Untargeted Lipidomic Profiling Reveals Distinctive Lipid Features in Three Cultivated Fritillaria Species

Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus (Chuanbeimu) is a high-value traditional Chinese medicine with significant botanical diversity. While extensive research has focused on its alkaloid components, the global lipidome, which is vital for plant stress adaptation and signaling, remains largely unexplored. This study employed untargeted lipidomics via UPLC-Q-TOF-MS to characterize the lipid profiles of three dominant cultivated materials: Fritillaria unibracteata, F. cirrhosa, and F. unibracteata var. wabuensis. A conserved qualitative lipidome encompassing 311 lipid species was identified across all samples. Interestingly, Fritillaria bulbs exhibited a uniquely “precursor-rich” profile dominated by free fatty acids (37.23–47.12%) and phosphatidic acids (6.19–11.33%), highlighting extensive lipid turnover potentially influenced by both alpine environmental adaptation and post-harvest processing. Chemometric analyses revealed that despite qualitative similarities, the three cultivated groups possessed highly distinct quantitative lipid phenotypes. A panel of 97 differentially accumulated lipids was identified, among which specific triacylglycerols (TAGs) and fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids (FAHFAs) exhibited the most pronounced stepwise variations. Pathway analysis highlighted significant variations in glycerolipid and glycerophospholipid metabolism among the specific sample groups. By acknowledging the confounding effects of specific agricultural microclimates and post-harvest factors, this exploratory study provides the first comprehensive phytochemical baseline for the Fritillaria lipidome, offering novel insights into their biochemical diversity and providing structural candidates for future targeted research into their adaptive lipid remodeling and pharmacological potential.