Metabolic profiling of Goji berry extracts for discrimination of geographical origin by non-targeted liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A systematic UHPLC Q-ToF MS approach for the characterization of bioactive compounds from freeze-dried red goji berries (L. barbarum L.) grown in Serbia: Phenolic compounds and phenylamides

The aim of this study was to identify and characterise different classes of bioactive compounds from freeze-dried red goji berries (RGB) grown in Serbia, using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC Q-ToF MS). In addition, this study aims to demonstrate the importance of applying the advanced UHPLC Q-ToF MS technique in the identification of various biocompounds. The analysis showed the presence of 28 phenolic compounds, 3 organic acids, and 26 phenylamides. The 2-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid (AA-2βG) was identified by UHPLC Q-ToF MS and quantified by standardised UHPLC-DAD method. Most of the compounds detected were derivatives of caffeic acid and ferulic acid, followed by quercetin derivatives. Among the phenylamides, several glucosylated caffeoyl and/or dihydrocaffeoyl derivatives of spermidine and spermine were characterized, confirming their recent characterization. Some glycosylated/non-glycosylated putrescine derivatives and caffeoyl-dihydrocaffeoyl-feruloyl spermidines were identified in goji berriesfor the first time. Their tentative structures and fragmentations were proposed.

Anticancer Therapies Based on Oxidative Damage: Lycium barbarum Inhibits the Proliferation of MCF-7 Cells by Activating Pyroptosis through Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Lycium barbarum, commonly recognized as goji berry or wolfberry, is highly appreciated not only for its organoleptic and nutritional properties but also as an important source of bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, carotenoids, phenolics, and various other non-nutritive compounds. These constituents give it a multitude of health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. However, the precise biochemical mechanisms responsible for its anticancer effects remain unclear, and the comprehensive composition of goji berry extracts is often insufficiently explored. This study aimed to investigate the biochemical pathways modulated in breast cancer cells by an ethanolic extract of Lycium barbarum fruit (LBE). Following metabolomic profiling using UHPLC-HRMS/MS, we assessed the antitumoral properties of LBE on different breast cancer cell lines. This investigation revealed that LBE exhibited cytotoxic effects, inducing a pro-oxidant effect that triggered pyroptosis activation through endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and subsequent activation of the P-IRE1α/XBP1/NLRP3 axis in MCF-7 cells. In addition, LBE did not display cytotoxicity toward healthy human cells but demonstrated antioxidant properties by neutralizing ROS generated by doxorubicin. These findings underscore the potential of LBE as a highly promising natural extract in cancer therapy.

Targeted Anthocyanin Profiling of Fruits from Three Southern Highbush Blueberry Cultivars Propagated in Colombia

The blueberry, a deciduous shrub in the Ericaceae family, is celebrated for its delightful flavor, sweetness, and abundance of anthocyanins and antioxidants, qualities that have garnered significant attention for their potential health benefits. Blueberries grown in diverse environments and exhibit varied anthocyanin profiles, often influenced by factors such as altitude and climate. Varietal groups worldwide have been bred and categorized based on their growth habits and specific cold requirements, particularly with southern highbush cultivars thriving in temperate climates, demonstrating tolerance to higher altitudes or cooler climates-a result of hybridizations involving various Vaccinium species. In the Colombian Andes, southern highbush blueberries thrive in unique high-altitude conditions, leading to exceptional quality due to the region's cool climate and specific soil characteristics. In this context, this study aimed to chemically characterize and differentiate three southern highbush blueberry cultivars (i.e., 'Biloxi,' 'Legacy' and 'Sharpblue') cultivated in a Colombian Andean plateau and compare them to three commercially available highbush blueberries. This comprehensive evaluation involved examining total phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanin content, and DPPH· free-radical scavenging capacity, as well as conducting anthocyanin-targeted profiling via HPLC-DAD-HRMS. Through supervised multivariate analyses such as sPLS-DA, this study delved into the pattern recognition of those anthocyanins that could potentially serve as markers for quality and cultivar-related chemical trait determination. These findings locate blueberry-derived anthocyanins in a metabolic context and afford some insights into southern highbush blueberry cultivar differentiation to be used for further purposes.

