Analysis of Forsythia suspensa fruit and leaf extracts using UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap/MS: In vivo antioxidant activity on D-galactose-induced aging mice

Food Chem. 2025 Jan 1:462:141002. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.141002. Epub 2024 Aug 28.

Abstract

Making health-enhancing tea from Forsythia suspensa leaves has been a tradition of Chinese folk culture for centuries. However, these leaves were not officially recognized as a new food source until 2017 by the Chinese government. In this study, ethyl acetate fractions from Forsythia suspensa fruit and leaves exhibited excellent antioxidant activity in vitro antioxidant assays and in vivo D-galactose-induced aging mice model. The antioxidant activity of the leaves was higher than that of fruit both in vitro and in vivo. The chemical constituents present in these ethyl acetate fractions were comprehensively analyzed using UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap/MS. A total of 20 compounds were identified, among which forsythoside E, (+)-epipinoresinol, dihydromyricetin, chlorogenic acid, and ursolic acid were exclusively detected in the ethyl acetate fraction of Forsythia suspensa leaves, but absent in the ethyl acetate fraction derived from its fruit. This study provides theoretical support for the utilization of Forsythia suspensa fruit and leaves.

Keywords: Antioxidant activity; D-galactose-induced aging mice; Forsythia suspensa; UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap/MS.

MeSH terms

  • Aging* / drug effects
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants* / chemistry
  • Antioxidants* / pharmacology
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Forsythia* / chemistry
  • Fruit* / chemistry
  • Galactose*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Mice
  • Plant Extracts* / chemistry
  • Plant Leaves* / chemistry

Substances

  • Plant Extracts
  • Antioxidants
  • Galactose