Analysis of influences of spaceflight on chemical constituents in licorice by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS

Focusing on the variations of chemical constituents in licorice root, influences of exposure to physical factors of spaceflight on licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) seeds were investigated. Licorice seeds obtained from two different producing areas were flown on a recoverable satellite for 18 days. After returning to earth, the seeds carried by the satellite and the parallel ground control were cultivated to maturity under the same condition. Chromatographic fingerprint of 1 year licorice root analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection not only displayed the contents of glycyrrhizic acid and liquiritin increasing in the spaceflight samples but showed the variation of the kinds of chemical constituents. The main components in the root extract were identified by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization multi-tandem mass spectrometry. The changes in the kind of secondary metabolites of licorice root after spaceflight were firstly reported. A total of 26 components which included 9 flavonoids, 16 triterpene saponins and 1 coumarin were identified according to their mass spectra determined in both negative and positive ion modes. The research provided the scientific data for spaceflight breeding of medicinal plant and indicated that the technology of spaceflight may be a new effective method for the breeding and cultivation of licorice.