Since ancient times, the inhabitants of dry areas have depended on the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) as a staple food and means of economic security. For example, dates have been a staple diet for the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula and Sahara Desert in North Africa for millennia and the local culture is rich in knowledge and experience with the benefits of dates, suggesting that dates contain many substances essential for the human body. Madinah dates are considered one of the most important types of dates in the Arabian Peninsula, with Ajwa being one of the most famous types and grown only in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Date seeds are traditionally used for animal feed, seed oil production, cosmetics, and as a coffee substitute. Phytochemical compounds that have been detected in date fruits and date seeds include phenolic acids, carotenoids, and flavonoids. Phenolic acids are the most prevalent bioactive constituents that contribute to the antioxidant activity of date fruits. The bioactive properties of these phytochemicals are believed to promote human health by reducing the risk of diseases such as chronic inflammation. Ajwa dates especially are thought to have superior bioactivity properties. To investigate these claims, in this study, we compare the metabolic profiles of Ajwa with different types of dates collected from Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. We show by UHPLC-MS that date seeds contain several classes of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and amino acid derivatives, including citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, and hydroxyadipic acid. Additionally, GC–MS profiling showed that date seeds are richer in metabolite classes, such as hydrocinnamic acids (caffeic, ferulic and sinapic acids), than flesh samples. Deglet N fruit extract (minimum inhibitory concentration: 27 MIC/μM) and Sukkari fruit extract (IC₅₀: 479 ± 0.58μg /mL) have higher levels of antibacterial and antioxidative activity than Ajwa fruits. However, the seed analysis showed that seed extracts have better bioactivity effects than fruit extracts. Specifically, Ajwa extract showed the best MIC and strongest ABTS radical-scavenging activity among examined seed extracts (minimum inhibitory concentration: 20 μM; IC₅₀: 54 ± 3.61μg /mL). Our assays are a starting point for more advanced in vitro antibacterial models and investigation into the specific molecules that are responsible for the antioxidative and anti-bacterial activities of dates.

Graphical Abstract

中文翻译：

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使用 MS 和 NMR 对四个枣椰树 (Phoenix dactylifera L.) 品种进行非靶向代谢组学分析

自古以来，干旱地区的居民就以枣椰树 ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) 作为主食和经济保障。例如，几千年来，枣子一直是阿拉伯半岛和北非撒哈拉沙漠居民的主食，当地文化对枣子的好处有着丰富的知识和经验，表明枣子含有许多人体必需的物质。身体。麦地那枣被认为是阿拉伯半岛最重要的枣类型之一，其中 Ajwa 是最著名的枣类型之一，仅在沙特阿拉伯麦地那种植。枣子传统上用于动物饲料、种子油生产、化妆品以及咖啡替代品。在枣子和枣子中检测到的植物化学化合物包括酚酸、类胡萝卜素和类黄酮。酚酸是最常见的生物活性成分，有助于枣类水果的抗氧化活性。这些植物化学物质的生物活性被认为可以通过降低慢性炎症等疾病的风险来促进人类健康。Ajwa枣尤其被认为具有优越的生物活性。为了调查这些说法，在本研究中，我们将 Ajwa 的代谢特征与从沙特阿拉伯和突尼斯收集的不同类型的枣进行了比较。我们通过 UHPLC-MS 表明，枣子含有几类黄酮类化合物、酚酸和氨基酸衍生物，包括柠檬酸、苹果酸、乳酸和羟基己二酸。此外，GC-MS 分析表明，枣子的代谢物类别比果肉样品更丰富，例如氢化肉桂酸（咖啡酸、阿魏酸和芥子酸）。Deglet N 水果提取物（最低抑菌浓度：27 MIC/μM）和 Sukkari 水果提取物（IC ₅₀：479 ± 0.58μg /mL）比 Ajwa 水果具有更高水平的抗菌和抗氧化活性。然而，种子分析表明，种子提取物比水果提取物具有更好的生物活性效果。具体而言，在所检测的种子提取物中，Ajwa 提取物显示出最佳的 MIC 和最强的 ABTS 自由基清除活性（最低抑制浓度：20 μM；IC ₅₀：54 ± 3.61μg /mL）。我们的检测是更先进的体外抗菌模型的起点，也是对负责枣子抗氧化和抗菌活性的特定分子进行研究的起点。

图形概要