Abstract
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based untargeted metabolomics implies that annotated metabolites can serve as potential markers of the associated bioactivities of plant extracts. Firstly, we selected Aphananthe aspera and Zelkova serrata (Family: Ulmaceae) from 16 Korean plant species based on their distinct principal component analysis (PCA) patterns in LC-MS datasets and antioxidant activity assays. Further, we chose 40% solid-phase extraction (SPE) extracts of the two species displaying the highest antioxidant activities coupled with distinct PCA patterns. Examining the metabolite compositions of the 40% SPE extracts, we observed relatively higher abundances of quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin O-glucosides for A. aspera, whereas quercetin, isorhamnetin O-glucuronides, and procyanidin dimer were relatively higher in Z. serrata. These metabolites were clearly distinguished in pathway map and displayed strong positive correlations with antioxidant activity. Further, we performed preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (prep-HPLC) analysis coupled with the 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assay to validate their functional correlations. As a result, quercetin O-sophoroside was determined as the main antioxidant in A. aspera, while isorhamnetin O-glucuronide and procyanidin dimer were the primary antioxidants in Z. serrata. The current study suggests that the LC-MS-based untargeted metabolomics strategy can be used to illuminate subtle metabolic disparities as well as compounds associated with bioactivities.
Highlights
Many indigenous plant species are widely distributed on the Korean peninsula because of its distinct seasonal changes and heterogeneous terrains with unique features [1]
The metabolomics analyses commonly utilizes a range of analytical platforms such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), capillary electrophoresis-MS (CE-MS), liquid chromatography-MS (LC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy [5]
It implies that the LC-MS based metabolite profiling may offer many advantages towards a high-throughput quantitative and qualitative analysis of plant secondary metabolites, thereby comprehending the plant metabolomics, associated phenotypes and bioactivities [7]
Summary
Many indigenous plant species are widely distributed on the Korean peninsula because of its distinct seasonal changes and heterogeneous terrains with unique features [1]. The indigenous plant species are often characterized to explore their diverse functional secondary metabolites, which engender distinct bioactivities and pharmacological effects including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential anticancer properties [2]. LC-MS based metabolomics is considered as a widely used strategy for the relative comparison of both targeted and untargeted metabolite profiles as well as the screening of bioactive compounds owing its high sensitivity and selectivity coupled with rapid analysis ability [6]. It implies that the LC-MS based metabolite profiling may offer many advantages towards a high-throughput quantitative and qualitative analysis of plant secondary metabolites, thereby comprehending the plant metabolomics, associated phenotypes and bioactivities [7]. We propose a metabolomics approach that can be employed directly or used to supplement current methods toward the comprehensive analysis of secondary metabolites, applicable in studies including plant phytochemistry and natural product discovery, among many others
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