A comprehensive review of the classical prescription Yiguan Jian: Phytochemistry, quality control, clinical applications, pharmacology, and safety profile

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Yiguan Jian (YGJ) is a classical prescription, which employs 6 kinds of medicinal herbs including Rehmanniae Radix, Lycii Fructus, Angelicae sinensis Radix, Glehniae Radix, Ophiopogonis Radix, and Toosendan Fructus. YGJ decoction is originally prescribed in Qing Dynasty (1636 CE ∼ 1912 CE) in China, and is commonly used to treat liver diseases. There remain abundant literature investigating YGJ decoction from multiple aspects, but few reviews summarized the research and gave a precise definition, which impedes further applications and commercialization of YGJ decoction.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

The aim of this review is to provide comprehensive descriptions of YGJ decoction, tackling with issues in the research and development of YGJ decoction.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The literature and clinical reports were obtained from the databases including Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science Periodical Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and SinoMed since 2000. The phytochemical characteristics, quality control, pharmaceutical forms, clinical position, pharmacological effects, and toxic events of YGJ decoction were included for analysis.

RESULT

This review firstly summarized the progress of the chemical existences of YGJ decoction and discussed the advanced methods in monitoring quality of YGJ decoction and its herbal ingredients, particularly in the form of granules. Whilst this review aims to identify the pharmacological actions and clinical impacts of YGJ decoction, the medicinal materials that could provide these benefits were observed in the remaining herbs to exert the anti-fibrotic effects, anti-inflammatory activities, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic effects, and to universally treat liver and gastric diseases. This review provided supplementary descriptions on the safety issues, especially in Glehniae Radix and Toosendan Fructus, to define the alterations between hepatoprotective activities and unclear toxics in YGJ decoction application.

CONCLUSIONS

Our comprehensively organized review discussed the chemical characteristics and the research in altering or identifying these essences. The effects of YGJ decoction on the non-clinical and clinical tests exert the good management of sophisticated diseases. In this review, current issues are discussed to inform and inspire subsequent research of YGJ decoction and other classical prescriptions.

Biomarker Development for Identifying Mud Loach (Misgurnus mizolepis) Origin Country Using Untargeted Metabolite Profiling

Mud loach (Misgurnus mizolepis) has long been consumed in Korea. Recently, Chinese mud loaches were replaced with expensive Korean mud loaches, owing to taste and preference. Such issues occur in aquatic food distribution processes, leading to inferior food delivery. Previously, a study was conducted to confirm the origin of mud loaches using genetic analysis. However, untargeted metabolites profiling of mud loaches has not been reported. Untargeted metabolomics provides information on the overall metabolic profiling of a sample, allowing the identification of new metabolites. Here, we analyzed the metabolites of mud loaches of different geographical origins using liquid chromatography (LC)-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS). Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis from LC/MS datasets showed a clear distinction between Korean and Chinese mud loaches, and univariate statistical analysis showed significantly different metabolites between them. N-acetylhistidine and anserine were selected as biomarkers for geographical origin discrimination using the receiver operating characteristic curve. N-acetylhistidine and anserine levels were significantly higher in Chinese than in Korean mud loaches. These results indicate that metabolic analysis can be used to discriminate between the geographical origins of mud loaches, curtailing the inadvertent substitution of mud loaches from different regions.

Comparative Analysis of Polyphenols in Lycium barbarum Fruits Using UPLC-IM-QTOF-MS

Variety, geographical origin, and harvest season are important factors affecting the accumulation of polyphenols in Lycium barbarum. In this study, the effects of these factors on the polyphenolic components of this species were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Moreover, the in vitro antioxidant activities of fruit extracts from this species were evaluated. The total polyphenolic contents of L. barbarum fruits from Jinghe County in Xinjiang and Zhongning County in Ningxia were 5.52-11.72 and 7.06-9.37 mg (gallic acid equivalent)/g dry weight, while the total flavonoid contents of L. barbarum fruits from these regions were 12.52-30.29 and 12.67-20.77 mg (rutin equivalent)/g dry weight, respectively. Overall, 39 types of polyphenols were identified in the fruit extracts, including 26 flavonoids, 10 phenolic acids, and three tannins. Of these, 11 polyphenols were quantitatively analyzed, which revealed rutin to be the most dominant polyphenolic component in fruits from Jinghe and Zhongning. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the polyphenolic contents and antioxidant activities of L. barbarum fruit extracts, depending on the geographical origin, variety, and harvest season. The antioxidant activity of this species was found to be significantly positively correlated with the polyphenolic contents. This study provided scientific guidance for comprehensive applications of polyphenols from different varieties of L. barbarum from separate geographical origins.

Characterization of the Nonpolar and Polar Extractable Components of Glanded Cottonseed for Its Valorization

Cottonseed is the second major product of cotton (Gossypium spp.) crops after fiber. Thus, the characterization and valorization of cottonseed are important parts of cotton utilization research. In this work, the nonpolar and polar fractions of glanded (Gd) cottonseed were sequentially extracted by 100% hexane and 80% ethanol aqueous solutions and subjected to ¹³C and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), respectively. The nonpolar (crude oil) extracts showed the characteristic NMR peak features of edible plant oils with the absence of ω-3 linolenic acid. Quantitative analysis revealed the percentage of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fatty acids as 48.7%, 16.9%, and 34.4%, respectively. Both general unsaturated fatty acid features and some specific olefinic compounds (e.g., oleic, linolenic, and gondonic acids) were found in the nonpolar fraction. In the polar extracts, FT-ICR MS detected 1673 formulas, with approximately 1/3 being potential phenolic compounds. Both the total and phenolic formulas fell mainly in the categories of lipid, peptide-like, carbohydrate, and lignin. A literature search and comparison further identifies some of these formulas as potential bioactive compounds. For example, one compound [2,5-dihydroxy-N'-(2,3,4-trihydroxybenzylidene) benzohydrazide] identified in the polar extracts is likely responsible for the anticancer function observed when used on human breast cancer cell lines. The chemical profile of the polar extracts provides a formulary for the exploration of bioactive component candidates derived from cottonseed for nutritive, health, and medical applications.

Antimicrobial, anti-adhesion, anti-biofilm properties of goji berry (Lycium barbarum) against periodontal bacteria: potential benefits for periodontal diseases

OBJECTIVES

Lycium barbarum, commonly known as goji berry, Himalayan berry, or Tibetian berry, is emerging as a popular "superfood" with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, its use for the management of oral inflammatory diseases has not been explored. The present study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial, anti-adhesion, anti-biofilm, and cytotoxic properties of an ethanolic extract of L. barbarum (LBE) against common oral and periodontal pathogens.

METHODS

The antimicrobial properties of LBE against five potential periodontal pathogens (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Tanerella forsythia) were tested and compared to chlorhexidine and doxycycline using serial dilution and disc diffusion assay. The MTT Assay was performed for evaluating the cytotoxicity and cell viability of the LBE on the gingival fibroblast and modified keratinocyte cell lines. The anti-adhesion and anti-biofilm properties of LBE against P. gingivalis at its minimal bactericidal value were also assessed.

RESULTS

LBE inhibited the growth of periodontal pathogens as compared to control, however, the zone of inhibition of LBE was less when compared to doxycycline and chlorhexidine. The de novo extract showed a maximum zone of inhibition against Tf and Aa. The LBE extract was also compatible to gingival fibroblast tissues and oral keratinocytes at 1 mg/mL.

CONCLUSIONS

L. barbarum is a promising alternative to Chlorhexidine for the management of oral and periodontal infections.

Discrimination and Evaluation of Wild Paris Using UHPLC-QTOF-MS and FT-IR Spectroscopy in Combination with Multivariable Analysis

Genus Paris has numerous bioactive constituents such as steroid saponins, flavonoids, and polysaccharose which are responsible for antitumor, hemostatic, and anthelmintic, etc. In this study, ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy in combination with multivariable analysis were employed to discriminate the different species of Paris including P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis (PPY), P. polyphylla var. alba, P. mairei (PM), P. vietnamensis, and P. polyphylla var. stenophylla. Partial least square discriminate analysis based on UHPLC, FT-IR, and midlevel data fusion was used to distinguish 43 batches of Paris. Chemical constituents of different species Paris were determined by UHPLC-QTOF-MS. The result indicated that midlevel data fusion had a good performance in the classification compared to a single analytical technology. A total of 47 compounds were identified in different species Paris. The similar results indicated that PM could be treated as a proposal substitute of PPY.

Chemical and Biological Properties of Three Poorly Studied Species of Lycium Genus-Short Review

The genus Lycium belongs to the Solanaceae family and comprises more than 90 species distributed by diverse continents. Lycium barbarum is by far the most studied and has been advertised as a “superfood” with healthy properties. In contrast, there are some Lycium species which have been poorly studied, although used by native populations. L. europaeum, L. intricatum and L. schweinfurthii, found particularly in the Mediterranean region, are examples of scarcely investigated species. The chemical composition and the biological properties of these species were reviewed. The biological properties of L. barbarum fruits are mainly attributed to polysaccharides, particularly complex glycoproteins with different compositions. Studies regarding these metabolites are practically absent in L. europaeum, L. intricatum and L. schweinfurthii. The metabolites isolated and identified belong mainly to polyphenols, fatty acids, polysaccharides, carotenoids, sterols, terpenoids, tocopherols, and alkaloids (L. europaeum); phenolic acids, lignans, flavonoids, polyketides, glycosides, terpenoids, tyramine derivatives among other few compounds (L. schweinfurthii), and esters of phenolic acids, glycosides, fatty acids, terpenoids/phytosterols, among other few compounds (L. intricatum). The biological properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic against some cancer cell lines) found for these species were attributed to some metabolites belonging to those compound groups. Results of the study concluded that investigations concerning L. europaeum, L. intricatum and L. schweinfurthii are scarce, in contrast to L. barbarum.

