Abstract: A rapid,high-resolution liquid chromatography with quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF-MS） was established for ginseng saponin analysis.Twenty saponin monomers were identified and quantitative analyzed with validated method.The method was applied for the investigation of temperature influence of the temperature on ginseng saponin extraction efficiency.The extracted ion chromatographic (EIC) peak area was used for quantitative analysis:the highest extraction efficiency of protopanaxadiol temperature was at 100  ℃,while the temperature for protopanaxatriol was at around 80 ℃,then decreased with increasing temperature.The highest extraction efficiency of malonyl-ginsenoside was at 70  ℃.However,results showed that total saplonin increased gradually with temperature,which could not represent the tendency of saponin monomers.The extraction efficiency of ginseng saponin was related to temperature,and the saponin was degraded during the extraction process.

Key words: LC/MS, ginseng saponin, extraction efficiency