Flavonoid Variability in Carica papaya L. var. Sekaki Leaf Maturation and Its Association With Sexual Differentiation Using Targeted Metabolomics
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2024
Abstract
Background: Carica papaya L. is a dioecious plant with leaves known for their medicinal and nutritional value due to their rich phytochemical content, including flavonoids. Phytochemical variability arising from plant maturity and sex differences may influence the bioactivity of the plant. Objectives: This research aims to investigate the variations of flavonoids in C. papaya leaves across different maturation stages and the impact of sex differences on the accumulation of these compounds. Methods: An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed to quantify 6 flavonoids (manghaslin, clitorin, rutin, nicotiflorin, quercetin, and isorhamnetin) in the leaves simultaneously. The acquired data were further analyzed using chemometric tools. Results: Significantly higher concentrations of flavonoids were observed in shoots and young leaves in comparison to older leaves. Furthermore, distinct variations in flavonoid composition between male and female plants were also observed, especially in young leaves, as evidenced by hierarchical clustering analysis. Further analysis of flavonoid content indicates that clitorin, nicotiflorin, and rutin could serve as chemical markers to differentiate maturation stages and sexes. Conclusion: The study revealed significant variations in flavonoid concentrations during leaf development and between male and female plants, highlighting the importance of understanding these differences for unlocking the full potential of C. papaya leaves in medical and nutritional applications.
Keywords
Carica papaya, flavonoids, maturation stages, sex differences, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS)
Divisions
CHEMISTRY
Funders
Ministry of Health Malaysia (NMRR-14-569-21235)
Publication Title
Natural Product Communications
Volume
19
Issue
7
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Publisher Location
2455 TELLER RD, THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91320 USA