Towards Bioprospection of Commercial Materials of Mentha spicata L. Using a Combined Strategy of Metabolomics and Biological Activity Analyses

Abstract

Spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) has been widely studied for its diversity of compounds for product generation. However, studies describing the chemical and biological characteristics of commercial spearmint materials from different origins are scarce. For this reason, this research aimed to bioprospecting spearmint from three origins: Colombia (Col), Mexico (Mex), and Egypt (Eg). We performed a biological activity analysis, such as FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS, inhibition potential of S. pyogenes, K. pneumoniae, E. coli, P. aeuroginosa, S. aureus, S aureus Methicillin-Resistant, and E. faecalis. Furthermore, we performed chemical assays, such as total polyphenol and rosmarinic acid, and untargeted metabolomics via HPLC-MS/MS. Finally, we developed a causality analysis to integrate biological activities with chemical analyses. We found significant differences between the samples for the total polyphenol and rosmarinic acid contents, FRAP, and inhibition analyses for Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus and E. faecalis. Also, clear metabolic differentiation was observed among the three commercial materials evaluated. These results allow us to propose data-driven uses for the three spearmint materials available in current markets.

Increasing the functionality of sponge cakes by mint, and cocoa powder addition

“…There have been numerous studies on the antioxidant properties of spearmint, but the results have differ significantly. While Direito et al [ 25 ] found that the antioxidant content of dried spearmint leaves was 33.96 mg AAE/g, Henao-Rojas et al [ 26 ] measured 19.63 mg AAE/g. Additionally, different values for peppermint can be found in the literature.…”

“…The literature data on spearmint's polyphenol content also shown significant differences. While Kaloteraki et al [ 29 ] measured 39.61 mg GAE/g, Henao-Rojas et al [ 26 ] reported values of 11.83 and 17.81 mg GAE/g. For peppermint, Oh et al [ 27 ] reported a polyphenol content of 33.68 mg GAE/g, while Jeong et al [ 30 ] discovered polyphenol contents ranging from 55.23 to 98.27 mg GAE/g for peppermints from various countries.…”