Revealing quality chemicals of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum roots in different geographical origins using untargeted metabolomics and random-forest based spectrum-effect analysis

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum root is a popular functional food in China, and the price varies based on the origin of the product. The link between the origin, metabolic profile, and bioactivity of T. hemsleyanum must be investigated. This study compares the metabolic profiles of 254 samples collected from eight different areas with 49 potential key chemical markers using plant metabolomics. The metabolic pathways of the five critical flavonoid metabolites were annotated and enriched using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway. Moreover, a random forest model aiding the spectrum-effect relationship analysis was developed for the first time indicating catechin and darendoside B as potential quality markers of antioxidant activity. The findings of this study provide a comprehensive understanding of the chemical composition and bioactive compounds of T. hemsleyanum as well as valuable information on the evaluation of the quality of various samples and products in the market.