Metabolomics analysis shows the differences in metabolites in deer antler bases of red deer and sika deer

Context Deer antler base is a part of deer antler and a traditional Chinese medicine, which is effective in treating mammary gland hyperplasia and other diseases. However, deer antler base is very hard and not easy to crush, resulting in its under-utilisation and a waste of resources. At present, the potential mechanism of deer antler base in the treatment of diseases is still unclear. Aim To encourage its utilisation and research, it is crucial to comprehend its composition and identify the key effective components. Methods To explore the differences in metabolites between antler bases of different deer species, red and sika deer antler bases were used as samples, and metabolites from both deer antler base samples were screened and identified by Ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Key results In all, 151 metabolites were identified in both red deer and sika deer antler bases. Metabolite types did not differ between the antler bases of red and sika deer, while there was some difference in metabolite abundance. After principal-component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA); a total of 43 metabolites with significant differences were identified. KEGG annotation showed that pathways with the most metabolites enrichment were mainly related to lipid and amino acid metabolism. The pathways significantly annotated with differential metabolites were mainly related to amino acid metabolism. Conclusions On the basis of untargeted metabolomics analysis, this study systematically showed the differences in metabolites composition and abundance in antler bases between two deer species from a metabolomics perspective. The composition and abundance of metabolites in red deer antler base were similar to those in sika deer antler base, but the endogenous metabolites in different deer antler bases had some differences. Implications The present study found that there was no significant difference in endogenous metabolites in antler bases between red deer and sika deer, which indicates that deer antler bases of different deer species may have similar medicinal value. It will provide some theoretical basis for research, development, and utilisation of antler bases.