NMR AND UPLC-QTOF/MS-BASED METABOLOMICS OF DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF CYNOMORIUM SONGARICUM

Abstract

Cynomorium songaricum Rupr., a holoparasitic plant that grows in the desert and has important dietetic and medical value. However, the medicinal efficacy of C. songaricum collected in different seasons varies greatly, and the difference in the transformation and accumulation of its major metabolites is still unclear. In this paper, UPLC-QTOF/MS and NMR were used to study the metabolomics of C. songaricum in different growth stages, so as to explore the metabolic differences and regularity of C. songaricum in different phenological periods during one cycle. The results showed that there were thirty and sixteen compounds with significant differences based on UPLC-QTOF/MS and NMR, respectively, which were distributed in flavonoids, organic acids, sugars and amino acids. Among them, the content of secondary metabolites such as catechins and procyanidins accumulated more in the Unearthing (U), and Maturing (M) stages, while other differential compounds accumulated more in the Tubercle (T), Sprouting (S) and Atrophy (A) stages. The differential metabolic pathways of C. songaricum in different stages involved in flavonoids, sugar, amino acid and other pathways. This provides scientific basis for understand of metabolites accumulation, quality evaluation and use as medicinal materials for C. songaricum.