Influence of environmental conditions and seasonality on the metabolome and lipidome of Psychotria viridis leaves

TL;DR

This study explores how environmental conditions and seasons affect the chemical makeup of Psychotria viridis leaves, a plant used in ayahuasca preparation.

Contribution

The study identifies how seasonality and cultivation environment influence the metabolome and lipidome of Psychotria viridis.

Findings

Seasonal changes significantly affect energy-related metabolic pathways in Psychotria viridis.

Flavonoid biosynthesis is influenced by whether the plant is grown in full sunlight or shade.

DMT concentrations remain stable regardless of environmental or seasonal changes.

Abstract

Psychotria viridis Ruiz & Pav. has gained significant attention due to its role in the preparation of ayahuasca. This study aimed to improve the understanding of the specialized metabolite profile in P. viridis leaves and to evaluate how growing conditions and seasonality impact this composition. The specimens were grown either in the open field or in the shaded environment of rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis L.) cultivation, forming a clonal population of the mother plant. Samples were collected in all four seasons of the year. After a three‐phase extraction of the samples, the aqueous and organic phases were analyzed using an ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization and Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐ESI‐Orbitrap‐MS) system. The acquired data were processed using MS‐DIAL 4.9 and MetaboAnalyst 5.0 for multivariate statistics and pathway activity analysis. Chemical variations were investigated employing principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA). The most important identified compounds for differentiation according to seasonality were flavonoids. The pathways presenting significant variation in response to seasonality were related to energy generation through biosynthesis and consumption of carbohydrates: ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and citrate cycle. Meanwhile, the biosynthesis of flavonoids, flavones, and flavonols was associated with the influence of the cultivation location in full sunlight or shade in an intercrop, indicating a plant response to oxidative stress. In our comprehensive analysis, DMT concentrations did not exhibit any significant statistical variation across the studied conditions.

The metabolic pathways presenting significant variation in response to seasonality were associated with energy production through the biosynthesis and consumption of carbohydrates. In contrast, the biosynthesis of flavonoids, flavones, and flavonols was linked to the cultivation location, whether in full sunlight or shaded intercrop, indicating a plant response to oxidative stress.

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