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Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2024) | Viewed by 17288

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ioan Grozescu

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CAICON Department, University Politehnica Timisoara, 300006 Timisoara, Romania
Interests: natural compounds; analycal methdology; spectroscopy; active substance and secondary metabolites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Maria Iorizzi

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Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche, IS, Italy
Interests: natural products chemistry; NMR spectroscopy; mass spectrometry and GC-MS; medicinal plants; antioxidant activity; metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Adina-Elena Segneanu

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Guest Editor

Institute for Advanced Environmental Research-West, University of Timisoara (ICAM-WUT), Oituz nr. 4, 300086 Timisoara, Romania
Interests: extraction and isolation methods of natural products; metabolite profile of medicinal plants; characterization techniques of natural products - spectrometry (mass spectrometry, FT-IR spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD spectrometry), chromatography (HPLC, GC-MS), microscopy (SEM); development of advanced materials with improved chemical and biological properties for biomedical applications (drug delivery systems)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in spectral technique combinations for the investigation of natural compounds.

Structural elucidation of bioactive compounds is achieved using different spectroscopic techniques, such as UV–Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and mass spectroscopy. The molecular structure of a specific compound can be identified based on its spectral information. For instance, in an FT-IR spectrum, absorbances from the functional group region correspond only to a certain class of compounds.

UV–Vis spectroscopy is extremely useful, especially for colored natural organic compounds, or chromophores, quantitative measurements of a specific compound, food adulteration, food chemistry, etc.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, carried out through 1D-NMR and 2D-NMR experiments, is a central analytical technique for the identification of small molecules within natural products, but it also benefits numerous other downstream research fields, such as biology, chemical ecology, drug discovery and development, pharmacology, and the total chemical synthesis of natural products.

Today, NMR spectroscopy, with the use of chemometric data analysis of NMR spectra, has evolved into a powerful complementary technique for the structural and functional characterization of the metabolome (metabolomic analysis), enabling the definition of complex mixtures of animal or plant origin.

An improved understanding of many biological processes is now possible through several other important techniques, including hyphenated methods, which combine NMR spectroscopy with mass spectrometry and chromatography.

Modern mass spectroscopy offers more information than nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Moreover, mass spectroscopy recently overcame one major limitation of NMR: the ability to analyze a complex mixture of metabolites, as is the case with natural compounds. On the other hand, peaks in mass spectra correspond to a specific component with a unique m/z ratio, and the heights of the peaks provide information on the relative abundance of that compound.

XRD spectroscopy is a modern technique used to characterize natural compounds from a molecular structure point of view. X-rays provide valuable detailed information on molecule stereochemistry and structure.

Energy-dispersive spectrometry provides information on element determination, endogenous or exogenous, in plants or animal tissue, cells, etc. Other methods, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), are also used to investigate plant surface topography and Raman spectroscopy.

We look forward to your contributions to this Special Issue, which will focus on but need not be limited to any of the topics outlined above.

Dr. Ioan Grozescu
Prof. Dr. Maria Iorizzi
Dr. Adina-Elena Segneanu
Guest Editors

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

UV–Vis spectroscopy
FT-IR spectroscopy
NMR spectroscopy
MS spectroscopy
XRD spectroscopy
energy-dispersive spectrometry
scanning electron microscope (SEM)

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Spectra Analysis and Plants Research in Plants (9 articles)

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 2897 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Qualitative Metabolite Profiling of Orchis purpurea Huds. by GC and UHPLC/MS Approaches

by Valeria Cavalloro, Stefania Pagliari, Fabio Gosetti, Luca Campone, Cristina Sottani, Simona Collina, Emanuela Martino and Francesco Saverio Robustelli della Cuna

Plants 2024, 13(8), 1064; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13081064 - 10 Apr 2024

