Qualitative and quantitative comparison of compounds in different parts of Thalictrum foliolosum DC using UPLC-PDA/UHPLC-QTOF-IMS

Abstract

Thalictrum foliolosum is least explored species of the Thalictrum genus. This plant is known for its immense utility in traditional folk medicine. Different parts of the plant hold various ethnomedicinal values that are yet to be explored from a phytochemical perspective. The current study primarily aimed to investigate and compare the diversity of metabolites in root and aerial parts (stems and leaves) of T. foliolosum. For this, a UPLC-PDA-based analytical approach has been employed for the estimation of five isoquinoline alkaloids [magnoflorine (8), thalidasine (18), jatrorrhizine (19), palmatine (20), and berberine (21)] in different extracts and fractions of the plant. Quantitative results revealed that roots contain the highest content of targeted alkaloids. The UPLC method showed ideal linearity (r² ≥ 0.999), quantification limit (0.13–0.51 μg/mL), detection limit (0.039–0.156 μg/mL), precision (intra-day RSDs < 0.33 %, and inter-day RSDs < 1.98 %), and accuracy (83.68 –104.13 %). Extensive metabolite profiling through UHPLC-QTOF-IMS tentatively identified 25 alkaloids while METLIN database identified 268, 104, and 102 metabolites of various classes in leaves, stems, and roots, respectively. This study is the first to offer thorough metabolite profiling in the plant. GC–MS-based targeted profiling showed the highest content of methyl palmitate (roots and leaves) and hexadecanoic acid (stems and leaves). The statistical evaluation of targeted and untargeted metabolites highlighted similarities and variances among the roots, stems, and leaves. Conclusively, these findings provide new insights into the metabolite distribution in T. foliolosum and underscore its potential for use in the pharmaceutical sector.