Evaluation of the authenticity of Citri Grandis Exocarpium based on metabolomics and transcriptomics

Citri Grandis Exocarpium (CGE) is derived from the immature or nearly mature dried outer peel of Citrus grandis 'Tomentosa' (Huazhou pomelo) or C. grandis (L.) Osbeck (pomelo). CGE is a traditional medicinal herb from Guangdong Province (China) that primarily contains active substances, su...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Haiting Huang, Yu Liu, Jianmu Su, Xiangxiu Liang, Hong Wu, Mei Bai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Maximum Academic Press 2025-01-01
Series:Medicinal Plant Biology
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Online Access:https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/mpb-0024-0033
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Summary:Citri Grandis Exocarpium (CGE) is derived from the immature or nearly mature dried outer peel of Citrus grandis 'Tomentosa' (Huazhou pomelo) or C. grandis (L.) Osbeck (pomelo). CGE is a traditional medicinal herb from Guangdong Province (China) that primarily contains active substances, such as flavonoids, with expectorant, antitussive, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the differences in quality and the mechanisms underlying these differences between the two plant sources specified in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia have not been fully elucidated. For the first time, this study systematically analyzed Huazhou pomelo (C. grandis 'Tomentosa' ) from its authentic production region and Sanhong pomelo (C. grandis (L.) Osbeck) from Meizhou by using an integrated analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics. The results showed that the flavonoid components in both extracts were generally consistent, indicating that both pomelos could serve as sources of CGE. However, the content differed significantly. Flavonoids related to medicinal effects, such as naringin and hesperidin, were significantly more abundant in Huazhou pomelo than in Sanhong pomelo, with compounds such as 5-demethylnobiletin detected only in Huazhou pomelo. The integrative metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis identified 11 key structural genes and transcription factors potentially involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, providing candidate targets for functional validation. This study uncovered the molecular basis for Huazhou pomelo being superior in quality to Sanhong pomelo as an authentic medicinal material for CGE and provided scientific evidence for optimizing quality standards and enhancing its commercial value. Furthermore, this study provided a theoretical foundation for further functional research.
ISSN:2835-6969