Abstract:

The amino acid composition and nutritional value of roots of Codonopsis pilosula collected from two places of
Wushan county, Southwest China’s Chongqing municipality and eight other growing regions in China were analyzed using
an automatic amino acid analyzer (L-8800 model). A total of 17 amino acids were detected in all samples except for the
sample from Shaotong, Yunnan province which was found to not contain histidine. The average contents of total and free
amino acids were 46.96 and 11.25 mg/g, respectively. The proportion of essential amino acids to total amino acids ranged
from 20.41% to 33.06%, showing the highest value in the sample from Jincheng, Shanxi province, followed by that from
Duping of Wushan county. Arg, Glu, and Asp were the main amino acids of Codonopsis pilosula roots with significant
differences in their amounts observed among the samples from different growing regions. The content of arginine was
particularly higher, reaching 23.79 mg/g, in the sample from Hongchun of Wushan county than those from other regions. In
addition, the multivariate statistical method was used to analyze the differences in amino acid contents and essential amino
acid contents among the samples from ten regions. These geographic origins were classified into 3 categories by cluster
analysis. The samples from Hongchun of Wushan county, Changzhi of Shanxi province and Weining of Guizhou province
showed better quality. Codonopsis pilosula roots contained a full range of amino acids including plentiful amounts of tasteactive
amino acids and therapeutic amino acids. In conclusion, it has the potential to be extensively consumed by people as
a new food resource with high nutritional value.

Key words: Codonopsis pilosula root, Wushan, amino acid analysis, nutritional evaluation