Viewed by 397

Abstract

Orchids are experiencing wide success in ornamental, medicinal, and food fields. The reason for their success is correlated with both their morphology and metabolomics, the latter linked to their taste and biological effects. Despite many orchids having already been the subject of chemotaxonomic works, some of them are still untapped, like the case of Orchis purpurea. O. purpurea is one of the most common species of the genus Orchis, present in hedgerows, verges, and light woodland, where it is one of the few herbaceous plants able to be unpleasant to herbivorous animals. Essential oil from roots, stems, leaves, and flowers were analyzed via GC/MS analyses, revealing the presence of 70 compounds, with a clear prevalence of coumarin. The high concentration of this metabolite may explain the resistance of O. purpurea to herbivores, being associated with appetite-suppressing properties and a bitter taste. Non-volatile fractions were analyzed via UHPLC-MS analysis revealing the presence of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, polyphenols, and glycosidic compounds, probably responsible for their color and fragrance. Taken together, the herein presented results shed light on both the defensive strategy and the chemotaxonomy of O. purpurea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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24 pages, 7108 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Romanian Wild-Growing Chelidonium majus—An Emerging Approach to a Potential Antimicrobial Engineering Carrier System Based on AuNPs: In Vitro Investigation and Evaluation

by Adina-Elena Segneanu, Gabriela Vlase, Titus Vlase, Maria-Viorica Ciocalteu, Cornelia Bejenaru, Gabriela Buema, Ludovic Everard Bejenaru, Eugen Radu Boia, Andrei Dumitru and Simina Boia

Plants 2024, 13(5), 734; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050734 - 05 Mar 2024

Viewed by 569

Abstract

Novel nanotechnology based on herbal products aspires to be a high-performing therapeutic platform. This study reports the development of an original engineering carrier system that jointly combines the pharmacological action of Chelidonium majus and AuNPs, with unique properties that ensure that the limitations imposed by low stability, toxicity, absorption, and targeted and prolonged release can be overcome. The metabolite profile of Romanian wild-grown Chelidonium majus contains a total of seventy-four phytochemicals belonging to eight secondary metabolite categories, including alkaloids, amino acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, fatty acids, sterols, and miscellaneous others. In this study, various techniques (XRD, FTIR, SEM, DLS, and TG/DTG) were employed to investigate his new carrier system’s morpho-structural and thermal properties. In vitro assays were conducted to evaluate the antioxidant potential and release profile. The results indicate 99.9% and 94.4% dissolution at different pH values for the CG-AuNPs carrier system and 93.5% and 85.26% for greater celandine at pH 4 and pH 7, respectively. Additionally, three in vitro antioxidant assays indicated an increase in antioxidant potential (flavonoid content 3.8%; FRAP assay 24.6%; and DPPH 24.4%) of the CG-AuNPs carrier system compared to the herb sample. The collective results reflect the system’s promising perspective as a new efficient antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory candidate with versatile applications, ranging from target delivery systems, oral inflammation (periodontitis), and anti-age cosmetics to extending the shelf lives of products in the food industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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27 pages, 5115 KiB

Open AccessArticle

NMR Metabolomics and Chemometrics of Commercial Varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Seeds from Italy and In Vitro Antioxidant and Antifungal Activity

by Vadym Samukha, Francesca Fantasma, Gilda D’Urso, Claudio Caprari, Vincenzo De Felice, Gabriella Saviano, Gianluigi Lauro, Agostino Casapullo, Maria Giovanna Chini, Giuseppe Bifulco and Maria Iorizzi

Plants 2024, 13(2), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020227 - 13 Jan 2024

Viewed by 845

Abstract

The metabolite fingerprinting of four Italian commercial bean seed cultivars, i.e., Phaseolus Cannellino (PCANN), Controne (PCON), Vellutina (PVEL), and Occhio Nero (PON), were investigated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis. The hydroalcoholic and organic extract analysis disclosed more than 32 metabolites from various classes, i.e., carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids, nucleosides, alkaloids, and fatty acids. PVEL, PCON, and PCANN varieties displayed similar chemical profiles, albeit with somewhat different quantitative results. The PON metabolite composition was slightly different from the others; it lacked GABA and pipecolic acid, featured a higher percentage of malic acid than the other samples, and showed quantitative variations of several metabolites. The lipophilic extracts from all four cultivars demonstrated the presence of omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids. After the determination of the total phenolic, flavonoids, and condensed tannins content, in vitro antioxidant activity was then assessed using the DPPH scavenging activity, the ABTS scavenging assay, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Compared to non-dark seeds (PCON, PCANN), brown seeds (PVEL, PON) featured a higher antioxidant capacity. Lastly, only PON extract showed in vitro antifungal activity against the sclerotia growth of S. rolfsii, by inhibiting halo growth by 75%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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21 pages, 866 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Proteomic Profiles of Whole Seeds, Hulls, and Dehulled Seeds of Two Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Cultivars

by Jan Bárta, Pavel Roudnický, Markéta Jarošová, Zbyněk Zdráhal, Adéla Stupková, Veronika Bártová, Zlatuše Krejčová, Jan Kyselka, Vladimír Filip, Václav Říha, František Lorenc, Jan Bedrníček and Pavel Smetana

