High resolution LC-MS characterization of phenolic compounds and the evaluation of antioxidant properties of a tropical purple radish genotype

Abstract

This study reports qualitative profiling of the phenolic compounds in an indigenously developed purple radish genotype VRRAD-151 using ultra performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry. The root and leaf samples were harvested at the horticultural maturity stage of the genotype. Roots were divided into the periderm, and xylem, and the leaf samples were divided into petiole, and lamina, and these were separately extracted with methanol before the LC-MS analysis. A total of 66 compounds, including 23 flavonols, 1 dihydroflavonols, 4 flavonones, 4 flavones, 28 anthocyanins, 2 isoflavonoids, 3 phenolic acids, and 1 hydroxybenzaldehyde were putatively identified based on high resolution accurate mass analysis with the data processing through UNIFI , which is a comprehensive compound identification software solution. An in-house developed database comprising the secondary metabolites of polyphenols was used for the screening purpose, and each phenolic compound was identified based on the detection of the precursor ion, and at least one characteristic fragment ion, each with less than 5 ppm of mass error. Anthocyanins were the most abundant type of phenolics exhibiting 59% in leaf petiole, 80% in root periderm, and 90% in root xylem. The relative concentration of anthocyanins was lower (11%) in the leaf lamina. Cyanidins were the most predominant anthocyanins accounting for 54, 100, 90 and 65%, in leaf lamina, leaf petiole, root periderm and root xylem, respectively.