UHPLC-HRMS/MS on untargeted metabolomics: a case study with Copaifera (Fabaceae)

Untargeted metabolomics is a powerful tool in chemical fingerprinting. It can be applied in phytochemistry to aid species identification, systematic studies and quality control of bioproducts. This approach aims to produce as much chemical information as possible, without focusing on any specific chemical class, thus, requiring extensive chemometric effort. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibly of an untargeted metabolomics method in phytochemistry by a study case of the Copaifera genus (Fabaceae). This genus contains significant medicinal species used worldwidely. Copaifera exploitation issues include a lack of chemical data, ambiguous species identification methods and absence of quality control for its bioproducts. Different organs of five Copaifera species were analysed by UHPLC-HRMS/MS, GNPS platform and chemometric tools. Untargeted metabolomics enabled the identification of 19 chemical markers and 29 metabolites, distinguishing each sample by species, plant organs, and biome type. Chemical markers were classified as flavonoids, terpenoids and condensed tannins. The applied method provided reliable information about species chemodiversity using fast workflow with little sampling size. The untargeted approach by UHPLC-HRMS/MS proved to be a promising tool for species identification, pharmacological prospecting and in the future for the quality control of extracts used in the manufacture of bioproducts.

Chemosystematic evaluation of Amazonian freshwater sponges

Freshwater sponges can be considered a promising new source of bioactive compounds for the pharmaceutical industry; however, the research on their chemical composition is still in the incipient stage. We evaluated the most endemic Amazonian freshwater sponge species from the Drulia and Metania genera by untargeted metabolomic approaches, based on UHPCL-HRMS, in order to identify chemical markers and explore the diversity of specialized metabolites. The use of untargeted approaches allowed us to observe subsets of metabolites that enabled the characterization of, not only each genus, but also, of each species. Freshwater sponge species presented themselves as rich sources of fatty acids and sterols, which were putatively identified. These metabolites were suggested as chemical markers for further targeted metabolomic studies.

Phytochemistry by design: a case study of the chemical composition of Ocotea guianensis optimized extracts focused on untargeted metabolomics analysis

Untargeted metabolomics aim to provide a global chemical fingerprint of biological matrices. This research field can be used in phytochemical screenings for bioactive species or in the identification of species. Despite its importance in providing a global chemical profile, little research has focused on the optimization of the extraction methods, as each type of matrix requires a specific procedure. Therefore, we propose to evaluate the effect of different extraction features in an ultrasound-assisted extraction for the untargeted metabolomic study of an Ocotea species, a genus of great economical interest but little chemical exploitation. Method optimization was performed in a full factorial 2232 design, evaluating the solvent composition, extraction temperature, sample particle size and sample : solvent ratio effects in the metabolomic response. The effect of these parameters on the quality of the untargeted metabolomic profiles was studied by analysis of the extraction yield as well as the chromatographic and spectrometric profiles. Most substances identified were glycosylated flavonoids and aporphinic alkaloids. The application of 70% ethanol enhanced the extraction of several specialized metabolites. Statistical analysis of extraction yield and chemical profiles indicates that high temperatures and low proportion between sample and extracting solvent reduce the quality and modify the chemical profile, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The use of 70% ethanol as the extracting solvent, 1 : 12 sample : solvent ratio, 40 °C as the extraction temperature and particle size of 0.595 mm were the optimized conditions to produce a comprehensive chemical profile for Ocotea guianensis.

Doping control analysis at the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games

This paper summarises the results obtained from the doping control analyses performed during the Summer XXXI Olympic Games (August 3-21, 2016) and the XV Paralympic Games (September 7-18, 2016). The analyses of all doping control samples were performed at the Brazilian Doping Control Laboratory (LBCD), a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A new facility at Rio de Janeiro Federal University (UFRJ) was built and fully operated by over 700 professionals, including Brazilian and international scientists, administrative staff, and volunteers. For the Olympic Games, 4913 samples were analysed. In 29 specimens, the presence of a prohibited substance was confirmed, resulting in adverse analytical findings (AAFs). For the Paralympic Games, 1687 samples were analysed, 12 of which were reported as AAFs. For both events, 82.8% of the samples were urine, and 17.2% were blood samples. In total, more than 31 000 analytical procedures were conducted. New WADA technical documents were fully implemented; consequently, state-of-the-art analytical toxicology instrumentation and strategies were applied during the Games, including different types of mass spectrometry (MS) analysers, peptide, and protein detection strategies, endogenous steroid profile measurements, and blood analysis. This enormous investment yielded one of the largest Olympic legacies in Brazil and South America. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.