To investigate the in-situ spatial distribution and dynamic transformation of ginsenosides and lipids during the steaming process of Panax ginseng, desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) was employed to analyze the main root sections steamed for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 h in both the positive and negative ion modes. Ginsenosides were detected using 95% methanol containing 0.1 mmol·L-1 NH4Cl as the spray solvent, while lipids were detected using methanol containing 0.01 mmol·L-1 TFA. The spray solvent flow rate was 2 μL·min-1, with X and Y pixel sizes of 200 μm and a raster speed of 500-700 μm·s-1. The results showed that, after the steaming, most macromolecular ginsenosides underwent degradation reactions such as demalonylation, deglycosylation, and deacetylation, leading to an increase in the content of rare ginsenosides. With prolonged steaming time, the signal intensity of most lipids decreased, and their distribution contours became blurred. Through multivariate statistical analysis, a total of 29 differential markers were screened and identified, including seven ginsenosides and 22 lipids, which were mainly distributed in the epidermis, cortex, and xylem, and their content changes were closely correlated with the steaming time. DESI-MSI technology can intuitively reveal the spatial distribution and dynamic transformation patterns of chemical components during the steaming process of P. ginseng, and the screened markers provide new scientific basis for studying the processing mechanisms and quality evaluation of P. ginseng.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |