Unveiling the authentic secrets of traditional herbal medicines: A comprehensive investigation into metagenomic, metabolomic, and quality assessment of two categories of Codonopsis Pilosula from Shanxi Province

Abstract Background The main source of Codonopsis pilosula (CP) is the Campanulaceae family Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf., which is one of the traditional herbal medicines in Shanxi Province, China. In Shanxi Province, CP can be divided into two major categories, Lu CP (Lu dangshen in Chinese, LCP) and Tai CP (Tai dangshen in Chinese, TCP), because of their geographical conditions and traits. Since LCP is cultivated on a large scale, it has emerged as one of the commonly prescribed medicines in TCM clinics. TCP predominantly exists as a wild species. The artificial cultivation technology for TCP has not yet been fully developed, and the availability of wild resources for TCP is limited. There have been few comparative studies on the authentic evaluation of the two types of CPs. Results The findings revealed that the two types of CPs met the quality standards. With respect to the growing environment, TCP and LCP grow in the same longitudinal extent, with a maximum longitudinal span of only 53'. Both regions presented similar natural environments conducive to the growth of CP. Additionally, the lobetyolin content in TCP was greater than that in LCP. The soil microbial abundance in the TCP group was considerably significantly greater than that in the LCP group, and a new genus, Ascobolus, was found in TCP. Additionally, compared with TCP, LCP materials presented elevated levels of metals. These results not only indicate the main ecological and environmental parameters of Shanxi Province as a suitable production area for CP but also offer differential information for comparisons between the two types of CP specifications in Shanxi Province. Conclusions TCP and LCP share similar geographical environments for growth. However, TCP features a dense ring pattern beneath the stalk, a high content of lobetyolin, and a new flora, Ascobolus, in the root soil.