基于苦味特征的苦参道地产区智能识别模型构建及其成分解析OA

Objective To establish an intelligent recognition model for identifying the genuine producing area of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and clarify the material basis of its bitter components.Methods The taste charac-teristics of 54 batches of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix were quantitatively measured using electronic tongue technolo-gy.Principal component analysis(PCA),orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA),and variable importance in projection(VIP)were employed to analyze differences in bitter taste quantification values among samples from different producing areas.Chemical components of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS).Based on active components retrieved from PubChem and Chem Spider databases,taste receptor type 2 member 1(T2R1)and taste receptor type 2 member 4(T2R4)—key receptors associated with intestinal in-flammation treated by Sophorae Flavescentis Radix—were selected for molecular docking modeling to screen poten-tial bitter components.Results The constructed PCA and OPLS-DA models effectively distinguished genuine from non-genuine producing areas.VIP analysis indicated that acidic bitterness and alkaline bitterness response values contributed most to regional differentiation,with samples from Shanxi—the genuine producing area,showing the highest bitterness values and optimal medicinal quality.From the 55 identified components,bitterness-associated components were screened.All 14 active components exhibited binding energies with T2R1 and T2R4 of less than-7 kcal/mol,suggesting they constitute the primary bitter components of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix.Conclusion The intelligent recognition model based on bitterness quantification values can rapidly identify the genuine produ-cing area of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix,and 14 active components were clarified as the material basis of its primary bitter taste.This study provides new insights for quality control and scientific interpretation of genuine medicinal materials.