Biosynthetic studies through feeding experiments in Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. hairy roots

Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. is a medicinal plant of the Asteraceae family, and several extracts and isolated compounds of E. prostrata (L.) L. showed a wide range of biological activities such as antimicrobial, anticancer, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, hair growth promoting activities, and more recently against covid-19. Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. hairy roots produce wedelolactone (WL), demethylwedelolactone (DWL) and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3,5-diCQA), and there is no data in literature regarding biosynthetic pathways are involved. To verify the biosynthetic route, feeding experiments were carried out using sodium [2-(13)C]acetate, [3-(13)C]dl-phenylalanine, and (13)C-labeled compounds (WL, DWL and 3,5-diCQA) were detected by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS). Analysis showed that the metabolic pathways operative of coumestans (WL and DWL) are derived from acetate and shikimate pathways, while that the phenylpropanoid (3,5-diCQA) biosynthesis is exclusively from shikimate pathway. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11240-022-02342-0.