Cynanchum wilfordii Hemsley is an indigenous Korean plant that is widely distributed across mountains and fields throughout the country. For several decades, local farmers have collected wild plants and cultivated them as an agricultural crop. Owing t...
Cynanchum wilfordii Hemsley is an indigenous Korean plant that is widely distributed across mountains and fields throughout the country. For several decades, local farmers have collected wild plants and cultivated them as an agricultural crop. Owing to its diverse pharmacological properties, such as the alleviation of menopausal symptoms, anti-inflammatory activity, and antioxidant effects, it is widely used as a medicinal herb and as a raw material for health functional foods. However, C. wilfordii exhibits substantial diversity in morphological traits, functional characteristics, and agricultural productivity even within the same species, resulting in increasing demand for the development of superior lines and customized products.
In this study, we aimed to identify metabolite datasets that can discriminate among lines based on differences in phenotypic traits, including fresh weight, length, diameter, and root coloration. Metabolite profiles were obtained using LC-MS/MS, and multivariate statistical analyses such as PCA and PLS DA were applied to evaluate metabolic variation across lines and to identify metabolites that reflect line specific characteristics. Through this approach, we elucidated key differences in major metabolites and extracted candidate metabolite markers capable of distinguishing specific lines.
These results objectively demonstrate the metabolic diversity of C. wilfordii and provide foundational data for establishing a classification framework based on chemical characteristics. Furthermore, this study is expected to contribute to line selection based on functional compound content, the standardized production of raw materials, the development of tailored health functional foods, and the implementation of industrial quality control systems.