UPLC–Q–TOF–MS/MS Analysis of Phenolic Compounds from the Fruit of Cephalostachyum fuchsianum Gamble and Their Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Activities

Abstract

Bamboo is a widely distributed graminaceous plant in China and is a potential source of bioactive substances. Incidentally, bamboo’s fruit is rich in phytochemicals such as polyphenols and flavonoids, which are significant to human health. In this study, we identified the phenolic compounds of the fruit and investigated the antioxidant activities of Cephalostachyum fuchsianum Gamble (CFG) fruit polyphenols with in vitro and in vivo tests for the first time. UPLC–Q–TOF–MS/MS analysis results showed that the fruit contained 43 phenolic compounds, including 7 hydroxybenzoic acids, 12 flavonoids, 7 coumarins, 10 hydroxycinnamic acids, 1 terpenoid, and 5 lignans. The TPC of SP extracts was higher than that of IBPs extracts in FP and FF. The SP extracts in FP showed better antioxidant activities in vitro compared to those in FF. In addition, polyphenols from CFG fruits protected against H2O2-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells, and the protective effect of polyphenols in FP was superior to that in FF. The analysis results showed that CFG fruit has great potential in exploiting natural chemical substances, which can provide valuable pieces of information for the further development and utilization of CFG.