Advanced chemometric methods, such as fuzzy c-means (FCM), a fuzzy divisive hierarchical clustering algorithm (FDHC), and fuzzy divisive hierarchical associative-clustering (FDHAC), which offer the excellent possibility to associate each fuzzy partition of samples with a fuzzy set of characteristics (features), have been successfully applied in this study. FDHAC, a method that utilizes specific regions of chromatographic fingerprints or specific peaks as a fuzzy set of characteristics, was effectively applied to the characterization and classification of medicinal plant extracts according to their antioxidant capacities, using their chromatographic profiles monitored at 242, 260, 280, 320, 340, and 380 nm via HPLC with a multistep isocratic and gradient elution system and diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). What is quite new is the partitioning of the chromatographic retention time ranges and peaks (markers) and their association with different plant extract samples with high, moderate or low antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, the degrees of membership of fingerprints (fuzzy markers) are highly relevant with respect to the (dis)similarity of samples because they indicate both the positions and degrees of association of chromatographic peaks from different classes or individual samples. The obtained results clearly demonstrate the efficiency and information power of these advanced fuzzy methods for medicinal plant characterization and authentication, and this study generates the premise for a new chemometrics approach with high-impact for use in analytical chemistry and other fields.

中文翻译：

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根据在各种检测波长下获得的药用植物提取物的色谱图，使用模糊划分层次关联聚类法查找特定峰（标记）。

先进的化学计量学方法，例如模糊c均值（FCM），模糊分裂层次聚类算法（FDHC）和模糊分裂层次关联聚类（FDHAC），它们为将样品的每个模糊分区与模糊关联提供了极好的可能性一组特征（features），已成功应用于本研究中。FDHAC是一种利用色谱指纹图谱的特定区域或特定峰作为模糊特征集的方法，利用其在242、260、280处监控的色谱图谱，根据其抗氧化能力，有效地应用于了药用植物提取物的表征和分类，320，340，和380纳米通过具有多步等度和梯度洗脱系统的HPLC和二极管阵列检测（HPLC-DAD）。相当新的是色谱保留时间范围和峰（标记）的划分，以及它们与具有高，中或低抗氧化能力的不同植物提取物样品的关联。此外，指纹（模糊标记）的隶属度与样品的（非）相似性高度相关，因为它们指示了来自不同类别或单个样品的色谱峰的位置和缔合度。获得的结果清楚地证明了这些先进的模糊方法在药用植物表征和鉴定中的效率和信息能力，