring meticulous control of PGF quality has become increasingly significant. One effective method for assessing product quality is to analyze the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in PGF, which act as indicative markers. In this study, VOCs in PGF were analyzed using gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC−MS), employing four extraction methods: steam distillation (SD), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), and static headspace sampling (SHS). The results revealed 103 annotated components using the area normalization approach, highlighting the major differences among the four extraction methods. The main sesquiterpenoid components of PGF, 1,6,10-dodecatriene, 7,11-dimethyl-3-methylene-, and (E)- were the only common components. The SD, SFE, HS-SPME, and SHS methods identified 67, 20, 38, and 18 components, respectively. These components accounted for 89.67%, 61.84%, 82.6%, and 50.3%, respectively, of the total volatile oil effluent peak areas. Additionally, each method extracted 11, 9, 8, and 8 components, with proportions exceeding 1% in the PGF extracts. Terpenoids were identified as the main VOCs in PGF, with the SD method showing the highest sesquiterpene content. Both HS-SPME and SHS methods contained sesquiterpenoids, which accounted for 61.471% and 22.708% of the total relative amount, respectively. Furthermore, the extraction capacity of the HS-SPME method is approximately three times higher than that of the SHS method. The volatile oil extract of PGF consists of main components such as alkanes, esters, sesquiterpenes, and steroids, with compound contents exceeding 1%. Our findings provide a theoretical foundation for the rational development of PGF resources.