Rapid Screening of Ellagitannins in Natural Sources via Targeted Reporter Ion Triggered Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Discovering the Ellagitannin Landscape of Dried Walnut Shells by Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Walnut shells, often discarded as waste, hold hidden potential as a source of ellagitannins (ETs), compounds known for their promising antioxidant properties and health benefits. This study employed reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) coupled with Orbitrap-based high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) via electrospray ionization (ESI) in negative polarity to investigate the ET profile in extracts of dried powdered walnut shells. Several compounds belonging to various ET families were successfully identified as deprotonated molecules ([M - H]-) and characterized, including mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, and pentagalloyl glucopyranoses, as well as ETs containing the hexahydroxydiphenoyl (HHDP) group. Characteristic product ions were identified in HR tandem MS spectra and employed to recognize the ET landscape. Analysis revealed a complex picture with more than 10 isomers identified in some cases. However, the structural similarity and limitations in MS/MS data hindered the definitive identification of all isomers. Characterization of ETs featuring HHDP groups also remained challenging. Despite these restraints, the estimated total content of ETs suggests potential application in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries of those extracts. These findings indicate that walnut shells can be considered a sustainable source of health-promoting compounds, contributing to a greener economy.

Influence of Major Polyphenols on the Anti-Candida Activity of Eugenia uniflora Leaves: Isolation, LC-ESI-HRMS/MS Characterization and In Vitro Evaluation

The content of chemical constituents in Eugenia uniflora leaf extracts correlates positively with biological activities. The experimental objective was to carry out the phytochemical screening and purification of the major polyphenols from the leaves of E. uniflora. In addition, the anti-Candida activity of the hydroalcoholic extract, fraction, subfractions and polyphenols purified were evaluated. After partitioning of the extract with ethyl acetate, the fractions were chromatographed on Sephadex® LH-20 gel followed by RP-flash chromatography and monitored by TLC and RP-HPLC. The samples were characterized by mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS2) and subjected to the microdilution method in 96-well plates against strains of C. albicans, C. auris, and C. glabrata. Myricitrin (93.89%; w/w; m/z 463.0876), gallic acid (99.9%; w/w; m/z 169.0142), and ellagic acid (94.2%; w/w; m/z 300.9988) were recovered. The polyphenolic fraction (62.67% (w/w) myricitrin) and the ellagic fraction (67.86% (w/w) ellagic acid) showed the best antifungal performance (MIC between 62.50 and 500 μg/mL), suggesting an association between the majority constituents and the antifungal response of E. uniflora derivatives. However, there is a clear dependence on the presence of the complex chemical mixture. In conclusion, chromatographic strategies were effectively employed to recover the major polyphenols from the leaves of the species.

Diagnostic utility of N-terminal TMPP labels for unambiguous identification of clipped sites in therapeutic proteins

Protein therapeutics are susceptible to clipping via enzymatic and nonenzymatic mechanisms that create neo-N-termini. Typically, neo-N-termini are identified by chemical derivatization of the N-terminal amine with (N-Succinimidyloxycarbonylmethyl)tris(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)phosphonium bromide (TMPP) followed by proteolysis and mass spectrometric analysis. Detection of the TMPP-labeled peptide is achieved by mapping the peptide sequence to the product ion spectrum derived from collisional activation. The site-specific localization of the TMPP tag enables unambiguous determination of the true N-terminus or neo-N-termini. In addition to backbone product ions, TMPP reporter ions at m/z 573, formed via collision-induced dissociation, can be diagnostic for the presence of a processed N-termini. However, reporter ions generated by collision-induced dissociation may be uninformative because of their low abundance. We demonstrate a novel high-throughput LC-MS method for the facile generation of the TMPP reporter ion at m/z 533 and, in some instances m/z 590, upon electron transfer dissociation. We further demonstrate the diagnostic utility of TMPP labeled peptides derived from a total cell lysate shows high degree of specificity towards selective N-terminal labeling over labeling of lysine and tyrosine and highly-diagnostic Receiver Operating Characteristic's (ROC) of TMPP reporter ions of m/z 533 and m/z 590. The abundant generation of these reporters enables subsequent MS/MS by intensity and m/z-dependent triggering of complementary ion activation modes such as collision-induced dissociation, high-energy collision dissociation, or ultraviolet photo dissociation for subsequent peptide sequencing.

