Profiling and Discrimination of Euryale Ferox Seeds from Different Processing Methods Using Liquid Chromatography High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Combined with Molecular Networking and Statistical Analysis.

Background: Euryale ferox seeds (EFSs) serve both medicinal and culinary purposes. They possess high nutritional value and are rich in polysaccharides, polyphenols, glycolipids, cyclic peptides, and other beneficial components. EFSs are known for their effects in tonifying the kidneys and strengthening essence, invigorating the spleen and alleviating diarrhea, as well as removing dampness and leucorrhea. Processing can alter the chemical composition of EFSs, with different methods yielding varying effects on their chemical makeup and, consequently, their efficacy. However, to date, no studies have systematically investigated the overall chemical composition of EFSs using different processing methods.

Methods: In this study, we employed liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) to identify the compounds in EFSs by searching databases and Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS), and we comprehensively explored the changes in the chemical composition of EFSs resulting from various processing methods via statistical analysis.

Results: A total of 438 compounds were identified from EFSs, of which 283 were identified through database searches and 155 were identified via GNPS propagation. Statistical analysis revealed 32 and 38 differential compounds in dry-fried Euryale ferox seeds (DFEFSs) and bran-fried Euryale ferox seeds (BFEFSs), respectively. Additionally, we found a significant increase in the lipid content of the fried EFSs.

Conclusions: This study provides valuable data to support the quality evaluation of processed EFSs and contributes to the research on the material basis of their medicinal efficacy.