Metabolite Characterization and Correlations with Antioxidant and Wound Healing Properties of Oil Palm (<i>Elaeis guineensis</i> Jacq.) Leaflets via ¹H-NMR-Based Metabolomics Approach

• Main Authors: Mohamad Shazeli Che Zain, Soo Yee Lee, Nadiah Mad Nasir, Sharida Fakurazi, Khozirah Shaari
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-11-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: <i>Elaeis guineensis</i> Jacq.; oil palm leaf; metabolite profile; solvent extract; antioxidant; wound healing
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/23/5636

Oil palm (<i>Elaeis guineensis</i> Jacq.) leaflets (OPLs) are one of the major agricultural by-products generated from the massive cultivation of Malaysian palm oil. This biomass is also reported to be of potential value based on its health-improving effects. By employing proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate data analysis (MVDA), the metabolite profile of OPLs was characterized and correlated with their antioxidant and wound healing properties. Principal component analysis (PCA) classified four varieties of extracts, prepared using solvents ranging from polar to medium polarity, into three distinct clusters. Cumulatively, six flavonoids, eight organic acids, four carbohydrates, and an amine were identified from the solvent extracts. The more polar extracts, such as, the ethyl acetate-methanol, absolute methanol, and methanol-water, were richer in phytochemicals. Based on partial least square (PLS) analysis, the constituents in these extracts, such as (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, and isovitexin, were strongly correlated with the measured antioxidant activities, comprising ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and nitric oxide (NO) free radical scavenging activities, as well as with cell proliferation and migration activities. This study has provided crucial evidence on the importance of these natural antioxidant compounds on the wound healing properties of OPL.