Combined Metabolite Analysis and Network Pharmacology to Elucidate the Mechanisms of Therapeutic Effect of Melastoma dodecandrum Ellagitannins on Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

The abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is complex and usually leads to severe anemia. Melastomadodecandrum (MD) is clinically used for the treatment of metrorrhagia bleeding. The MD ellagitannins (MD-ETs) had been evidenced being effective at hemorrhage, and exerts biological activities upon their metabolites including ellagic acid and urolithins. In this study, the blood-permeated metabolites from theMD-ETs were analyzed using LC-MS approach, and 19 metabolites including ellagic acid and urolithin A derivatives were identified. Furthermore, a network pharmacology analysis including the target prediction analysis, AUB target analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were conducted to reveal the relationships between "metabolites-targets-pathways", which was further verified by molecular docking analysis. The results showed that methyl ellagic acid, urolithin A and isourolithin A produced from MD-ETs can be absorbed into the blood, and might act on the core targets of VEGFA, SRC, MTOR, EGFR and CCND1. And the hemostatic effects were exerted through PI3K-Akt, endocrine resistance and Rap 1 signaling pathways. These results implied the potential effective constituents and action mechanism of MD-ETs in the therapy of AUB, which will promote the application of MD-ETs as natural agent for the treatment of gynecological bleeding diseases.

Chemical and Bioactive Screening of Green Polyphenol-Rich Extracts from Chestnut By-Products: An Approach to Guide the Sustainable Production of High-Added Value Ingredients

Opportunities for the valorisation of agro-industrial residues of the chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) production chain have been fostered with the production of multifunctional polyphenol-rich extracts with the potential to be introduced as natural additives or active components in several products. Nonetheless, it is crucial to explore the feasibility of different extracts from the various by-products for these applications through the exhaustive study of their composition and bioactivities without losing sight of the sustainable character of the process. This work aimed at the screening of the phenolic compound composition and bioactivities of different green extracts of chestnut burs, shells and leaves, as the first step to establish their potential application as natural ingredients, primarily as food preservatives. To this end, maceration (MAC) as a conventional extraction method besides ultrasound and microwave-assisted extractions (UAE and MAE) was employed to obtain the extracts from chestnut by-products using water (W) and hydroethanolic solution (HE) as solvents. Phenolic compounds were analysed by HPLC-DAD-(ESI-)MS/MS; the antioxidant capacity was assessed by colourimetric assays, and the antimicrobial activity was evaluated against several strains of food-borne bacteria and fungi. The leaf extracts obtained by MAC-HE and UAE-HE presented the highest concentration of phenolic compounds (70.92 ± 2.72 and 53.97 ± 2.41 mg.g^-1 extract dw, respectively), whereas, for burs and shells, the highest recovery of total phenolic compounds was achieved by using UAE-HE and UAE-W (36.87 ± 1.09 and 23.03 ± 0.26 mg.g^-1 extract dw, respectively). Bis-HHDP-glucose isomers, chestanin and gallic acid were among the most abundant compounds. Bur extracts (MAC-HE and UAE-HE) generally presented the highest antioxidant capacity as measured by TBARS, while the best results in DPPH and reducing power assays were found for shell extracts (MAE-W and MAC-HE). Promising antibacterial activity was noticed for the aqueous extracts of burs, leaves and hydroethanolic extracts of shells, with emphasis on the MAE-W extract of burs that showed bactericidal activity against E. cloacae, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus (MBC 5 mg.mL^-1). Overall, it can be concluded that chestnut by-products, including burs, shells and leaves, are sources of polyphenolic compounds with significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The choice of extraction method and solvent greatly influenced the composition and bioactivity of the extracts. These findings highlight the potential of chestnut by-products for the development of natural additives, particularly for food preservation, while also emphasizing the importance of sustainable utilization of agricultural waste materials. Further research is warranted to optimize extraction techniques and explore additional applications for these valuable bioactive compounds.