Non-Targeted Analytical Technology in Herbal Medicines: Applications, Challenges, and Perspectives

Herbal medicines (HMs) have been utilized to prevent and treat human ailments for thousands of years. Especially, HMs have recently played a crucial role in the treatment of COVID-19 in China. However, HMs are susceptible to various factors during harvesting, processing, and marketing, affecting their clinical efficacy. Therefore, it is necessary to conclude a rapid and effective method to study HMs so that they can be used in the clinical setting with maximum medicinal value. Non-targeted analytical technology is a reliable analytical method for studying HMs because of its unique advantages in analyzing unknown components. Based on the extensive literature, the paper summarizes the benefits, limitations, and applicability of non-targeted analytical technology. Moreover, the article describes the application of non-targeted analytical technology in HMs from four aspects: structure analysis, authentication, real-time monitoring, and quality assessment. Finally, the review has prospected the development trend and challenges of non-targeted analytical technology. It can assist HMs industry researchers and engineers select non-targeted analytical technology to analyze HMs' quality and authenticity.

Quantitative Comparison and Chemical Profile of Different Botanical Parts of Panax notoginseng From Different Regions

The root of Panax notoginseng, a highly valued medicine and functional food, is the main part used for medicinal purposes. However, the stems and leaves are also used in practice. To provide a chemical basis for various uses, a quantitative comparison of 18 saponins using a non-targeted metabolomics approach was established, so as to investigate the chemical profiles of the different parts of P. notoginseng. The established strategy revealed that roots and stems, with their similar chemical characteristics, consisted mainly of protopanaxatriol-type saponins, whereas protopanaxadiol-type saponins were principally present in the leaves. Multivariate analysis further suggested that the quality of the stems and leaves of P. notoginseng was significantly affected by its geographical origin. Furthermore, 52 constituents (26 non-volatile and 26 volatile) were identified as potential markers for discriminating between different parts of the plant. Taken together, the study provides comprehensive chemical evidence for the rational application and exploitation of different parts of P. notoginseng.

Impact of following a healthy dietary pattern with co-consuming wolfberry on number and function of blood outgrowth endothelial cells from middle-aged and older adults

Blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOECs) have received growing attention in relation to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the effect of diet intervention, a primary strategy for CVD prevention, on BOECs is not reported. This study aims to investigate the effect of following a healthy dietary pattern (HDP) with or without wolfberry consumption, healthy food with potential cardiovascular benefits, on the number and function of BOECs in middle-aged and older adults. Twenty-four subjects consumed either an HDP only (n = 9) or an HDP supplemented with 15 g day^-1 wolfberries (n = 15) for 16 weeks. At pre- and post-intervention, vascular health biomarkers and composite CVD risk indicators were assessed. BOECs were derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and their angiogenic and migration activities were measured. Isolated BOECs have typical endothelial cobblestone morphology, express von Willebrand factor and KDR. Consuming an HDP improved the BOEC colony's growth rate, which was demonstrated by significant time effects in the colony's culture time between passages 1 and 2 (P = 0.038). Both interventions increased BOECs' tube formation capacity. Moreover, HDP intervention contributed to a time effect on BOEC migration activity (P = 0.040 for t_1/2gap). Correlation analysis revealed that BOEC colony number was positively associated with blood pressure, atherogenic index, vascular age, and Framingham risk score. In conclusion, adherence to an HDP improved BOECs' function in middle-aged and older populations, while additional wolfberry consumption did not provide an enhanced effect. Our results provide mechanistic dissection on the beneficial effects on BOECs of dietary pattern modification.

Metabolomic Profiling of Fresh Goji (Lycium barbarum L.) Berries from Two Cultivars Grown in Central Italy: A Multi-Methodological Approach

The metabolite profile of fresh Goji berries from two cultivars, namely Big Lifeberry (BL) and Sweet Lifeberry (SL), grown in the Lazio region (Central Italy) and harvested at two different periods, August and October, corresponding at the beginning and the end of the maturation, was characterized by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (ESI FT-ICR MS) methodologies. Several classes of compounds such as sugars, amino acids, organic acids, fatty acids, polyphenols, and terpenes were identified and quantified in hydroalcoholic and organic Bligh-Dyer extracts. Sweet Lifeberry extracts were characterized by a higher content of sucrose with respect to the Big Lifeberry ones and high levels of amino acids (glycine, betaine, proline) were observed in SL berries harvested in October. Spectrophotometric analysis of chlorophylls and total carotenoids was also carried out, showing a decrease of carotenoids during the time. These results can be useful not only to valorize local products but also to suggest the best harvesting period to obtain a product with a chemical composition suitable for specific industrial use. Finally, preliminary studies regarding both the chemical characterization of Goji leaves generally considered a waste product, and the biological activity of Big Lifeberry berries extracts was also investigated. Goji leaves showed a chemical profile rich in healthy compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, etc.) confirming their promising use in the supplements/nutraceutical/cosmetic field. MG63 cells treated with Big Lifeberry berries extracts showed a decrease of iNOS, COX-2, IL-6, and IL-8 expression indicating their significant biological activity.

