A high-throughput metabolomics approach for the comprehensive differentiation of four Pulsatilla Adans herbs combined with a nontargeted bidirectional screen for rapid identification of triterpenoid saponins

Pulsatilla Adans (PSA) herbs (Ranunculaceae) have been widely used in traditional medicine in China and other countries. However, the authentication and quality control of PSA herbs have always been a challenging task due to their similar morphological characteristics and the diversity of the multiple components that exist in the complicated matrix. Herein, a novel integrated strategy combining UHPLC/Q-Orbitrap-MS techniques with chemometrics...