Metabolite fingerprinting and profiling of two locally cultivated edible plants by using nuclear magnetic resonance

Abstract

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a sensitive technique used to analyse the structure elucidation, dynamics, reaction state, and chemical environment of molecules. Abelmoschus esculentus and Lagenaria siceraria are edible plants used traditionally to treat jaundice, diabetes, weight loss, ulcer, hypertension, heart failure, skin diseases and reduced cholesterol. Therefore, based on the medicinal uses the study was designed to analyze fingerprinting of metabolites of the seeds of the selected plants. The dry seeds were powdered and the metabolites were extracted by socking method with a mixture of methanol/chloroform. The extracted metabolites from seeds were subjected to proton NMR using the noesygpprld pulse sequence. A total 18 peaks were obtained from each spectrum. Among the peaks, three peaks with the highest intensities were analyzed by utilizing NMR. The peak metabolites were determined with the correlation with the correct peak using in built Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank (BMRB). The results showed that the obtained data varied from known plant metabolites due to the contamination and interaction between the metabolites. In addition, variants in the metabolites from sample to sample may have been the result of errors or limitations in the study. The data generated from this experiment will be used to help to conduct the advanced research in the near future on the selected edible plant species which will be valuable for many different areas of the scientific community. Plant metabolomics has the potential benefit in the medical field, agricultural industry, and many other areas of our economy.