Characterization of secondary metabolites in Drimia maritima (L.) Stearn and Strophanthus kombé Oliv. as well as fermented extracts derived therefrom by liquid chromatography-diode array/mass spectrometric detection

Meer over het boek

Mediterranean sea squill (Drimia maritima) and African Strophanthus kombé seeds are utilized in complementary medicine for heart disease treatment due to their cardiac glycosides. A fermentation-based extraction method for these plants is outlined in the German Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia, yet the secondary metabolite profile of these extracts remains largely unexplored. This study characterizes the raw materials and fermented extracts using advanced HPLC-DAD-MSn techniques without prior sample cleanup. Over 40 bufadienolides and phenolic compounds were identified in Drimia maritima, with specific compounds linked to different plant parts and growth stages. Strophanthus kombé seeds contained more than 20 cardenolides, including previously unreported compounds. Notable differences in cardenolide content were found among seeds from Zimbabwe and Malawi. The study also details the metabolization pathways of bufadienolides in D. maritima and cardenolides in S. kombé during fermentation. Furthermore, total cardiac glycoside levels decreased by approximately 50% over 12 months of storage, as glycosides were gradually converted into aglycones due to microbial and plant enzyme activities, along with acid hydrolysis from lactic acid accumulation.