Mass spectrometry in the study of wood compounds released in the barrel-aged wine and spirits

Aging of wines and spirits in wooden barrels is an industrial process used to stabilize the color, to improve the limpidity and to enrich the sensorial characteristics of the products. In red wines, the oxygen that permeates through the wood staves promotes the oxidization of polyphenols and the formation of new pigments with consequent stabilization of the wine color. Barrel aging of spirits, such as brandy, whisky, rum, and grappa is finalized to enrich their aroma and improve their sensorial characteristics by the contribute of the compounds released by the wood. Oak is the wood type mostly used in making barrels; however, an increasing interest in the use of chestnut, cherry, acacia, and in less extent, ash and mulberry, has been observed in the recent years. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry are the main techniques used to characterize respectively the volatile and polar metabolites released by the wood barrels in the products. In this article are reported the recent advancements in this field.

Molecular networking-assisted systematical profiling and the in vivo neuroprotective effect of ellagitannins from the Melastoma dodecandrum Lour

BACKGROUND

Ellagitannins (ETs) are a major classification of natural tannins, with relatively large and complex structures. ETs from medicinal plants are focused increasingly due to urolithins, a kind of intestinal metabolite of ETs, which showed promising anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) effects. Melastoma dodecandrum (MD), a widely used traditional Chinese medicine is rich in ETs, but their chemistry and potential neuroprotective effects have not been investigated.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to identify the chemical composition of ETs in the crude extract of MD and to investigate their neuroprotective effects in vivo.

METHODS

UPLC-QTOF-MS-based molecular networking (MN) and structural characterization were applied to targeted profiling of the MD-ETs. Animal behavior experiments, including the novel object recognition test (NOR), open field test (OFT), and Morris water maze test (MWM), were conducted to assess the memory improvement effects of MD-ETs in AD model mice.

RESULTS

A total of 70 ETs, ranging from monomers to tetramers, were tracked and characterized in the MD extract using MN-guided targeted profiling, with 59 of them reported for the first time in this species. MD-ETs significantly improved memory impairment in AD mice, as indicated by decreased escape latency, increased number of crossings and target quadrant distance in MWM, increased rearing number in OFT, and increased preference index in NOR.

CONCLUSION

This study systematically characterized the composition and structural features of ETs in MD using targeted LC-MS profiling, expanding the chemical information of ETs in MD. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that MD-ETs have significant effects on improving impaired memory in AD mice, suggesting their potential as alternative natural medicines for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Amplified Drought Alters Leaf Litter Metabolome, Slows Down Litter Decomposition, and Modifies Home Field (Dis)Advantage in Three Mediterranean Forests

In Mediterranean ecosystems, the projected rainfall reduction of up to 30% may alter plant-soil interactions, particularly litter decomposition and Home Field Advantage (HFA). We set up a litter transplant experiment in the three main forests encountered in the northern part of the Medi-terranean Basin (dominated by either Quercus ilex, Quercus pubescens, or Pinus halepensis) equipped with a rain exclusion device, allowing an increase in drought either throughout the year or concentrated in spring and summer. Senescent leaves and needles were collected under two precipitation treatments (natural and amplified drought plots) at their "home" forest and were left to decompose in the forest of origin and in other forests under both drought conditions. MS-based metabolomic analysis of litter extracts combined with multivariate data analysis enabled us to detect modifications in the composition of litter specialized metabolites, following amplified drought treatment. Amplified drought altered litter quality and metabolomes, directly slowed down litter decomposition, and induced a loss of home field (dis)advantage. No indirect effect mediated by a change in litter quality on decomposition was observed. These results may suggest major alterations of plant-soil interactions in Mediterranean forests under amplified drought conditions.

Identification of gallotannins and ellagitannins in aged wine spirits: A new perspective using alternative ageing technology and high-resolution mass spectrometry

This research was focused on identifying gallotannins and ellagitannins degradation pathways to better understand their behavior in complex media such as wine spirits (WS). A WS was aged with chestnut wood staves with three levels of micro-oxygenation, nitrogen, and using wooden barrels. Gallotannins and ellagitannins were identified by LC-ESI-HRMS/MS using a Q-TOF in samples collected at 8, 21, 60, 180, 270, and 365 days of ageing, allowed comparing their relative abundances according to the ageing technology. It was established for the first time, the importance of oxygen in gallotannins and ellagitannins formation/degradation pathways in WS and shading light into the explanation for the steady increase of gallic and ellagic acid contents on WS during ageing. The results also highlighted the presence of penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, tetra-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, tri-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, di-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, and mono-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, 2,3-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucose, pedunculagin, isomers vescalagin/castalagin and two products stemming from ethanol-promoted oxidation of castalagin/vescalagin and vescalin/castalin, in the composition WS aged with chestnut wood.