Plants 2024, 13(1), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010111 - 30 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1128

Abstract

As a source of nutritionally important components, hemp seeds are often dehulled for consumption and food applications by removing the hard hulls, which increases their nutritional value. The hulls thus become waste, although they may contain valuable protein items, about which there is a lack of information. The present work is therefore aimed at evaluating the proteome of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) at the whole-seed, dehulled seed, and hull levels. The evaluation was performed on two cultivars, Santhica 27 and Uso-31, using LC-MS/MS analysis. In total, 2833 protein groups (PGs) were identified, and their relative abundances were determined. A set of 88 PGs whose abundance exceeded 1000 ppm (MP88 set) was considered for further evaluation. The PGs of the MP88 set were divided into ten protein classes. Seed storage proteins were found to be the most abundant protein class: the averages of the cultivars were 65.5%, 71.3%, and 57.5% for whole seeds, dehulled seeds, and hulls, respectively. In particular, 11S globulins representing edestin (three PGs) were found, followed by 7S vicilin-like proteins (four PGs) and 2S albumins (two PGs). The storage 11S globulins in Santhica 27 and Uso-31 were found to have a higher relative abundance in the dehulled seed proteome (summing to 58.6 and 63.2%) than in the hull proteome (50.5 and 54%), respectively. The second most abundant class of proteins was oleosins, which are part of oil-body membranes. PGs belonging to metabolic proteins (e.g., energy metabolism, nucleic acid metabolism, and protein synthesis) and proteins related to the defence and stress responses were more abundant in the hulls than in the dehulled seeds. The hulls can, therefore, be an essential source of proteins, especially for medical and biotechnological applications. Proteomic analysis has proven to be a valuable tool for studying differences in the relative abundance of proteins between dehulled hemp seeds and their hulls among different cultivars. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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15 pages, 1536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rosmarinic Acid and Flavonoids of the Seagrass Zostera noltei: New Aspects on Their Quantification and Their Correlation with Sunlight Exposure

by Isabel Casal-Porras, Kimberly Muñoz, María J. Ortega, Fernando G. Brun and Eva Zubía

Plants 2023, 12(24), 4078; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244078 - 06 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 858

Abstract

Seagrasses are plants adapted to the marine environment that inhabit shallow coastal waters, where they may be exposed to direct sunlight during low tides. These plants have photoprotection mechanisms, which could include the use of phenolic secondary metabolites. In this study, rosmarinic acid (RA) and the flavonoids of Zostera noltei from the Bay of Cadiz (Spain) have been analyzed, first to define suitable conditions of leaves (i.e., fresh, dried, or frozen) for quantitative analysis, and then to explore the potential correlation between the phenolic profile of the leaves and sunlight exposure using an in situ experimental approach. Compared with fresh leaves, the contents of RA and flavonoids were significantly lower in air-dried and freeze-dried leaves. Freezing caused highly variable effects on RA and did not affect to flavonoid levels. On the other hand, the content of RA was significantly higher in plants that emerged during low tides than in plants permanently submerged, while plants underneath an artificial UV filter experienced a progressive reduction in RA content. However, the major flavonoids did not show a clear response to sunlight exposure and were unresponsive to diminished UV incidence. The results showed a positive correlation of RA with direct sunlight and UV exposure of leaves, suggesting that this compound contributes to the photoprotection of Z. noltei. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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19 pages, 2488 KiB

Open AccessArticle

First Chemical Profile Analysis of Acacia Pods

by Soraia I. Pedro, Tiago A. Fernandes, Ângelo Luís, Alexandra M. M. Antunes, José C. Gonçalves, Jorge Gominho, Eugenia Gallardo and Ofélia Anjos

Plants 2023, 12(19), 3486; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193486 - 05 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1286

