Analysis of procyanidins in early immature durian fruit using multi-platform metabolomics approach and their bioactivities

Abstract

Climate change and increasing population growth have led to a rise in food demand, resulting in greater agricultural waste. Furthermore, changing weather patterns damage crops, including durian, exacerbating this waste problem. In this study, we explore the potential of early immature durian fruit (ED) which is typically discarded during the thinning process to maintain fruit quality. Solvent extract optimization was implemented to prepare the ED extract, which was further analyzed for high-value compounds using a multi-platform metabolomics approach, incorporating UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and GC-MS techniques. Notably, we identified six bioactive secondary metabolites, consisting of procyanidin B2, procyanidin C1, (−)-epicatechin, quercitrin, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside and salipurposide. This research focuses on procyanidins to identify new production sources beyond grape seeds. Procyanidins were further quantified using HPLC. To evaluate their bioactivities, a crude extract was obtained from freeze-dried ED using 50% ethanol. The extract demonstrated strong anti-glycation and antioxidant activities, as confirmed by chemical assays. Additionally, it was observed that the extract enhanced the expression of enzymatic antioxidant genes (SOD, CAT, and GPX) in human keratinocyte cells (HaCaT) in vitro. This study highlights the potential of valorizing agricultural waste from ED as a novel source of procyanidins, which could be used in the nutraceutical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries, thereby contributing to sustainability.