Phenolics profile and antioxidant activities of in vitro propagules and field-raised plant organs of Curculigo latifolia

Abstract

Curculigo latifolia is traditionally used in herbal medication. We determined the total phenolics profile, antioxidant capacity, and metabolomics of in vitro propagules compared to the mother plant organs, intending to disclose the prospective of in vitro cultured propagules as an alternative source of the essential metabolites of this species. Phenolic content was investigated by colorimetry. Antioxidant activities were determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-orbital ion trap analyzer-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS) and chemometrics were exploited for comparative analyses of the metabolite’s composition. Total phenolic contents varied from 152.19 to 457.80 gallic acid equivalent g–1. The lowest DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities with the IC50 values were obtained from the rhizome, and FRAP-reducing power activities were found in the leaves. UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS data and multivariate analysis classified and differentiated the compounds in the callus, plantlet leaves, rhizomes, petioles, and leaves. The marker compounds discriminating the in vitro propagules from the mother plant organs are orcinol glucoside, nyasicoside, and vanillin. This information would be valuable for the pharmaceutical industry, herbalists, or herbal medicine producers in using the plant organs as well as the in vitro callus