Abstract

This study intended to evaluate the potential industrial applications of various Acacia species (Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia longifolia, Acacia cyclops, Acacia retinodes, Acacia pycnantha, Acacia mearnsii, and Acacia dealbata) by examining their chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, a comprehensive analysis successfully identified targeted compounds, including flavonoids (flavonols/flavones) and phenolic acids, such as 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ellagic acid. Additionally, p-coumaric acid was specifically identified and quantified within the hydroxycinnamic aldehydes. This comprehensive characterization provides valuable insights into the chemical profiles of the studied species. Among the studied species, A. pycnantha exhibited a higher concentration of total phenolic compounds, including catechin, myricetin, quercetin, and coniferaldehyde. Furthermore, A. pycnantha displayed notable antibacterial activity against K. pneumoniae, E. coli, S. Typhimurium, and B. cereus. The identified compounds in Acacia pods and their shown antibacterial activities exhibit promising potential for future applications. Moreover, vibrational spectroscopy was a reliable method for distinguishing between species. These significant findings enhance our understanding of Acacia species and their potential for various industrial applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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31 pages, 7768 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wild-Grown Romanian Helleborus purpurascens Approach to Novel Chitosan Phyto-Nanocarriers—Metabolite Profile and Antioxidant Properties

by Adina-Elena Segneanu, Gabriela Vlase, Titus Vlase, Crina Andreea Sicoe, Maria Viorica Ciocalteu, Dumitru Daniel Herea, Ovidiu-Florin Ghirlea, Ioan Grozescu and Valentin Nanescu

Plants 2023, 12(19), 3479; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193479 - 04 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1107

Abstract

The current nanomedicinal approach combines medicinal plants and nanotechnology to create new scaffolds with enhanced bioavailability, biodistribution and controlled release. In an innovative approach to herb encapsulation in nanosized chitosan matrices, wild-grown Romanian Helleborus purpurascens was used to prepare two new chitosan nanocarriers. The first carrier preparation involved the nanoencapsulation of hellebore in chitosan. The second carrier emerged from two distinct stages: hellebore-AgNPs phyto-carrier system succeeded by nanoencapsulation in chitosan. The morphostructural characteristics and thermal behavior of these newly prepared nanocarriers were examined using FT-IR, XRD, DLS, SEM, EDS and thermogravimetric analyses. In addition, the encapsulation yield, encapsulation efficiency and encapsulation contents were investigated. The antioxidant activity was estimated using four in vitro, noncompetitive methods: total phenolic assay; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay; phosphomolybdate (i.e., total antioxidant capacity); and iron(III)-phenanthroline antioxidant assay. Moreover, this study reports the first low-molecular-weight metabolite profile of wild-grown Romanian Helleborus purpurascens Waldst. & Kit. A total of one hundred and five secondary metabolites were identified in the mass spectra (MS)-positive mode from fourteen secondary metabolite categories (alkaloids, butenolides, bufadienolides, phytoecdysteroids, amino acids and peptides, terpenoids, fatty acids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, sterols, glycosides, carbohydrates, nucleosides and miscellaneous). The collective results suggest the potential application is a promising new antioxidant vehicle candidate in tumor therapeutic strategy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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16 pages, 2871 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantification of Dry Matter Content in Hass Avocado by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Scanning Different Fruit Zones

by Pablo Rodríguez, Jairo Villamizar, Luis Londoño, Thierry Tran and Fabrice Davrieux

Plants 2023, 12(17), 3135; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12173135 - 31 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1723

Abstract

Accurate dry matter determination (DM) in Hass avocados is vital for optimal harvesting and ensuring fruit quality. Predictive models based on NIRS need to capture fruit DM gradient. This work aimed to determine the DM content in Hass avocado whole by NIRS scanning different fruit zones. Spectra were recorded for each zone of the fruit: peduncle (P), equator (E), and base (B). The calibration and validation included fruit from different orchards in two harvest cycles. The results show a DM gradient within the fruit: 24.47% (E), 24.68% (B), and 24.79% (P). The DM gradient was observed within the spectra using the RMSi (root mean square) criterion and PCA. The results show that at least one spectrum per fruit zone was needed to represent the variability within the fruit. The performances of the calibration using the whole set of data were R²: 0.74 and standard error of cross-validation (SECV) = 1.18%. In the validation stage using independent validation sets, the models showed similar performance (R²: 0.75, SECV 1.15%) with low values of the standard error of prediction (SEP): 1.62%. These results demonstrate the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy for high-throughput sorting of avocados based on their commercial quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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32 pages, 6427 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spectroscopic Analyses Highlight Plant Biostimulant Effects of Baker’s Yeast Vinasse and Selenium on Cabbage through Foliar Fertilization

by Ștefan-Ovidiu Dima, Diana Constantinescu-Aruxandei, Naomi Tritean, Marius Ghiurea, Luiza Capră, Cristian-Andi Nicolae, Victor Faraon, Constantin Neamțu and Florin Oancea

