Metabolomic Profiling and Antioxidant Activity of Trigonella foenum-graecum and Trigonella hamosa

Abstract

THE METABOLOMIC profiling of Trigonella foenum-graecum and Trigonella hamosa seeds was performed using NMR spectroscopy combined with multivariate data analysis (MVDA). The database of the chemical shifts and the J-resolved two-dimensional NMR technique were used to identify the metabolites. Additionally, the identified metabolites were confirmed by comparison with previously identified compounds as well. Among the elucidated metabolites, choline, sterols, leucine, valine, flavonoids derivatives and trigonelline were found to contribute to distinguish between the two species of Trigonella in score scatter and loading plots of multivariate data analysis. Phytochemical analysis of plant seeds extracts for total carbohydrates, proteins, phenolics, flavonoids, saponins and anthocyanins was performed by spectrophotometer. The antioxidant potential of both species was evaluated by phosphomolybdenum method and DPPH radical scavenging activity. T. foenum-graecum was characterized by higher concentrations of trigonelline, sterols, protein, flavonoids derivatives, saponins and anthocyanins, and lower IC50 in DPPH radical scavenging activity assay than T. hamosa. It was observed that total antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with glucose, trigonelline, protein, flavonoids, saponins and anthocyanins. T. foenum-graecum revealed an interesting metabolomic pattern with antioxidant activity that assigns this plant as a promising candidate to