A holistic UPLC-HRMS-based approach exploring the phytochemistry, bioactivity and metabolome impact of Cichorium spinosum’ s decoction in Drosophila melanogaster

Edible greens (“chórta”) comprise an integral part of Greek tradition and they have been used both as nutritional elements, but also as phytotherapeutic products. Cichorium spinosum (“stamnagkathi”) is a highly valued and extensively consumed endemic plant of the Mediterranean region [1]. Preliminary studies exploring C. spinosum’s effect in Drosophila melanogaster diet, have demonstrated the extract’s ability to enhance the proteasome activity and to activate the antioxidant Nrf2 pathway [2].

In the present study, an extensive characterization of the decoction’s chemical profile was performed using UPLC-HRMS & HRMS/MS. The extract was found to be rich in simple phenolic acids, lactones, hydroxycinnamic acids, as well as in flavonoid glucuronides. In parallel, an untargeted metabolomics protocol was developed using a UPLC-ESI-Orbitrap in order to further investigate the effects of the addition of C. spinosum’s extract on D. melanogaster diet. The characterization of D. melanogaster endogenous metabolites was followed by the analysis of several fly samples whose diet had previously been enriched with C. spinosum’s decoction at different concentrations. This approach enabled the identification of significant metabolites leading to the exploration of certain biological pathways modulated by the C. spinosum’s extract.

Our results indicate that liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in combination with the model organism D. melanogaster [3] in the concept of metabolomics can be considered as a valuable tool for determining the effects of natural products on complex biological systems.

EV Mikropoulou wishes to thank the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for financial support. The authors are grateful to the EU Programme “Medihealth”

• References

• 1 Mikropoulou EV, Vougogiannopoulou K, Kalpoutzakis E, Sklirou AD, Skaperda Z, Houriet J. et al. Phytochemical composition of the decoctions of Greek edible greens (chórta) and evaluation of antioxidant and cytotoxic properties. Molecules 2018; 23: 1-16
• 2 Tsakiri EN, Trougakos IP. The amazing ubiquitin-proteasome system: Structural components and implication in aging. Int Rev Cell Mol Biol 2015; 314: 171-237
• 3 Evangelakou Z, Manola M, Gumeni S, Trougakos IP. Nutrigenomics as a tool to study the impact of diet on aging and age-related diseases: the Drosophila approach. Genes Nutr 2019; 14: 12