A Comprehensive Quality Analysis of Different Colors of Medicinal and Edible Honeysuckle

Abstract

Honeysuckle (the dried flower bud or opening flower of Lonicera japonica Thunb.), a medicinal and edible substance, has is greatly popular among consumers for its remarkable health effects, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, due to the influences of processing methods, storage conditions, and other factors, honeysuckles show different colors which can directly reflect the quality and the price on the market. In order to comprehensively compare the quality of different colors, 55 batches of honeysuckle samples were collected and analyzed. Their color parameters, chlorophyll content (chl), total phenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity (AA), main active compounds, and metabolites were measured. As a result, the initial green-white (GW) samples, a kind of highest-quality honeysuckle, had the smallest a* value, largest h*, chl, TPC, TFC, and AA values, and highest content of chlorogenic acid and cynaroside. There was a significant difference between GW samples and a series of discolored samples. As the color darkened or lightened, the quality gradually decreased. The yellow-brown (YB) samples were of the worst quality and were no longer available for clinical and health purposes. A series of differential metabolites, such as quercetin-7-O-glucoside and secologanoside, could be used as important references to evaluate the quality of differently colored samples. The metabolic profile of honeysuckle provided new insights into the process of color change and laid a foundation for further honeysuckle quality control. The correlation results showed that the a* and h* values significantly affect the abovementioned quality indicators and the 10 main active compounds. In other words, the color difference could directly reflect the quality and clinical efficacy. Multiple regression analysis was carried out using combined L*, a*, and b* values to predict the quality of honeysuckle. This is the first time the quality of different color honeysuckle samples on the post-harvest link has been systematically compared and a demonstration of medicinal and edible substances with different colors has been provided.

Reduction of flavonoid content in honeysuckle via Erysiphe lonicerae-mediated inhibition of three essential genes in flavonoid biosynthesis pathways

“…Specific flavonoids like luteolin, quercetin, isoquercetin, and rutin have been recognized for their potent antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor properties, which are fundamental to the therapeutic efficacy of medicinal plants ( Seelinger et al., 2008 ; Naveed et al., 2018 ; Zwicker et al., 2019 ; Yang et al., 2020 ; Zheng et al., 2024 ). Chlorogenic acid and luteolin, in particular, are abundant in honeysuckle and have garnered extensive pharmacological interest due to their efficacy as medicinal components ( Wang, 2017 ; Liu et al., 2023 ). Chlorogenic acid, alongside total flavonoid content, is also employed as a quality control benchmark in honeysuckle, as evidenced by the 2020 Chinese Pharmacopoeia, which mandates a minimum content of 1.5% ( Zheng et al., 2022 ).…”

Extraction of Cynaroside from Honeysuckle by Nonionic Surfactant-mediated Aqueous Extraction with Cloud Point Enrichment and Purification by Metal Complexation

“…Cynaroside (Cy) is the 7-O-glucoside of luteolin, a avone (subclass of avonoids) naturally occurring in several plant species, including Lonicera caerulea L. (honeysuckle) (Bouyahya et al 2023). Several studies have reported that Cy has numerous pharmacological properties, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antileishmanial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, anti-in ammatory, and anticancer properties (Bouyahya et al 2023;He et al 2023;Liu et al 2023). Although Cy has good biological activity, its application is limited due to its low extraction e ciency and high cost.…”