Metabolomics Analysis of Metabolites in Forsythia suspense Fruit Using UPLC/ESI-Q TRAP-MS/MS

Forsythiae Fructus, the fruit of Forsythia suspense is a traditional Chinese hebal medicine that has the antiviral and antioxidant effects in China. Modern analytical chemistry studies showed that the extracts of Forsythiae Fructus contain many bioactive components, such as flavonoids, lignans, phenolic acids, and terpenoids, which can be used to anti-inflammatory and treat toxicity, tonsillitis, ulcers, pharyngitis and acute nephritis. In order to study the types and quantities of metabolites in Forsythiae Fructus, we isolated, identified and analysed metabolites between two varieties of Forsythiae Fructus using UPLC/ESI-Q TRAP-MS/MS. The results showed that a total of 407 metabolites were identified in Forsythiae Fructus using UPLC/ESI-Q TRAP-MS/MS, including 21 terpenoids, 68 phenolic acids, 63 flavonoids, 43 amino acids and derivatives, 22 alkaloids, 55 lipids, 24 lignans and coumarins, 31 nucleotides and derivatives, 29 organic acids, and 51 other metabolites. Among, lignans and coumarins, terpenoids, organic acids, lipids, and phenolic acids were rich in Forsythiae Fructus, which accounted for more than 60% of the total metabolite content. Differential metabolite analysis revealed that 80 metabolites differed significantly between the two types of Forsythiae Fructus. Our results greatly enrich the Forsythiae Fructus phytochemical composition database and provide valuable information for further study of the metabolites of Forsythiae Fructus.