Plants 2023, 12(16), 3016; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12163016 - 21 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1360

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to find relevant analytic fingerprints for plants’ structural characterization using spectroscopic techniques and thermogravimetric analyses (TGAs) as alternative methods, particularized on cabbage treated with selenium–baker’s yeast vinasse formulation (Se-VF) included in a foliar fertilizer formula. The hypothesis investigated is that Se-VF will induce significant structural changes compared with the control, analytically confirming the biofortification of selenium-enriched cabbage as a nutritive vegetable, and particularly the plant biostimulant effects of the applied Se-VF formulation on cabbage grown in the field. The TGA evidenced a structural transformation of the molecular building blocks in the treated cabbage leaves. The ash residues increased after treatment, suggesting increased mineral accumulation in leaves. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) evidenced a pectin–Iα-cellulose structure of cabbage that correlated with each other in terms of leaf crystallinity. FTIR analysis suggested the accumulation of unesterified pectin and possibly (seleno) glucosinolates and an increased network of hydrogen bonds. The treatment with Se-VF formulation induced a significant increase in the soluble fibers of the inner leaves, accompanied by a decrease in the insoluble fibers. The ratio of soluble/insoluble fibers correlated with the crystallinity determined by XRD and with the FTIR data. The employed analytic techniques can find practical applications as fast methods in studies of the effects of new agrotechnical practices, while in our particular case study, they revealed effects specific to plant biostimulants of the Se-VF formulation treatment: enhanced mineral utilization and improved quality traits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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16 pages, 2452 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aroma Compounds in Essential Oils: Analyzing Chemical Composition Using Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography–High Resolution Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Combined with Chemometrics

by Nemanja Koljančić, Olga Vyviurska and Ivan Špánik

Plants 2023, 12(12), 2362; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12122362 - 18 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1723

Abstract

Analyzing essential oils is a challenging task for chemists because their composition can vary depending on various factors. The separation potential of volatile compounds using enantioselective two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC–HRTOF-MS) with three different stationary phases in the first dimension was evaluated to classify different types of rose essential oils. The results showed that selecting only ten specific compounds was enough for efficient sample classification instead of the initial 100 compounds. The study also investigated the separation efficiencies of three stationary phases in the first dimension: Chirasil-Dex, MEGA-DEX DET—β, and Rt-βDEXsp. Chirasil-Dex had the largest separation factor and separation space, ranging from 47.35% to 56.38%, while Rt-βDEXsp had the smallest, ranging from 23.36% to 26.21%. MEGA-DEX DET—β and Chirasil-Dex allowed group-type separation based on factors such as polarity, H-bonding ability, and polarizability, whereas group-type separation with Rt-βDEXsp was almost imperceptible. The modulation period was 6 s with Chirasil-Dex and 8 s with the other two set-ups. Overall, the study showed that analyzing essential oils using GC×GC–HRTOF-MS with a specific selection of compounds and stationary phase can be effective in classifying different oil types. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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15 pages, 1170 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phenolic Profile and Cholinesterase Inhibitory Properties of Three Chilean Altiplano Plants: Clinopodium gilliesii (Benth.) Kuntze [Lamiaceae], Mutisia acuminata Ruiz & Pav. var. hirsuta (Meyen) Cabrera, and Tagetes multiflora (Kunth) [Asteraceae]

by Carlos Fernández-Galleguillos, Felipe Jiménez-Aspee, Daniel Mieres-Castro, Yeray A. Rodríguez-Núñez, Margarita Gutiérrez, Luis Guzmán, Javier Echeverría, Claudia Sandoval-Yañez and Oscar Forero-Doria

Plants 2023, 12(4), 819; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040819 - 12 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1750

