Comparative metabolomics study on areca nut from China and Southeast Asia (Thailand and Indonesia)

IntroductionAreca nut is an economic crop and an important component in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and ethnomedicine. The crop is rich in alkaloids and flavonoids. Most previous studies have focused on the chemical components, especially alkaloids, in crops from certain areca nut-producing areas.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to compare the differences in areca nut seeds in two main cultivation areas, identify differential metabolites, and evaluate seed quality in different production areas.MethodsA widely targeted metabolomics method based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QQQ-MS), combined with the TCM systems pharmacology (TCMSP) database and multivariate statistical analysis, was used in this study to maximise the differentiation between quality characteristics of areca nut seeds from China and Southeast Asian regions.ResultsAltogether, 1031 metabolites were identified in areca nut seeds; by querying the TCMSP database, 375 metabolites were identified as the main active ingredients. Moreover, the research showed that the metabolic profiles of areca nut seeds from China (ASCN) and Southeast Asia (ASSA) exhibit significant differences, and the difference is mainly reflected in 318 compounds. The relative content of 146 metabolites in ASCN was significantly higher than that in ASSA. Through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) comparative analysis, areca nut seed metabolites in Chinese production areas were determined to have a wider metabolic pathway.ConclusionThe areca nut seeds from cultivation areas possess many metabolites that are beneficial for health, including alkaloids, amino acids, phenolic acids, and lipids. Thus, compared with ASSA, ASCN have a higher medicinal value. This study provides a direction for the subsequent development and utilisation of areca nut seeds. A total of 1031 metabolites were identified in areca nut seeds from Chinese and Southeast Asian production areas, and 375 metabolites are the main active ingredients. Areca nut seeds from Chinese and Southeast Asian production areas have different metabolic profiles. The relative content of 146 metabolites in the differential metabolites in China was significantly higher than that in Southeast Asia. Areca nut seeds from Chinese production areas have a higher medicinal value.