Abstract
Phenolic compounds are the predominant chemical constituents in the secondary metabolites of plants and are commonly found in pears. In this study, we focused on the analysis of the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of leaves from five pear cultivars (Cuiguan, Chaohong, Kuerle, Nanguoli, and Yali) and tea leaves (Fudingdabai as the control) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The results indicated significant differences in the amount and composition of phenolic metabolites between tea and pear leaves, as well as among the five pear varieties. Only approximately one-third of the metabolites exhibited higher levels in pear leaves compared to that in tea leaves. The total phenol content in the Yali cultivar was higher than that in the other pear cultivars. Furthermore, specific phenolic metabolites with high expression were identified in the leaves of different groups. The levels of delphinidin 3-glucoside, aesculin, prunin, cosmosiin, quercetin 3-galactoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, nicotiflorin, narcissin, chlorogenic acid, and cryptochlorogenic acid were relatively high among the five pear cultivars. (-)-Gallocatechin gallate, 6-methylcoumarin, aesculetin, hesperidin, kaempferol, and caftaric acid were identified as specific metabolic substances unique to each type of pear leaf. Most of the differential metabolites showed positive correlations and were primarily enriched in the flavonoid biosynthesis, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical) analysis indicated that the Yali cultivar exhibited the highest antioxidant activity compared to other varieties. This systematic analysis of the differences in phenolic metabolite composition and antioxidant activity between pear and tea leaves provides a theoretical foundation for the development and utilization of pear leaf resources.