Abstract: An ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS)-based peptidomics approach was developed for evaluating the similarities and differences between peptides in different morphological regions of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer root. A total of 62 high-confidence peptides were characterized through database search, and four parts of ginseng root were all rich in peptides. The results of the differential analysis showed that the peptides were differentially expressed between the main root (MR), branch root (BR), rhizome (RH), and fibrous root (FR). Besides, a total of 25 potential peptide markers enabling the differentiation were discovered. In particular, the difference between the MR and the other parts was the most significant, and it led to a new viewpoint for the study of the difference in pharmacodynamics between the MR and the non-MR. These findings illustrate the structural diversity of ginseng peptides and reveal the similarities and differences between the peptides in ginseng root, thus providing chemical evidence for the quality control and rational application of ginseng.

Key words: ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS), peptides, Panax ginseng, peptidomics