Phytochemical Fingerprints and Bioactivities of Ripe Disseminules (Fruit-Seeds) of Seventeen Gundelia (Kenger-Kereng Dikeni) Species from Anatolia with Chemometric Approach

Gundelia species are known as Kenger-kereng dikeni in Anatolia, and their aerial parts are consumed as food. Also, roots and seeds (disseminules) of the Gundelia species are used to prepare gum and coffee. The chemical contents of ethanol and hexane extracts of disseminules of 17 Gundelia species, 13 of them are endemic, were studied using LC/MS/MS and GC/MS. Additionally, their antioxidant potential and enzyme inhibitory capacity against acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase, urease, and tyrosinase were determined. The unsaturated fatty acid ratios of Gundelia species were higher than their saturated fatty acid ratio. The highest sum of oleic and linoleic acid was detected in G. tournefortii var. tenuisecta (70.42 %). beta-Sitosterol, alpha-amyrin, 3-acetyllupeol were identified in 17 Gundelia species by GC/MS, while chlorogenic acid and luteolin by LC/MS/MS as major compounds. The ethanol and hexane extracts of G. siirtica, G. rosea, and G. mesopotamica indicated good cholinesterase inhibitory activity. Among all species, ethanol extract of G. colemerikensis exhibited the best activity in ABTS (IC50: 32.30 +/- 0.98 mu g/mL), DPPH (IC50: 59.91 +/- 0.89 mu g/mL), and CUPRAC (A(0.5): 57.41 +/- 1.03 mu g/mL) assays. Ethanol extract of G. colemerikensis also displayed the highest inhibitory activity against butyrylcholinesterase (51.14 +/- 0.25% at 200 mu g/mL), urease (51.71 +/- 1.75% at 200 mu g/mL), and tyrosinase (39.50 +/- 0.85% at 200 mu g/mL) enzymes. According to the chemometric analysis of fatty acids, four groups were observed. Therefore, it is suggested that G. colemerikensis can be used in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries due to its antioxidant and enzyme inhibition properties.

Automated summary

The study investigated the chemical composition and antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory capacities of Gundelia species. Among them, G. colemerikensis exhibited the best activity, showing high inhibitory activity in various antioxidant and enzyme inhibition assays.