An analytical approach based on ESI-MS, LC–MS and PCA for the quali–quantitative analysis of cycloartane derivatives in Astragalus spp

•Astragalus species are constituents of health foods and dietary supplements.•Bioactive cycloartanes are the main compounds of Astragalus genus.•ESI-MS and PCA analyses on eight commercial Astragalus spp. were carried out.•Cycloartanes were analyzed by quali–quantitative LC-ESI-MSn and PCA.•Metabolite similarities and differences among Astragalus spp. were highlighted. Astragalus species are widely used as health foods and dietary supplements, as well as drugs in traditional medicine. To rapidly evaluate metabolite similarities and differences among the EtOH extracts of the roots of eight commercial Astragalus spp., an approach based on direct analyses by ESI-MS followed by PCA of ESI-MS data, was carried out. Successively, quali–quantitative analyses of cycloartane derivatives in the eight Astragalus spp. by LC-ESI-MSn and PCA of LC-ESI-MS data were performed. This approach allowed to promptly highlighting metabolite similarities and differences among the various Astragalus spp. PCA results from LC-ESI-MS data of Astragalus samples were in reasonable agreement with both PCA results of ESI-MS data and quantitative results. This study affords an analytical method for the quali–quantitative determination of cycloartane derivatives in herbal preparations used as health and food supplements.