Investigation of anthelmintic activity of the acetone extract and constituents of Typha capensis against animal parasitic Haemonchus contortus and free-living Caenorhabditis elegans

This study aimed to determine in vitro anthelmintic activity of plant extracts of eleven plant species used traditionally in South Africa to treat various disorders including symptoms related to nematode infections, and to isolate bioactive compounds from the most active plant extract. Crude plant extracts were tested on different life-cycle stages of Haemonchus contortus. The cytotoxicity of the most active extracts, fractions and compounds was evaluated on Vero cells and the most potent extract, fractions and compounds were tested for their ability to kill the parasitic H. contortus and the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Typha capensis acetone extract had the strongest egg hatching inhibitory effect with an EC₅₀ of 184.94 μg/mL, and this extract also halted larval development of H. contortus with an EC₅₀ of 83.30 μg/mL compared to the positive control (albendazole) with an EC₅₀ of 2.66 μg/mL. Typha capensis crude extract and its butanol fraction had promising anthelmintic activity against both parasitic H. contortus and free-living C. elegans. Two compounds isolated from T. capensis, namely, isorhamnetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside and isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside, had antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ values of 3.16 μg/mL and 0.96 μg/mL respectively, and good anthelmintic activity against H. contortus with IC₅₀ values of 55.61 μg/mL and 145.17 μg/mL respectively. Identification of bioactive compounds from the T. capensis crude extract supports development of this extract as a complementary or alternative treatment against haemonchosis. However, further research is necessary to confirm the anthelmintic efficacy of the plant, including in vivo studies.

Authentication of berries and berry-based food products

Berries represent one of the most important and high-valued group of modern-day health-beneficial "superfoods" whose dietary consumption has been recognized to be beneficial for human health for a long time. In addition to being delicious, berries are rich in nutrients, vitamins, and several bioactive compounds, including carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and hydrolysable tannins. However, due to their high value, berries and berry-based products are often subject to fraudulent adulteration, commonly for economical gain, but also unintentionally due to misidentification of species. Deliberate adulteration often comprises the substitution of high-value berries with lower value counterparts and mislabeling of product contents. As adulteration is deceptive toward customers and presents a risk for public health, food authentication through different methods is applied as a countermeasure. Although many authentication methods have been developed in terms of fast, sensitive, reliable, and low-cost analysis and have been applied in the authentication of a myriad of food products and species, their application on berries and berry-based products is still limited. The present review provides an overview of the development and application of analytical chemistry methods, such as isotope ratio analysis, liquid and gas chromatography, spectroscopy, as well as DNA-based methods and electronic sensors, for the authentication of berries and berry-based food products. We provide an overview of the earlier use and recent advances of these methods, as well as discuss the advances and drawbacks related to their application.

Side-stream products of malting: a neglected source of phytochemicals

Whole grain consumption reduces the risk of several chronic diseases. A major contributor to the effect is the synergistic and additive effect of phytochemicals. Malting is an important technological method to process whole grains; the main product, malted grain, is used mainly for brewing, but the process also yields high amounts of side-stream products, such as rootlet. In this study, we comprehensively determined the phytochemical profile of barley, oats, rye, and wheat in different stages of malting and the subsequent extraction phases to assess the potential of malted products and side-streams as a dietary source of bioactive compounds. Utilizing semi-quantitative LC-MS metabolomics, we annotated 285 phytochemicals from the samples, belonging to more than 13 chemical classes. Malting significantly altered the levels of the compounds, many of which were highly increased in the rootlet. Whole grain cereals and the malting products were found to be a diverse and rich source of phytochemicals, highlighting the value of these whole foods as a staple. The characterization of phytochemicals from the 24 different sample types revealed previously unknown existence of some of the compound classes in certain species. The rootlet deserves more attention in human nutrition, rather than its current use mainly as feed, to benefit from its high content of bioactive components.

