Analyzing Quinoa Seeds: LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS Approaches for Identifying a Nutrient-Rich Functional Food in Alzheimer's and Diabetes Care.

Abstract

Quinoa is a versatile, nutrient-dense, gluten-free pseudocereal, increasingly recognized for its potential health benefits, particularly in managing diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's disease-two conditions with growing links. Recent research on 14 quinoa genotypes explored fatty oil composition and bioactive potential of quinoa extracts. Linoleic acid was predominant fatty acid (46.60%-56.33%), while alanine was the most concentrated amino acid across all active extracts (192.4887-1578.0355 nmol/mL). French Vanilla hexane extract exhibited the strongest α-glucosidase inhibition (75.71%), with Santa Ana hexane extract showing the highest α-amylase inhibition (28.58%). Additionally, Titicaca hexane extract displayed notable acetylcholinesterase inhibition (22.22%), and Moqu Arochilla methanol extract had the most potent butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (47.20%). Antioxidant assays revealed that Salcedo and French Vanilla extracts had exceptional DPPH radical scavenging activity, with positive correlations found between total phenolic content and antioxidant activity (DPPH, β-carotene, FRAP). These findings emphasize quinoa's potential as a functional food, offering significant benefits for disease management.