Chemical Variation of Chenpi (Citrus Peels) and Corresponding Correlated Bioactive Compounds by LC-MS Metabolomics and Multibioassay Analysis.

Mei Yang,Liang Zhang,Zhenfeng Wu,Wen Xu,Zongde Jiang,Minyu Zha,Mingchun Wen

doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.825381

Abstract

The peel of Citrus reticulata “Chachi” (CP) possesses various health-promoting benefits and is not only one of the most famous Chinese herbal medicine, but also an ingredient in fermented foods. In the present study, the effects of storage years (1-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, and 11-years) on the chemical profiling and potential bioactive compounds of CP were compared by metabolomics and in vitro bioactivity analysis. With the increase of storage time, the content of hesperidin significantly decreased, but nobiletin, 3,5,6,7,8,3′,4′-heptamethoxyflavone, and tangeretin were increased. Meanwhile, the antioxidant activity of CP was enhanced. Phenolic acids, flavonol glycosides, fatty acids, and alkyl glycosides were marker compounds that were responsible for distinguishing the storage time of CP. Correlation analysis suggested that some polyphenols including quercetin-glucoside, quinic acid, trihydroxydimethoxyflavone, and rutin were potential antioxidant compounds in CP. The dichloromethane and n-butanol fractions showed the better antioxidant capacity and inhibitory effects on glucose-hydrolysis enzymes. They mainly contained ferulic acid, nobiletin, 3,5,6,7,8,3′,4′-heptamethoxyflavone, kaempferol, and hesperidin.

Highlights

Citrus peel (CP) is the dried and mature peel of Citrus reticulata Blanco and its cultivars
In the present study, we determined the contents of 4 kinds of PMFs in CP by HPLC during storage
The strongest antioxidant capacity was detected is CP stored for 11-years, followed by the storage time of 1, 5, 6, 3, and 4-years. These results indicate that the chemical composition changes of CP during storage affect its antioxidant capacity

Summary

Introduction

Citrus peel (CP) is the dried and mature peel of Citrus reticulata Blanco and its cultivars. It is a common fruit, and possesses various health benefits. It has been widely desired by many consumers due to its unique aroma [1]. The main production areas of CP are Guangdong, Sichuan, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi Province of China. CP can be divided into common CP and Canton CP according to its plantation origins, where Canton CP is mainly produced in Xinhui City, Guangdong Province. Most studies have shown that CP is a beneficial food with a wide range of health benefits, such as antiinflammation, antiasthmatic, antithrombosis, anticarcinogenesis, and antioxidation activities [2–4]. More than hundreds of compounds have been purified and identified in CP, mainly including polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), limonin, and alkaloids [5–7]

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