Abstract

This research aimed to identify the phenolic profile and composition of the aerial parts of three native species used in traditional medicine in the Andean Altiplano of northern Chile: Clinopodium gilliesii (Benth.) Kuntze [Lamiaceae] (commonly known as Muña-Muña), Mutisia acuminata Ruiz & Pav. var. hirsuta (Meyen) Cabrera [Asteraceae] (commonly known as Chinchircoma), and Tagetes multiflora (Kunth), [Asteraceae] (commonly known as Gracilis), as well as to evaluate their potential inhibitory effects against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Polyphenolic enriched-extracts (PEEs) of the species were prepared and analyzed and the main components were quantified using HPLC-DAD. In total, 30 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in all species, including simple phenolics, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavan-3-ols (monomers and polymers), flavanones, and flavonols. In addition, other main phenolics from the extracts were tentatively identified by ESI-MS-MS high-resolution analysis. T. multiflora extract showed the greatest anti-AChE and BChE activity in comparison with C. gilliesii and M. acuminata extracts, being the anti-AChE and BChE activity weak in all extracts in comparison to galantamine control. To comprise to better understand the interactions between cholinesterase enzymes and the main phenolics identified in T. multiflora, molecular docking analysis was conducted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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18 pages, 1559 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chemophenetic Approach to Selected Senecioneae Species, Combining Morphometric and UHPLC-HRMS Analyses

by Yulian Voynikov, Vessela Balabanova, Reneta Gevrenova and Dimitrina Zheleva-Dimitrova

Plants 2023, 12(2), 390; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12020390 - 14 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1026

Abstract

Herein, a chemophenetic significance, based on the phenolic metabolite profiling of three Senecio (S. hercynicus, S. ovatus, and S. rupestris) and two Jacobaea species (J. pancicii and J. maritima), coupled to morphometric data, is presented. A set of twelve morphometric characters were recorded from each plant species and used as predictor variables in a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) model. From a total 75 observations (15 from each of the five species), the model correctly assumed their species’ membership, except for 2 observations. Among the studied species, S. hercynicus and S. ovatus presented the greatest morphological similarity. A phytochemical profiling of phenolic specialized metabolites by UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS revealed 46 hydroxybenzoic, hydroxycinnamic, and acylquinic acids and their derivatives, 1 coumarin and 21 flavonoids. Hierarchical and PCA clustering applied to the phytochemical data corroborated the similarity of S. hercynicus and S. ovatus, observed in the morphometric analysis. This study contributes to the phylogenetic relationships between the tribe Senecioneae taxa and highlights the chemophenetic similarity/dissimilarity of the studied species belonging to Senecio and Jacobaea genera. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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17 pages, 2554 KiB

Open AccessArticle

NMR Metabolomics and Chemometrics of Lettuce, Lactuca sativa L., under Different Foliar Organic Fertilization Treatments

by Virginia Lanzotti, Attilio Anzano, Laura Grauso, Maurizio Zotti, Adriana Sacco, Mauro Senatore, Mauro Moreno, Marcello Diano, Maddalena Parente, Serena Esposito, Pasquale Termolino, Emanuela Palomba, Astolfo Zoina and Stefano Mazzoleni

Plants 2022, 11(16), 2164; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11162164 - 20 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2561

Abstract

Lettuce plants were grown in a greenhouse affected by the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum to test the effects on plant metabolomics by different organic treatments. Three foliar application treatments were applied: a commercial compost tea made of aerobically fermented plant organic matter, a pure lyophilized microalga Artrospira platensis, commonly named spirulina, and the same microalga previously exposed during its culture to a natural uptake from medium enriched with F. oxysporum fragmented DNA (NAT). The experiment is the first attempt to observe in field conditions, the use and effects of a natural microbial library as a carrier of pathogenic fungal DNA for disease control. Untargeted NMR metabolomics and chemometrics showed that foliar organic application significantly reduced fumaric and formic acids, aromatic amino acids, and nucleosides, while increasing ethanolamine. A strong decrease in phenolic acids and an increase in citric acid and glutamine were specifically observed in the NAT treatment. It is noteworthy that the exposure of a known biostimulant microalga to fungal DNA in its culture medium was sufficient to induce detectable changes in the metabolomic profiles of the fertilized plants. These findings deserve further investigation to assess the potential relevance of the presented approach in the field of crop biostimulation and biocontrol of plant pathogens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectra Analysis and Plants Research 2.0)

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