Multi-Targeted Metabolic Profiling of Carotenoids, Phenolic Compounds and Primary Metabolites in Goji (Lycium spp.) Berry and Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Reveals Inter and Intra Genus Biomarkers

Metabolic profile is a key component of fruit quality, which is a challenge to study due to great compound diversity, especially in species with high nutritional value. This study presents optimized analytical methods for metabolic profiling in the fruits of three Solanaceae species: Lycium barbarum, Lycium chinense and Solanumlycopersicum. It includes the most important chemical classes involved in nutrition and taste, i.e., carotenoids, phenolic compounds and primary compounds. Emphasis has been placed on the systematic achievement of good extraction yields, sample stability, and high response linearity using common LC-ESI-TQ-MS and GC-EI-MS apparatuses. A set of 13 carotenoids, 46 phenolic compounds and 67 primary compounds were profiled in fruit samples. Chemometrics revealed metabolic markers discriminating Lycium and Solanum fruits but also Lycium barbarum and Lycium chinense fruits and the effect of the crop environment. Typical tomato markers were found to be lycopene, carotene, glutamate and GABA, while lycibarbarphenylpropanoids and zeaxanthin esters characterized goji (Lycium spp.) fruits. Among the compounds discriminating the Lycium species, reported here for the first time to our knowledge, chlorogenic acids, asparagine and quinic acid were more abundant in Lycium chinense, whereas Lycium barbarum accumulated more lycibarbarphenylpropanoids A-B, coumaric acid, fructose and glucose.

Effect of Storage Time and Packing Method on the Freshness of Dried Lycium Fruit Using Electronic Nose and Chemometrics

The effect of storage time and packing method on dried Lycium fruits was studied through an electronic olfactory system with the metal oxide sensor array that provides an overall perception of the volatile compounds presented in the sample headspace. Principle component analysis (PCA), canonical discriminant analysis (CDA), and cluster analysis (CA) were used for freshness and packing methods discrimination of dried Lycium fruits. The stale samples of 2015 and 2016 could be separated with those of 2017 by PCA, CDA, and CA analysis. Better discrimination results were obtained by CDA, with samples of 2015 and 2016 separated with each other. For samples of 2017, the unpackaged samples of 2017-4 were distinguished with the vacuumed samples, while samples of grade C were separated with B and D. For quantitative analysis, predictive models for prediction of the storage years of dried Lycium fruits were built with methods of partial least square (PLS) analysis, multiple linear regression (MLR), and back propagation neural network (BPNN). The model built by BPNN showed the best predict ability with R2 = 0.9994, while PLS and MLR were also effective in the prediction of storage years of dried Lycium fruits, with high determination coefficients of 0.9316 and 0.9330. These findings showed that E-nose can be used in the discrimination of the storage time and package method of dried Lycium fruits.

Changes in Metabolome and Nutritional Quality of Lycium barbarum Fruits from Three Typical Growing Areas of China as Revealed by Widely Targeted Metabolomics

This study aimed at assessing the climatic factors influencing the wolfberry fruit morphology, and the composition of its nutritious metabolites. The cultivar Ningqi1, widely grown in Northwest China was collected from three typical ecological growing counties with contrasting climatic conditions: Ningxia Zhongning (NF), Xinjiang Jinghe (XF) and Qinghai Nomuhong (QF). During the ripening period, 45 fruits from different plantations at each location were sampled. A total of 393 metabolites were detected in all samples through the widely targeted metabolomics approach and grouped into 19 known classes. Fruits from QF were the biggest followed by those from XF and NF. The altitude, relative humidity and light intensity had negative and strong correlations with most of the metabolites, suggesting that growing wolfberry in very high altitudes and under high light intensity is detrimental for the fruit nutritional quality. Soil moisture content is highly and negatively correlated with vitamins, organic acids and carbohydrates while moderately and positively correlated with other classes of metabolites. In contrast, air and soil temperatures exhibited positive correlation with majority of the metabolites. Overall, our results suggest high soil and air temperatures, low altitude and light intensity and moderate soil moisture, as the suitable conditions to produce Lycium fruits with high content of nutritious metabolites.

Effects of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides on Health and Aging of C. elegans Depend on daf-12/daf-16

As the global population ages, searching for drugs and functional foods which can slow down the aging process has attracted a number of researchers. In this paper, the Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) extracted from Lycium barbarum was characterized and the effects of LBP on the aging and health of C. elegans were studied. Results showed that LBP can prolong the lifespan, improve the abilities to withstand environmental stress, enhance reproductive potentials, and maintain muscle integrity of C. elegans. By using genetically mutated C. elegans strains, RNAi gene silencing, and measuring the mRNA expression level, it was demonstrated that the lifespan of C. elegans was extended by LBP mainly through sir-2.1, daf-12, and daf-16. The present study might provide a basis for further study of LBP as a food or drug to interfere with aging and reduce the incidence of age-related diseases.

