Headspace Solid-phase Microextraction–Gas Chromatographic–Mass Spectrometric Analysis of the Essential Oils of Two Traditional Chinese Medicines, Angelica pubescens and Angelica sinensis

Angelica pubescens and Angelica sinensis belong to the Umbelliferae family and both are used as traditional Chinese medicines. In the present study, headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for the analysis of the volatile constituents present in their roots. Eighty-seven compounds in Angelica pubescens and thirty-six compounds in Angelica sinensis were identified by GC-MS. Their relative contents were calculated by the peak area ratio. HS-SPME was compared to steam distillation (SD) by analyzing the volatile constituents of Angelica sinensis root. A good agreement between results obtained with both techniques was found. As a conclusion, HS-SPME is a powerful tool for determining the volatile constituents present in the TCMs.