Identification and characterization of valuable secondary metabolites from Cynara Cardunculus L var. altilis

Cynara cardunculus L. var. altilis is a typical crops cultivated in Mediterranean areas with low environmental impact. C. cardunculus is a plant which contains valuable bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, sesquiterpenes and lignans. Therefore, cardoon has been used in food and medicine due to his nutritional and therapeutic properties as antibacterial, antioxidative, hepatoprotective and choleretic activities. Moreover, it is also able to inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis and low density lipoprotein oxidation. On the other hand, leaves, outer bracts, capitula and stems are the main postharvest residuals of this process. With the aim to evaluate the recovery and valorization of industrial processing waste of cardoon as a natural resource with high value-added products at low environmental impact, the objective of the present study was to investigate phytochemical composition of this residual plant material, analyzing biomass extracts by Liquid Chromatography coupled to High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS), combined with NMR spectroscopy. Cynara cardunculus L. var. altilis samples were collected at two phenological phase: during the florescence and at the end of life cycle (July-August). The experimental fields, with different pedological characteristics, are located in the North-West of Sardinia (Italy). In conclusion, Cynara cardunculus L. var. altilis samples were collected at two phenological phase: during the florescence and at the end of life cycle (July-August). The experimental fields, with different pedological characteristics, are located in the North-West of Sardinia (Italy). Plants were separate in stalks, capitula and leaves and stored at -20 °C to preserve chemical composition. Different concentration of flavonoids and lignans and sesquiterpenes compounds have been obtained in plants grown in the two tested fields with diffent pedological characteristics. We coupled target and untarget metabolomics approach by means hyphenated HRMS-NMR technique as a joint strategy to achieve a more complete characterization of cardoon by-products.