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. 2023 Jan 20;12(3):482.
doi: 10.3390/plants12030482.

Metabolite Profiling and Bioactivities of Leaves, Stems, and Flowers of Rumex usambarensis (Dammer) Dammer, a Traditional African Medicinal Plant

Chiara Spaggiari  1 , Laura Righetti  1 , Costanza Spadini  2 , Giannamaria Annunziato  1 , Aimable Nsanzurwimo  3 , Clotilde Silvia Cabassi  2 , Renato Bruni  1 , Gabriele Costantino  1
Affiliations

Metabolite Profiling and Bioactivities of Leaves, Stems, and Flowers of Rumex usambarensis (Dammer) Dammer, a Traditional African Medicinal Plant

Chiara Spaggiari et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

The comprehensive identification of secondary metabolites represents a fundamental step for the assessment of bioactivities and pharmacological properties of traditional herbal drugs. Rumex usambarensis (Dammer) Dammer has been described as a multipurpose remedy in different African traditional pharmacopoeias, but its phytochemical profile has not been properly investigated. Herein we report a high throughput metabolomic screening, based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-travelling wave ion mobility spectrometry quadrupole time-of-flight (UHPLC-TWINS-QTOF), which was performed for the first time on different R. usambarensis plant parts. By applying high-resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and chemometric analysis, a complete discrimination of different aerial parts was obtained, with the annotation of 153 significant metabolites in leaves, stems, and flowers, suggesting an easy authentication and discrimination route. Phytochemical data were correlated to antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Flavonoids, benzopyranes, chromones, and xanthones derivatives, along with a richer phytocomplex, might be responsible for the stronger bioactivities obtained from flowers.

Keywords: Dammer; Rumex usambarensis (Dammer); UHPLC-TWINS-QTOF; medicinal plants; traditional healers knowledge; untargeted metabolomics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry base peak chromatograms of QC pool of Rumex usambarensis extract obtained using positive (A) and negative (B) ionization modes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Biplot built using the intensities of annotated metabolites (PC1 54.3%, PC2 38.6%) grouped into the main biochemical classes.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Hierarchical clustering analysis and heat map visualization obtained considering the three plant organs and using the metabolites annotated grouped in biochemical classes (distance: Euclidean; clustering algorithm: Ward).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Variable trend plots of the most discriminant metabolite classes: phenolics (A) and chromones (B) are overexpressed in the flowers, while sesquiterpenes (C) and benzopyrans (D) markers had the highest influence to discriminate leaves and stems.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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