Isolation of a new taste-active brandy tannin A: Structural elucidation, quantitation and sensory assessment

Enjoying a glass of spirits can be one of the delights of life. While it is well known that their taste improves during barrel aging, the molecular explanations of this phenomenon remain largely unknown. The present work aimed at searching for taste-active compounds formed in spirits during aging. An untargeted metabolomic approach using HRMS was applied on "eau-de-vie" of cognac. A fractionation protocol was then performed on brandies to isolate a targeted compound. By using HRMS and NMR, its structure was elucidated for the first time. This new ellagitannin, called brandy tannin A, considerably increased the sweetness of spirits at 2 mg/L. After development of an LC-HRMS quantitation method, it was assayed in various spirits and was detected mainly in cognacs up to 7 mg/L. These findings demonstrate the sensory contribution of this compound and more generally the relevance of combining metabolomics and separative techniques to purify new taste-active compounds.

Ellagic Acid: A Review on Its Natural Sources, Chemical Stability, and Therapeutic Potential

Ellagic acid (EA) is a bioactive polyphenolic compound naturally occurring as secondary metabolite in many plant taxa. EA content is considerable in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and in wood and bark of some tree species. Structurally, EA is a dilactone of hexahydroxydiphenic acid (HHDP), a dimeric gallic acid derivative, produced mainly by hydrolysis of ellagitannins, a widely distributed group of secondary metabolites. EA is attracting attention due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, and antiproliferative properties. EA displayed pharmacological effects in various in vitro and in vivo model systems. Furthermore, EA has also been well documented for its antiallergic, antiatherosclerotic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and neuroprotective properties. This review reports on the health-promoting effects of EA, along with possible mechanisms of its action in maintaining the health status, by summarizing the literature related to the therapeutic potential of this polyphenolic in the treatment of several human diseases.

Coordination between compound-specific chemistry and morphology in plant roots aligns with ancestral mycorrhizal association in woody angiosperms

Recent studies on fine root functional traits proposed a root economics hypothesis where adaptations associated with mycorrhizal dependency strongly influence the organization of root traits, forming a dominant axis of trait covariation unique to roots. This conclusion, however, is based on tradeoffs of a few widely studied root traits. It is unknown how other functional traits fit into this mycorrhizal-collaboration gradient. Here, we provide a significant extension to the field of root ecology by examining how fine root secondary compounds coordinate with other root traits. We analyzed a dataset integrating compound-specific chemistry, morphology and anatomy of fine roots and leaves from 34 temperate tree species spanning major angiosperm lineages. Our data uncovered previously undocumented coordination where root chemistry, morphology and anatomy covary with each other. This coordination, aligned with mycorrhizal colonization, reflects tradeoffs between chemical protection and mycorrhizal dependency, and provides mechanistic support for the mycorrhizal-collaboration gradient. We also found remarkable phylogenetic structuring in root chemistry. These patterns were not mirrored by leaves. Furthermore, chemical protection was largely decoupled from the leaf economics spectrum. Our results unveil broad organization of root chemistry, demonstrate unique belowground adaptions, and suggest that root strategies and phylogeny could impact biogeochemical cycles through their links with root chemistry.

Non-targeted screening of pyranosides in Rhodiola crenulata using an all ion fragmentation-exact neutral loss strategy combined with liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

INTRODUCTION

Pyranosides as one kind of natural glycosides contain a pyran ring linked to an aglycone in the structure. They occur widely in plants and possess diverse biological activities. The discovery of new pyranosides not only contributes to research on natural products but also may promote pharmaceutical development.

OBJECTIVES

A non-targeted liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method coupled with an all ion fragmentation-exact neutral loss (AIF-ENL) strategy was developed for the screening of pyranosides in plants.

