Polyphenolic profiling of Victoria Amazonica using MRM LC-MS/MS: A comparative analysis of various plant parts

Abstract

Victoria Amazonica is a plant that has attracted attention because of its ornamental, medicinal, and functional food value. Polyphenols are bioactive compounds abundant in this plant that been the focus of recent studies. Targeted analysis was conducted using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to characterize polyphenols and evaluate their content from different parts of the plant. The antioxidant activity of these phenolic compounds was analyzed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. More than 108 phenolic substances were identified, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans, tannins, and other polyphenols. Of which 101 compounds have never been documented before in V. Amazonica. All the identified metabolites were matched to the KEGG metabolites pathway for pathway annotation. The methanolic extracts of the leaves and roots exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, and the maximum amount of phenolic and flavonoid content. A significant correlation was observed between the phenolic acids, flavonoid components, and anti-oxidation. These findings suggest that Victoria Amazonica plant parts is rich in phenolic compounds and may have potential utilization in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries.