ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the correlation between the quality and climatic factors for Gentiana officinalis H. Smith from different producing area in Gansu province, China by grey correlation degree analysis combined with CRITIC-AHP weight ed evaluation. Methods: Contents of the total secoiridoid glycosides, total alcohol extracts and the metallic elements Ca, Fe and Zn were determined for the medicinal herb G. officinalis samples from 10 producing areas in Gansu, and their quality was estimated by the CRITIC-AHP weighted evaluation. The relationship between the quality and related climatic factors was then investigated by the grey correlation degree analysis. The climatic factors included the altitude, annual mean temperature, monthly mean temperature of Janu ary and July, annual mean relative humidity and the annual mean rainfall precipitation. Results : The content of the determined com ponents showed variation in the G. officinalis samples from the 10 different producing area. The altitude, annual mean temperature, monthly mean temperature of January and July, annual mean relative humidity and the annual mean rainfall all showed certain influ ence on the G. officinalis quality, and the biggest influence was the monthly mean temperature of July. Conclusion: The present re sults of the grey correlation degree analysis identifies the main climatic factors influencing the G. officinalis quality, which provides an experimental basis for the proper area selection and planting standardization for the G. officinalis production.