METHODS

Pyranosides in various types were collected as a model. The AIF-ENL strategy comprised three steps: AIF spectrum acquisition and generation, ENL-based searching and identification, and confirmation of structural type using target second-stage mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The strategy was systematically evaluated based on the matrix effects, fragmentation stability, scan rate and screening efficiency and finally applied to Rhodiola crenulata (Hook. f. et Thoms) H. Ohba.

RESULTS

The method was proved to be an efficient tool for the screening of pyranosides. When it was applied to R. crenulata, a total of 24 pyranoside candidates were detected. Among them, six were tentatively identified on the basis of the agreement of their elemental composition with the reported. The other 18 were detected in R. crenulata for the first time.

CONCLUSION

The method offers a new platform for discovering pyranosides. In addition, the developed non-targeted strategy can also be used for other natural products, such as flavonoids and coumarins, as long as there is a common fragmentation behaviour in their MS/MS to generate characteristic neutral losses or fragments.

Genetic Architecture of Maize Rind Strength Revealed by the Analysis of Divergently Selected Populations

The strength of the stalk rind, measured as rind penetrometer resistance (RPR), is an important contributor to stalk lodging resistance. To enhance the genetic architecture of RPR, we combined selection mapping on populations developed by 15 cycles of divergent selection for high and low RPR with time-course transcriptomic and metabolic analyses of the stalks. Divergent selection significantly altered allele frequencies of 3,656 and 3,412 single- nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the high and low RPR populations, respectively. Surprisingly, only 110 (1.56%) SNPs under selection were common in both populations, while the majority (98.4%) were unique to each population. This result indicated that high and low RPR phenotypes are produced by biologically distinct mechanisms. Remarkably, regions harboring lignin and polysaccharide genes were preferentially selected in high and low RPR populations, respectively. The preferential selection was manifested as higher lignification and increased saccharification of the high and low RPR stalks, respectively. The evolution of distinct gene classes according to the direction of selection was unexpected in the context of parallel evolution and demonstrated that selection for a trait, albeit in different directions, does not necessarily act on the same genes. Tricin, a grass-specific monolignol that initiates the incorporation of lignin in the cell walls, emerged as a key determinant of RPR. Integration of selection mapping and transcriptomic analyses with published genetic studies of RPR identified several candidate genes including ZmMYB31, ZmNAC25, ZmMADS1, ZmEXPA2, ZmIAA41 and hk5. These findings provide a foundation for an enhanced understanding of RPR and the improvement of stalk lodging resistance.

Nitrogen Fertilization Influences the Quantity, Composition, and Tissue Association of Foliar Phenolics in Strawberries

Unlike quantitative changes, the compositional changes of plant phenolics and changes in their tissue association as influenced by the nutrient supply are less well understood. We evaluated the quantity, composition, and tissue association of phenolics in leaves of two Fragaria ananassa cultivars in response to different levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization using global metabolomic approaches. Influence of N supply on phenolic content in both cultivars was similar, but the magnitude of this response was compound specific. Ellagitannins, the most abundant class of phenolic oligomers, were less responsive to the applied N treatments, whereas proanthocyanidins, the less abundant class of phenolic oligomers, exhibited higher fold change. Within mono-phenolics, the hydroxycinnamates were more abundant but showed lower fold change than the hydroxybenzoates. Among flavonoids, the hydroxylated flavonols showed higher abundances than the flavones, with a preferential accumulation of dihydroxylated flavonol at lower N levels. Furthermore, glycosylated flavonols were higher than the acylated forms. The extractable fraction of phenolics was more influenced by the N treatment than the fiber-bound fraction. The extensive compositional modification of phenolics and a greater response of non-bound fractions in response to N rates highlight the potential to use precise management of N supply as an effective strategy to enhance the bioactive compounds in crops.

