Chiang Mai Journal of Science

     To investigate the feasibility of using stable carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen isotope ratios for tracing the geographical origin of Artemisia argyi and to develop a corresponding origin traceability model, this study collected 75 A. argyi leaf samples from five major producing regions: Ningbo, Anyang, Qichun, Anguo, and Nanyang. The stable isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N, δ2H, δ18O) in the samples were determined using stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Multivariate statistical methods, including analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis (PCA), and discriminant analysis, were employed to establish an origin traceability model. The results showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in the C, N, H, and O isotope ratios among A. argyi samples from different regions. The 3D scores plots from PCA demonstrated relatively concentrated and independent distribution patterns for samples from each origin, indicating the feasibility of origin discrimination. The discriminant analysis yielded an initial correct classification rate of 89.3% and a cross-validated rate of 81.3%, suggesting a satisfactory overall traceability performance. These findings demonstrate that stable isotope technology, combined with appropriate chemometric methods, can effectively identify the geographical origin of A. argyi. This study provides a theoretical basis for verifying A. argyi 's origin authenticity and evaluating its regional typicity.