Goji Berries as a Potential Natural Antioxidant Medicine: An Insight into Their Molecular Mechanisms of Action

Goji berries (Lycium fruits) are usually found in Asia, particularly in northwest regions of China. Traditionally, dried goji berries are cooked before they are consumed. They are commonly used in Chinese soups and as herbal tea. Moreover, goji berries are used for the production of tincture, wine, and juice. Goji berries are high antioxidant potential fruits which alleviate oxidative stress to confer many health protective benefits such as preventing free radicals from damaging DNA, lipids, and proteins. Therefore, the aim of the review was to focus on the bioactive compounds and pharmacological properties of goji berries including their molecular mechanisms of action. The health benefits of goji berries include enhancing hemopoiesis, antiradiation, antiaging, anticancer, improvement of immunity, and antioxidation. There is a better protection through synergistic and additive effects in fruits and herbal products from a complex mixture of phytochemicals when compared to one single phytochemical.

Plant Metabolomics: Evaluation of Different Extraction Parameters for Nontargeted UPLC-ESI-QTOF-Mass Spectrometry at the Example of White Asparagus officinalis

The extraction of metabolites turns out to be one of the most important key factors for nontargeted metabolomics approaches as this step can significantly affects the informative value of the successive measurements. Compared to metabolomics experiments of various matrices of bacterial or mammalian origins, there are only few studies, which focus on different extraction methods for plant metabolomics analyses. In this study, various solvent extraction compositions were compared and assessed using an UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS strategy. Exemplary, white asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis) were employed as a low-fat-, low-protein-, high-water-content model commodity with the objective of designing an optimal nontargeted extraction protocol for polar and nonpolar metabolites. Furthermore, the influence of acid addition, mechanical cell disruption methods (ball mill, ultrasonic bath, vortex mixer), and extract stability have been systematically scrutinized too. The different extraction protocols were compared based on sum of features, sum of peak intensities, sum of peak areas, as well as by analyzing individual signals of as many different substance groups as possible to obtain a maximum overview.

A non-targeted metabolomic approach based on reversed-phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to evaluate coffee roasting process

In this work, a non-targeted metabolomics approach based on the use of reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer has been developed to provide the characterization of coffee beans roasted at three different levels (light, medium, and dark). In this way, it was possible to investigate how metabolites change during the roasting process in order to identify those than can be considered as relevant markers. Twenty-five percent methanol was selected as extracting solvent since it provided the highest number of molecular features. In addition, the effect of chromatographic and MS parameters was evaluated in order to obtain the most adequate separation and detection conditions. Data were analyzed using both non-supervised and supervised multivariate statistical methods to point out the most significant markers that allow group discrimination. A total of 24 and 33 compounds in positive and negative ionization modes, respectively, demonstrated to be relevant markers; most of them were from the hydroxycinnamic acids family. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Discrimination and prediction of the origin of Chinese and Korean soybeans using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) with multivariate statistical analysis

The ability to determine the origin of soybeans is an important issue following the inclusion of this information in the labeling of agricultural food products becoming mandatory in South Korea in 2017. This study was carried out to construct a prediction model for discriminating Chinese and Korean soybeans using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and multivariate statistical analysis. The optimal prediction models for discriminating soybean samples were obtained by selecting appropriate scaling methods, normalization methods, variable influence on projection (VIP) cutoff values, and wave-number regions. The factors for constructing the optimal partial-least-squares regression (PLSR) prediction model were using second derivatives, vector normalization, unit variance scaling, and the 4000-400 cm-1 region (excluding water vapor and carbon dioxide). The PLSR model for discriminating Chinese and Korean soybean samples had the best predictability when a VIP cutoff value was not applied. When Chinese soybean samples were identified, a PLSR model that has the lowest root-mean-square error of the prediction value was obtained using a VIP cutoff value of 1.5. The optimal PLSR prediction model for discriminating Korean soybean samples was also obtained using a VIP cutoff value of 1.5. This is the first study that has combined FT-IR spectroscopy with normalization methods, VIP cutoff values, and selected wave-number regions for discriminating Chinese and Korean soybeans.

Optimization of pressurized liquid extraction by response surface methodology of Goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) phenolic bioactive compounds

Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) has been used for the first time in this work to extract phenolic compounds from Goji berries according to a multilevel factorial design using response surface methodology. The global yield (% w/dw, weight/dry-weight), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid (TF) and antioxidant activity (determined via ABTS assay, expressed as TEAC value) were used as response variables to study the effects of temperature (50-180°C) and green solvent composition (mixtures of ethanol/water). Phenolic compounds characterization was performed by high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS). The optimum PLE conditions predicted by the model were as follows: 180°C and 86% ethanol in water with a good desirability value of 0.815. The predicted conditions were confirmed experimentally and once the experimental design was validated for commercial fruit samples, the PLE extraction of phenolic compounds from three different varieties of fruit samples (Selvatico mongolo, Bigol, and Polonia) was performed. Nine phenolic compounds were tentatively identified in these extracts, including phenolic acids and their derivatives, and flavonols. The optimized PLE conditions were compared to a conventional solid-liquid extraction, demonstrating that PLE is a useful alternative to extract phenolic compounds from Goji berry.

