Widely targeted metabolic analysis revealed the changed pigmentation and bioactive compounds in the ripening Berchemia floribunda (Wall.) Brongn. fruit

Abstract

Berchemia plants were important materials for Chinese traditional medicines due to their special secondary metabolites. Unlike the root, stem and leaf tissues, Berchemia floribunda (Wall.) Brongn. fruit was lacked of systematic metabolic investigation. Biochemical analysis found that the total flavonoid and total phenolic content of Berchemia fruit pulp showed a peak value at red ripe stage, and then decreased, but the total anthocyanin content sharply increased along with the coloration. By widely targeted metabolomic analysis, 644 metabolites were identified and categorized into 23 groups mainly including flavonoid, organic acids, amino acids, lipids, phenylpropanoid, nucleotides, alkaloids, carbohydrates, alcohols, anthocyanins & proanthocyanidins, vitamins, terpenes, polyphenols, phenolamides, quinones, indole derivatives, and sterides. Among them, 111 metabolites and 123 metabolites respectively showed up‐ and down‐regulation from break stage to full mature. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that active secondary metabolism such as biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids, flavonoid, and alkaloids happened during Berchemia fruit ripening. More importantly, Cyanidin‐3‐O‐galactoside and other 3 cyanidins were found to be the predominant pigments in mature Berchemia fruit and increased cyanidins and pelargonidins but decreased anthocyanins might be contributed to the purple pigmentation of Berchemia fruit. Interestingly, 29 pharmaceutical compounds previously reported in other Berchemia tissues were also detected in ripening Berchemia fruit pulp: 8 flavonoid, 2 quinones & sucrose showed up‐regulated accumulation while 6 polyphenols, 5 flavonoid, 3 phenylpropanoid, 2 organic acids, 1 quinones and β‐sitosterol showed down‐regulated accumulation In conclusion, our first comprehensive metabolic fingerprint will promote the further study of B. floribunda fruit and its medical and food application.

Comparative metabolomics reveals differences in primary and secondary metabolites between “Shixia” and “Chuliang” longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) pulp

“…The ethanolic extract used for determination of total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were prepared according to our previously reported method (Shuai et al., 2021 ). In brief, 3 g powder of sample, ground by liquid nitrogen, was added into 3 ml 80% ethanol and extracted under ultrasonication for 30 min (with an ice bath for cooling).…”

“…Sample (2 μl) was injected and analyzed using an ultra‐performance liquid chromatography (Shim‐pack UFLC CBM30A system, SHIMADZU) coupled with tandem ESI‐MS/MS (6500 Q‐TRAP, Applied Biosystems). The UPLC conditions were performed according to the previous reported method (Shuai et al., 2021 ): chromatographic column: ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 (C 18 , 100 × 2.1 mm i.d., 1.8 µm, Waters); mobile phase A: ultrapure water containing 0.04% acetic acid, B: acetonitrile containing 0.04% acetic acid; elution steps: min (A, %): 0 (95%) →11.0 (5%) → 12 (5%) → 12.1 (95%) → 15 (95%); flow rate: 0.40 ml/min; column temperature: 40°C. The effluent was alternatively connected to the ESI‐triple quadrupole‐linear ion trap (Q‐TRAP)‐MS.…”

“…The total phenolic content (TPC) was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method (Bonilla et al, 2003) and the steps according to our previously reported method (Shuai et al, 2021). The total phenolic content was calculated according to the standard curve and expressed as mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g fresh weight (FW).…”

“…The total flavonoid content (TFC) was measured using a modified colorimetric method (Jia et al, 1999;Liu et al, 2008) and the steps according to our previously reported method (Shuai et al, 2021). The absorbance of the mixture at 510 nm was measured immediately in comparison with a standard curve prepared by rutin.…”

Exploring the microbial ecosystem of Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada: a comprehensive analysis of endophytes and rhizospheric soil microorganisms

“…Several species of Berchemia have been used in traditional medicine, and different parts of these plants, including the leaves, roots, bark, and fruits, are used for their medicinal properties. This plant contains various chemical compounds, including glycosides, quinones, lignans, terpenoids, flavonoids, and dimers, with flavonoids being the predominant chemical constituents within this genus ( Shuai et al, 2021 ). Berchemia polyphylla has significant medicinal value and is used for its roots, stems, and leaves it has been found to be effective in treating conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, diarrhea, acute and chronic bronchitis, among others ( Jing et al, 2011 ; Tang et al, 2018 ; Zhou et al, 2022 ).…”