Wheatgrass flavonoids outshine vitamin C: new study reveals antioxidant power and lifespan extension

Researchers screened 228 modern Chinese wheat cultivars and found that wheatgrass flavonoids not only detoxify harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) but can also extend the lifespan of fruit flies in a dose-dependent, gender-specific manner.

Flavonoids are natural antioxidants with a wide range of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and neuroprotective effects. While these compounds are abundant in many fruits and vegetables, wheatgrass—rich in flavonoids, chlorophyll, and vitamins—has drawn attention for its therapeutic potential. Prior studies showed wheatgrass juice improved immune function and reduced inflammation in cancer patients, and enhanced cognitive function in amnesic mice. However, comprehensive data on flavonoid diversity across wheat cultivars have been limited. Due to these gaps, it is necessary to evaluate flavonoid content and bioactivity in wheatgrass to guide breeding strategies and functional food development.

A study (DOI: 10.48130/seedbio-0024-0010) published in Seed Biology on 23 July 2024 by Jin-Ying Gou’s team, China Agricultural University, offers a practical approach to boosting the flavonoid content in wheat through cultivar selection and jasmonic acid (JA) treatment, potentially enhancing wheatgrass's value as a dietary supplement.

To evaluate the antioxidant potential and flavonoid composition of wheatgrass, researchers employed a multifaceted approach involving chemical assays, cultivar screening, metabolite profiling, bioactivity testing in fruit flies, and transcriptomic analysis under elicitor treatment. First, the antioxidant capacities of four major wheatgrass flavonoids were compared to vitamin C using ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays. Results revealed that isoorientin and luteolin had superior antioxidant activity to vitamin C, while wheatgrass overall contained nearly 20 times more flavonoids than mature wheat grains. UPLC-DAD-MS/MS identified ten major flavonoid glycosides, with modifications largely based on luteolin, apigenin, and chrysoeriol aglycones. From a panel of 228 modern Chinese wheat cultivars, 62 were selected for detailed profiling, and strong correlations were found between total flavonoid content and antioxidant potential. Principal component and clustering analyses distinguished high-flavonoid (LIF) and low-flavonoid (LRF) groups, revealing that LIF cultivars—particularly Xiaoyan 269, Suixuan 101, and Zhoumai 30—possessed higher levels of luteolin and chrysoeriol derivatives and demonstrated significantly enhanced antioxidant activity. To assess bioactivity, flavonoid extracts from wheatgrass (FEW) were fed to Drosophila melanogaster, resulting in dose-dependent and male-specific lifespan extension at 1 mM concentration. Transcriptomic analysis of JA-treated seedlings revealed significant upregulation of key genes in the phenylpropanoid-flavonoid pathway (PAL, C4H, 4CL, CHS), validated by qRT-PCR, and JA treatment boosted both flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity by ~30%. This integrated research highlights wheatgrass as a rich and underutilized source of health-promoting flavonoids and suggests practical strategies—such as cultivar selection and JA elicitation—to enhance its nutritional value.

This study paves the way for enhancing the nutritional value of wheatgrass-based products. With demonstrated lifespan-extending effects and superior antioxidant activity, FEW holds promise for use in functional foods targeting aging and oxidative stress-related diseases. However, gender-specific effects observed in fruit flies suggest the need for further dose optimization. Future research will focus on identifying specific flavonoid compounds responsible for health benefits in both sexes and exploring their effects in mammalian models. Additionally, intercrossing high-flavonoid cultivars may yield specialized germplasms tailored to different consumer needs, enabling the safe incorporation of flavonoid-rich wheatgrass into mainstream diets without affecting crop yield.

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References

DOI

10.48130/seedbio-0024-0010

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.48130/seedbio-0024-0010

Funding information

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32372557), the Development of Mongolia through Science and Technology (NMKJXM202201), and Pinduoduo - China Agricultural University Research Fund (PC2023B02013).

About Seed Biology

Seed Biology (e-ISSN 2834-5495) is published by Maximum Academic Press in partnership with Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory. Seed Biology is an open access, online-only journal focusing on research related to all aspects of the biology of seeds, including but not limited to: evolution of seeds; developmental processes including sporogenesis and gametogenesis, pollination and fertilization; apomixis and artificial seed technologies; regulation and manipulation of seed yield; nutrition and health-related quality of the endosperm, cotyledons, and the seed coat; seed dormancy and germination; seed interactions with the biotic and abiotic environment; and roles of seeds in fruit development. Seed biology publishes a wide range of research approaches, such as omics, genetics, biotechnology, genome editing, cellular and molecular biology, physiology, and environmental biology. Seed Biology publishes high-quality original research, reviews, perspectives, and opinions in open access mode, promoting fast submission, review, and dissemination freely to the global research community.