Plant-matrix reference materials as a tool for ensuring the uniformity of chemical measurements in geochemistry, ecology, agriculture and pharmacology

The population needs reliable information on the chemical composition of plants and products made from them in order to preserve the environment and its safety. With the increase in cross-border trade, there is a growing demand for traceable results of determining the content of chemical elements in plants and not only proteins, fats, carbohydrates, pesticides, moisture, vitamins, etc., which can affect the quality of human life. An urgent but difficult analytical task is to obtain reliable measurements of the elemental composition of agricultural and wild plants and various products made from them. Reference materials (RMs) are a widely recognized tool for ensuring the uniformity of chemical measurements. They are designed for certification (validation) of existing and new methods (techniques) of chemical analysis, certification studies in the development of reference materials, and professional testing of laboratories. The article lists the reputable manufacturers of plant RMs in which the content of chemical elements is certified. The ratio of certified, reference, and quality control samples of plant-matrix has been assessed. The classification of certified reference materials according to the type of plant material used for their food application is provided. The contribution of different countries to the development of plant CRMs is hown. The selection of plants for the development of new RMs is discussed from two points of view, namely food composition databases (AOAC INTERNATIONAL) and the ‘Reference Plant’ chemical fingerprinting (B. Markert). Based on the consolidation of studies devoted to the development and appliance of plant-matrix reference materials, a list of the most important requirements has been compiled for reference materials that ensure the reliability and comparability of the results of chemical analysis in the fields of biology, geochemistry, ecology, agriculture, medicine, and interdisciplinary research.

UHPLC-MS Chemical Fingerprinting and Antioxidant, Antiproliferative, and Enzyme Inhibition Potential of Gaultheria pumila Berries

Gaultheria pumila (Ericaceae) (known as Chaura or Mutilla) is a Chilean native small shrub that produces berry fruits consumed by local Mapuche people. In this study, the chemical fingerprinting and antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and antiproliferative activities of the berries were investigated for the first time. Thirty-six metabolites were identified in the fruits by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection, hyphenated with Orbitrap mass spectrometry analysis (UHPLC-DAD-Orbitrap-MS). Metabolites, included anthocyanins, phenolic acids, flavonoids, iridoids, diterpenes, and fatty acids. Moderate inhibitory activities against acetylcholinesterase (7.7 ± 0.3 µg/mL), butyrylcholinesterase (34.5 ± 0.5 µg/mL), and tyrosinase (3.3 ± 0.2 µg/mL) enzymes were found. Moreover, selected major compounds were subjected to docking assays in light of their experimental inhibition. Results indicated that hydrogen bonding, π–π interaction, and a salt bridge interaction contributed significantly. Gaultheria pumila berries showed a total phenolic content of 189.2 ± 0.2 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g, total flavonoid content of 51.8 ± 0.1 mg quercetin equivalents/g, and total anthocyanin content of 47.3 ± 0.2 mg of cianydin-3-glucoside equivalents/g. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH (92.8 ± 0.1 µg/mL), FRAP (134.1 ± 0.1 μmol Trolox equivalents/g), and ORAC (4251.6 ± 16.9 μmol Trolox equivalents/g) assays. Conversely, Gaultheria pumila showed a scarce antiproliferative potential against several solid human cancer cells. Our findings suggest that Gaultheria pumila berries have several bioactive metabolites with inhibitory effects against acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and tyrosinase, and have the potential for use in food supplements.