ObjectiveTo establish the method of multi-index quantification and quality difference evaluation of Zhenzhutougucao (S. tuberculata) from different producing areas. Methods HPLC method was used to establish the content determination method of chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, amentoflavone, diosmetin, luteolin, kaempferol, quercetin, lonicerin, rutoside, β-sitosterol and stigmasterol in S. tuberculata. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-0.4 % phosphoric acid, the flow rate was 1.0 mL/min , the detection wavelength was 320 nm and 210 nm, the injection volume was 10 μL, and the column temperature was 30 ℃, water-soluble extract, total ash and acid-insoluble ash were also examined. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis were performed on 18 batches of S. tuberculata by SPSS 26.0 and SIMCA14.1 software, and the quality difference markers were determined by the values of variable importance for projection. The CRITIC-TOPSIS method was used to construct the comprehensive quality evaluation model of S. tuberculata. Results The methodological investigation showed that each component showed a good linear relationship and good accuracy.The results of quantitative analysis showed that the contents of 13 chemical components in S. herba from different habitats were (0.867 ± 0.198), (0.586 ± 0.187), (1.454 ± 0.324), (0.347 ± 0.070), (8.262 ± 1.486), (3.247 ± 0.547), (2.397 ± 0.545), (4.464 ± 0.744), (3.224 ± 0.979), (0.266 ± 0.101), (1.153 ± 0.216), (0.706 ± 0.164), (0.079 ± 0.011) mg /g, respectively. The contents of water-soluble extract, total ash and acid-insoluble ash were (25.2 ± 6.4) %, (12.0 ± 2.5) % and (2.2 ± 1.1) %, respectively. The results of multivariate statistical analysis showed that 18 batches of S. herba were obviously divided into three categories. Eight quality difference markers with great contribution were screened and mentioned. According to the contribution degree, they were amentoflavone, quercetin, kaempferol, ferulic acid, luteolin, diosmetin, chlorogenic acid and β-sitosterol. The results of CRITIC-TOPSIS analysis showed that the comprehensive quality of samples S6 (from Jiangsu), S5 (from Henan), S2 (from Shandong), S4 (from Henan), S3 (from Shandong), S1 (from Shandong) and S7 (from Jiangsu) was relatively good. Conclusion There are differences in the quality of S. herba from different producing areas. The established multi-index quantification, chemometrics and CRITIC-TOPSIS method provide experimental basis for improving the quality evaluation system of S. tuberculata.

Speranskia tuberculata (Bge.) Baill.  /  high performance liquid chromatography  /  chemometrics  /  chlorogenic acid  /  p-coumaric acid  /  ferulic acid  /  vanillic acid  /  amentoflavone  /  diosmetin  /  luteolin  /  kaempferol  /  quercetin  /  lonicerin  /  rutoside  /  β-sitosterol  /  stigmasterol  /  CRITIC-TOPSIS  /  comprehensive evaluation