Polyphenol Profiling of Chestnut Pericarp, Integument and Curing Water Extracts to Qualify These Food By-Products as a Source of Antioxidants

Plant polyphenols have beneficial antioxidant effects on human health; practices aimed at preserving their content in foods and/or reusing food by-products are encouraged. The impact of the traditional practice of the water curing procedure of chestnuts, which prevents insect/mould damage during storage, was studied to assess the release of polyphenols from the fruit. Metabolites extracted from pericarp and integument tissues or released in the medium from the water curing process were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and electrospray-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (ESI-qTOF-MS). This identified: (i) condensed and hydrolyzable tannins made of (epi)catechin (procyanidins) and acid ellagic units in pericarp tissues; (ii) polyphenols made of gallocatechin and catechin units condensed with gallate (prodelphinidins) in integument counterparts; (iii) metabolites resembling those reported above in the wastewater from the chestnut curing process. Comparative experiments were also performed on aqueous media recovered from fruits treated with processes involving: (i) tap water; (ii) tap water containing an antifungal Lb. pentosus strain; (iii) wastewater from a previous curing treatment. These analyses indicated that the former treatment determines a 6–7-fold higher release of polyphenols in the curing water with respect to the other ones. This event has a negative impact on the luster of treated fruits but qualifies the corresponding wastes as a source of antioxidants. Such a phenomenon does not occur in wastewater from the other curing processes, where the release of polyphenols was reduced, thus preserving the chestnut’s appearance. Polyphenol profiling measurements demonstrated that bacterial presence in water hampered the release of pericarp metabolites. This study provides a rationale to traditional processing practices on fruit appearance and qualifies the corresponding wastes as a source of bioactive compounds for other nutraceutical applications.

Chemical plasticity in the fine root construct of Quercus spp. varies with root order and drought

Fine roots of trees exhibit varying degree of plasticity to adapt to environmental stress. Although the morphological and physiological plasticity of roots has been well studied, less known are the accompanying changes in the chemical composite (chemical plasticity) of fine roots, which regulates both root function and soil carbon sequestration. We investigated the changes in quantity, composition and localization of phenolic compounds in fine root orders of Quercus alba and Quercus rubra subjected to drought stress. In both species the total quantity of lignins varied only by root orders, where the distal (first and second) root orders had lower lignin compared to higher orders. Despite a lower lignin content, the distal root orders had higher content of guaiacyl lignin and bound phenolics that would provide a greater meshing of lignocellulosic matrix, and thus a higher tissue integrity. Unlike lignins, drought altered the quantity and composition of tannins. In Q. alba, the ellagitannins decreased in the distal root orders exposed to drought, while the fiber-bound condensed tannnins increased. The lower content of ellagitannins with antimicrobial properties under drought reveals an adaptive response by fine roots to promote symbiotic association, as evidenced by the higher colonization of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Our study revealed that, when exposed to drought, the composition of heteropolymers are strategically varied across fine root orders, so as to provide a greater root function without compromising the tissue protection.

Phenolome of Asian Agrimony Tea (Agrimonia asiatica Juz., Rosaceae): LC-MS Profile, α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Potential and Stability

Functional beverages constitute the rapidly increasing part of the functional food section and represent an area with a wide range of products including herbal-based beverages. We carried out screening investigations of the extracts of 85 Rosaceous tea plants. Among the extracts analyzed Agrimonia asiatica herb extract demonstrated the highest inhibitory activity against the enzyme α-glucosidase (20.29 µg/mL). As a result of chromato-mass-spectrometric profiling of A. asiatica herb with high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array and electrospray triple quadrupole mass-spectrometric detection (HPLC-PDA-ESI-tQ-MS) 60 compounds were identified, including catechins, ellagitannins, flavones, flavonols, gallotannins, hydroxycinnamates, procyanidins, most for the very first time. The analysis of the seasonal variation of metabolites in A. asiatica herb demonstrated that the phenolic content was highest in summer samples and lower in spring and autumn. HPLC activity-based profiling was utilized to identify compounds of A. asiatica herb with the maximal α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The most pronounced inhibition of α-glucosidase was observed for agrimoniin, while less significant results of inhibition were revealed for ellagic acid and isoquercitrin. The evaluation of phenolic content in A. asiatica herbal teas with the subsequent determination of α-glucosidase inhibiting potential was discovered. Maximum inhibition of α-glucosidase was observed for hot infusion (75.33 µg/mL) and the minimum for 30 min decoction (159.14 µg/mL). Our study demonstrated that A. asiatica herbal tea is a prospective functional beverage in which dietary intake may help to reduce blood glucose.