Insight into the correlation between total ginkgotoxin and tree ages, geographical locations, and climatic factors

Abstract

Ginkgo biloba L. seeds are used for food and medicinal purposes in China, but excessive consumption of them can cause acute toxicity. Ginkgotoxin (MPN) and its-5’-glucoside (MPNG) are the main toxic substances in ginkgo seeds. Ginkgo biloba L. trees are widely cultivated in China, and there are fewer studies on total ginkgotoxin (TMPN, MPN and MPNG) in ginkgo from different regions, which is the main motivation for this work. We determined the levels of TMPN in ginkgo seed samples from different regions of China (24.44–41.19 °N, 98.68–124.43 °E), which ranged from 140.96 ± 4.19 μg/g to 537.14 ± 10.78 μg/g. We found that all 131 ginkgo seed samples contained TMPN. Pearson's correlation was performed to analyze the correlation between the TMPN, tree age, geographical location, and climatic factors. The study showed that for geographical factors, longitude was significantly positively correlated with TMPN, and altitude was significantly negatively correlated with TMPN. Regarding climatic factors, mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean warmest month temperature (MWMT) were significantly and positively correlated with TMPN. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the distribution of TMPN in ginkgo seeds in China and lay a scientific foundation for improving low toxicity and safe ginkgo food ingredients.