Abstract: The concentrations of 21 mineral elements (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Na, K, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn, Ni, Pb, As, Se, Hg, Cr, V and Sr) of 80 Zanthoxylum samples collected from 9 main producing regions in China (Z. bungeanum Maxim: Hancheng in Shaanxi, Hanyuan in Sichuan, Maowen in Sichuan and Wudu in Gansu; Z. schinifolium Sieb. et Zucc: Zhaotong in Yunnan, Guanling in Guizhou, Jinyang in Sichuan, Hanyuan in Sichuan, and Jiangjin in Chongqing) were determined by principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) were used to analyze the data obtained. The 80 samples were classified into nine groups by PCA and PLS-DA, agreeing with the actual grouping. The classification ability of PLS-DA was better than that of PCA and could effectively distinguish between Z. bungeanum Maxim. and Z. schinifolium Sieb. et Zucc. This study demonstrated that the combination of multi-element analysis and PLSDA can be an effective tool for identifying the geographical origin and variety of Zanthoxylum.

Key words: Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim., Zanthoxylum schinifolium Sieb. et Zucc., element, partial least squaresdiscrimination analysis, variety, geographical origin