Metabolomics approach, in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity assay provide insights into impact of multiple variations on the vine tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata)
Huijun Wang, Jianxun Li, Chaoyang Zhang, Baoshan Sun, Yawen Zhou, Yanyan Zhou, Haiyu Zhao
Abstract
Plucking position and harvest time influence the metabolites of vine tea which are closely related to the taste quality and antioxidant activity. In this study, 75 vine tea samples produced by three plucking positions and harvested in five months were analyzed by untargeted metabolomics, and in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of different vine teas were evaluated. 37 compounds were tentatively identified through various methods. Compared with the high-concentration results, VIP scores of the major components in the low-concentration model were much higher and were filtered as characteristic markers. Chemometrics analysis showed that plucking position had a stronger influence on vine tea quality than harvest time. 16 identified metabolites, including flavonoids, organic acids and catechins, were found to be responsible for the recognition of the plucking position. Vine tea infusion made of young green leaves exhibited higher scavenge radical activity in vitro, and tender tip leaves exhibited higher antioxidant activities in vivo zebrafish, which may be due to the presence of a higher concentration of flavonoids in their phytochemical profile. This research is anticipated to provide useful enlightenment for the effective utilization of vine tea resources.