Metabolomics-based profiling of 4 avocado varieties using HPLC–MS/MS and GC/MS and evaluation of their antidiabetic activity

Seven avocado “Persea americana” seeds belonging to 4 varieties, collected from different localities across the world, were profiled using HPLC–MS/MS and GC/MS to explore the metabolic makeup variabilities and antidiabetic potential. For the first time, 51 metabolites were tentatively-identified via HPLC–MS/MS, belonging to different classes including flavonoids, biflavonoids, naphthodianthrones, dihydrochalcones, phloroglucinols and phenolic acids while 68 un-saponified and 26 saponified compounds were identified by GC/MS analysis. The primary metabolic variabilities existing among the different varieties were revealed via GC/MS-based metabolomics assisted by unsupervised pattern recognition methods. Fatty acid accumulations were proved as competent, and varietal-discriminatory metabolites. The antidiabetic potential of the different samples was explored using in-vitro amylase and glucosidase inhibition assays, which pointed out to Gwen (KG) as the most potent antidiabetic sample. This could be attributed to its enriched content of poly-unsaturated fatty acids and polyphenolics. Molecular docking was then performed to predict the most promising phytoligands in KG variety to be posed as antidiabetic drug leads. The highest in-silico α-amylase inhibition was observed with chrysoeriol-4′-O-pentoside-7-O-rutinoside, apigenin-7-glucuronide and neoeriocitrin which might serve as potential drug leads for the discovery of new antidiabetic remedies.