Tapping into the realm of underutilised green leafy vegetables: Using LC-IT-Tof-MS based methods to explore phytochemical richness of Sonchus oleraceus (L.) L.

Sonchus oleraceus (L.) L. (sow thistle) is an underutilised functional leafy vegetable with both high nutritional and pharmacological values. In the current study, high performance liquid chromatography ion trap time-of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-IT-Tof-MS)-based metabolomics in combination with principal component analysis (PCA) were used to provide an overall phytochemical composition of different tissues (leaf, stem and roots) of this underutilised plant. A total of 32 phytochemicals, comprising hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids and terpene classes were identified across the three different tissues of S. oleraceus. The study used the new approach of colour coded PCA models to info-graphically depict the metabolic profiles across different parts of the plant. The results of the current study indicate S. oleraceus as a potential source of metabolites with highly claimed nutraceutical properties. As such, the results herein can be used as a template reference for further biological studies aimed at the evaluation of nutraceutical properties of the S. oleraceus plant.