Unraveling Metabolic Variation for Blueberry and Chokeberry Cultivars Harvested from Different Geo-Climatic Regions in Korea

Temporal geo-climatic variations are presumably vital determinants of phenotypic traits and quality characteristics of berries manifested through reconfigured metabolomes. We performed an untargeted mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomic analysis of blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) and chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) sample extracts harvested from different geo-climatic regions in Korea. The multivariate statistical analysis indicated distinct metabolite compositions of berry groups based on different species and regions. The amino acids levels were relatively more abundant in chokeberry than in blueberry, while the sugar contents were comparatively higher in blueberry. However, the metabolite compositions were also dependent on geo-climatic conditions, especially latitude. Notwithstanding the cultivar types, amino acids, and sucrose were relatively more abundant in berries harvested from 35°N and 36°N geo-climatic regions, respectively, characterized by distinct duration of sunshine and rainfall patterns. The present study showed the ability of a metabolomics approach for recapitulating the significance of geo-climatic parameters for quality characterization of commercial berry types.

Investigating chemical features of Panax notoginseng based on integrating HPLC fingerprinting and determination of multiconstituents by single reference standard

Background

Panax notoginseng is a highly valued medicine and functional food, whose quality is considered to be influenced by the size, botanical parts, and growth environments.

Methods

In this study, a HPLC method integrating fingerprinting and determination of multiconstituents by single reference standard was established and adopted to investigate the chemical profiles and active constituent contents of 215 notoginseng samples with different sizes, from different botanical parts and geographical regions.

Results

Chemical differences among main root, branch root, and rotten root were not distinct, while rhizome and fibrous root could be discriminated from other parts. The notoginseng samples from Wenshan Autonomous Prefecture and cities nearby were similar, whereas samples from cities far away were not. The contents of major active constituents in main root did not correlate with the market price.

Conclusion

This study provided comprehensive chemical evidence for the rational usage of different parts, sizes, and growth regions of notoginseng in practice.

Food Targeting: Geographical Origin Determination of Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana) by LC-QqQ-MS/MS-Based Targeted Metabolomics Application

A targeted metabolomics LC-ESI-QqQ-MS application for geographical origin discrimination based on 20 nonpolar key metabolites was developed, validated according to accepted guidelines and used for quantitation via stable isotope labeled internal standards in 202 raw authentic hazelnut samples from six countries (Turkey, Italy, Georgia, Spain, France, and Germany) of harvest years 2014 and 2015. Multivariate statistics were used for detection of significant variations in metabolite levels between countries and, moreover, a prediction model using support vector machine classification (SVM) was calculated yielding 100% training accuracy and 97% cross-validation accuracy, which was subsequently applied to 55 hazelnut samples for the confectionary industry gaining up to 80% correct classifications compared to declared origin. The present method demonstrates the great suitability for targeted metabolomics applications in the geographical origin determination of hazelnuts and their applicability in routine analytics.

A New Strategy for Quality Evaluation and Identification of Representative Chemical Components in Polygonum multiflorum Thunb

Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (HSW) is widely used as herb medicine and health food additive. Recently, a series of HSW-induced hepatotoxicities have been reported and many studies have been carried out to investigate it. But contradictory conclusions were drawn that might be caused by the inconsistent quality of market decoction pieces. Therefore, the HSW decoction pieces quality was evaluated with a developed novel method in the paper. 25 batches of raw HSW (RHSW) and 21 batches of processed HSW (PHSW) samples were purchased from different provinces of China. HPLC determination was performed to identify and detect the contents of 16 chemical compounds in herbal material. Fingerprint similarity was analyzed using chromatography information and the results showed that most herbs were in good similarity. Then, a comprehensive evaluation strategy based on principal component analysis with representative quality control indicators was developed to evaluate the quality of HSW samples. And the rationality of the developed method was verified by HCA analysis. The results showed that the herb from Dabashan, Sichuan Province, no matter RHSW or PHSW had the best quality. Different representative components were selected for RHSW or PHSW decoction pieces which might be caused by the chemical reaction during processing. And most PHSW were unqualified according to the requirement of Chinese Pharmacopeia which might take the responsibility for the toxicity of HSW.