Abstract
Introduction
Asparagus species are naturally distributed worldwide and are known for their pharmacological properties that offer cures for various ailments. However, the metabolic choreography of these Asparagus species is not well characterized, and the compounds contributing to their bioactivities remain unknown.
Objective
This study aimed to profile and compare the metabolomes of three Asparagus species cladodes using different solvent extractions.
Methods
An ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry‐based metabolomics and molecular networking approach was used to study the effects of different solvents (ethyl acetate, methanol, and chloroform) with varying polarity on metabolites extraction and identification of bioactive compounds from three Asparagus species cladodes (Asparagus falcatus, Asparagus plumosus, and Asparagus densiflorus ‘Meyersii’).
Results
Multivariate statistical analyses (mainly principal component analysis) revealed a significant separation between the three solvents and the three species, indicating notable metabolic differences. A total of 118 metabolites were identified in the three species extracted with the different solvents, with methanolic and chloroform extracts containing more metabolites compared with ethyl acetate extracts. These metabolites were identified as belonging to the flavonoids, cinnamic acids, organooxygen compounds, steroids, fatty acids, benzenes, and glycerophospholipids compound classes. Furthermore, these compounds classes were differentially distributed among the three species, indicating chemical/chemotaxis differences between the compared species. Chloroform and methanol are recommended as the optimal solvents to obtain a high content of phytochemical compounds from Asparagus species cladodes.
The study profiled metabolites from three Asparagus species using different solvents (ethyl acetate, methanol, and chloroform) with LC‐MS‐based metabolomics and molecular networking. A total of 118 metabolites, including flavonoids, cinnamic acids, steroids, and glycerophospholipids, were identified. Chloroform and methanol were more effective in extracting metabolites compared to ethyl acetate. The study also revealed metabolic differences between the species, which align with their taxonomic classification, as each species exhibited unique metabolite profiles, underscoring their distinct chemotaxonomic identities and potential medicinal applications.