Differential Analysis of Anthocyanins in Red and Yellow Hawthorn (<i>Crataegus pinnatifida</i>) Peel Based on Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Anthocyanins constitute the primary pigment components in hawthorn (<i>Crataegus pinnatifida</i>) peel, yet their specific composition and concentration profiles remain poorly characterized. This study employed ultra-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass s...

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Main Authors: Dongsheng Wang, Beibei Cheng, Liyang Yu, Guomei Yuan, Yate Ma, Jijun Zhang, Furong Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/5/1149
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Summary:Anthocyanins constitute the primary pigment components in hawthorn (<i>Crataegus pinnatifida</i>) peel, yet their specific composition and concentration profiles remain poorly characterized. This study employed ultra-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS)-based metabolomics to systematically compare anthocyanin profiles between red-peel (CPR) and yellow-peel (CPY) hawthorn cultivars. Our analysis identified 26 anthocyanin metabolites in CPR and 24 in CPY, with cyanidin-3-O-galactoside and cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside being the predominant compounds in both. Multivariate analysis revealed seven significantly differential metabolites, including cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside, pelargonidin-3-O-galactoside, pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-O-arabinoside, and peonidin-3-O-galactoside. Notably, all the differential metabolites exhibited reductions in CPY compared to CPR. Chromatic analysis demonstrated that CPR possessed highly significantly lower hue angle values (h<sub>ab</sub>) than CPY (47.7093 ± 4.1706, 83.6427 ± 1.4604, <i>p</i> < 0.01), showing strong negative correlations with key anthocyanins. These findings enhance the scientific understanding of anthocyanin biosynthesis in hawthorn peel and provide a certain reference for the development and utilization of anthocyanins in hawthorn peel.
ISSN:1420-3049