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Highlights: [•] UHPLC–QTOF-MS/MS based metabolomics approach developed to find characteristic markers of LPG and LPQ leaves. [•] Nine characteristic chemical markers for discriminating LPG and LPQ leaves were revealed for the first time. [•] The metabolic profiles of LPG and LPQ leaves were also systematically investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS based chemical profiling was firstly developed for qualitatively characterizing the Impatiens Caulis sample. • A sensitive UPLC-DAD method was firstly developed to quantify eleven compounds in the Impatiens Caulis sample. • The developed method was integrated to compare the quality consistency of commercial Impatiens Caulis samples. In this study, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with photo-diode array spectrometry (UPLC-DAD) were firstly integrated to qualitatively characterize the chemical profiles and quantitatively determine the major components in Impatiens Caulis (IC), a Chinese medicinal herb derived from the dried stem of Impatiens balsamina. The qualitative analysis revealed that there was no difference in chemical profiles of twenty commercial IC samples. A total of 45 components were characterized, there in 5 naphthoquinones, 3 coumarins, 5 phenolic acids, 12 flavonoids and 3 other compounds were identified definitely. However, the quantitative results showed a significant difference in these IC samples. In particular, the highest content of total quantified compounds was even 9.49 times of the lowest one. Furthermore, the average contents of these quantified compounds in twenty commercial IC samples had high values of relative standard deviation (RSD) ranged from 15.64% to 98.76%, suggesting a poor quality consistency in these commercial IC samples. Therefore, efficacy related chemical markers as well as the cultivation region, harvest time and/or post-harvest handling of IC should be further investigated for ensuring its quality and efficacy consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Holistic quality consistency of four origins of Cicadae Periostracum was evaluated by UPLC-TOF-MS/MS. • Thirty-four N -acetyldopamine polymers identified from four origins of Cicadae Periostracum. • The quality of Cryptotympana atrata , Auritibicen flammatus and C. mandrina were consistent with each other, but Platypleura kaempferi not. • The outcomes beneficial for comprehensively utilizing resources and improving standard of Cicadae Periostracum. Cicadae Periostracum, which is derived from the slough of Cicadidae insects, is a commonly used crude drug in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). As specified in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Cryptotympana atrata (CA) is the only official species of this crude drug. However, the slough of other three species, i.e., Auritibicen flammatus (AF), Cryptotympana mandrina (CM) and Platypleura kaempferi (PK), have been also used as the origins of Cicadae Periostracum in Chinese herbal market, although whether the quality of these four origins is consistent or not is still unknown. In present study, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) was employed to qualitatively and quantitatively compare the chemical profiles of the four origins. Totally, 34 N -acetyldopamine polymers were identified from the four origins, including 4 N -acetyldopamine dimers, 11 N -acetyldopamine trimers, 10 N -acetyldopamine tetramers, and 9 N -acetyldopamine pentamers. AF, CM and PK had similar chemical profiles with that of CA. The contents and compositional ratio of the four types of polymers in CA, AF and CM were consistent with each other, but significantly lower or different in PK. All these results suggested that AF and CM might be considered as the potential resources of Cicadae Periostracum concerning their consistent holistic quality, whereas whether PK could be used as potential origin of Cicadae Periostracum or not need further evaluation for their different compositional ratios and contents of the four types of N -acetyldopamine polymers. This is the first study on chemical profiling and comparison of N -acetyldopamine polymers in four origins of Cicadae Periostracum, which is beneficial for potential resources utilization and quality standard improvement of Cicadae Periostracum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]