Chemical Changeability of Essential Oils in Peels of C. reticulata ‘Dahongpao’ by Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry Compiled with Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution & Identification System

Chemical variability of essential oils (EOs) in peels of C. reticulata ‘Dahongpao’, a cultivar of C.
reticulata Blanco (mandarin) from the same source was investigated by gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry (GC–MS) compiled with Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution & Identification
System (AMDIS). Peels were collected once a month during July-December in 2011 from the identical
area. The components in EOs were identified by their purified mass spectra and Kováts retention
indices (RIs), in sum, 87 compounds were identified. A total of 67, 77, 66, 51, 46, and 59 compounds
representing 89.856%, 92.151%, 97.881%, 97.738%, 97.229%, and 97.897% of their total relative
contents, respectively in the EOs from six samples with the delay collected time were discerned. The
EOs from six samples varied considerably both qualitatively and quantitatively. Chemical
changeability of six samples differed with each other to some degree. 14 biomarkers were
established, 8 of them like d-limonene, γ-terpinene, linalool, decanal, α-sinensal, thymol, nhexadecanoic
acid and tricosane are more highlighted. Based on the contents of 3 biomarkers like dlimonene,
γ-terpinene and linalool, the chemotype as limonene/γ-terpinene/linalool (55.111–
77.659%/6.579-7.841%/1.197-7.773%) was differentiated for these EOs from C. reticulata
‘Dahongpao’. The study manifests AMDIS can efficiently enhance the accuracy of quantitative and
qualitative analyses by extracting information from total ion chromatograms (TICs). The results have
some meanings to clarify the similarities and differences in bioactive compounds as volatile oils of
Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae Viride (PCRV) and Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae (PCR) and to expound
the scientific essence of “One material used as two kinds of Chinese materia medica (CMM)” such as
PCRV and PCR in the end.