Nutraceutical Potential, Biological Activities, and LC-HRMS - Based Phytochemical Profiling of an Underutilized Wild Edible Fruit, Artocarpus lakoocha

Wild edible fruits are not considered popular food despite their high nutraceutical potential. Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb., belonging to the family Moraceae, is commonly used as a fodder plant in Nepal, and its fruit is consumed locally. The present research investigates the nutraceutical potential of A. lakoocha ripe fruit. Moisture content, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), vitamin C content, mineral contents (iron, manganese, sodium, and potassium), total sugar content, antioxidant potential, and antidiabetic potential were investigated, and metabolomic analysis was performed using the LC-HRMS technique. The result showed that A. lakoocha fruit showed strong nutraceutical potential in terms of high TPC (22.45±1.93 mg GAE/g dry weight), TFC (16.11±1.03 mg QE/g dry weight), mineral content (Iron 379.45 ppm, Manganese 84.52 ppm, Sodium 574.03 ppm, Potassium 5.56%), vitamin C content (30.15 ± 2.28 mg/g of dry sample), antioxidant (IC50 31.3 ± 1.28 µg/mL), and α-glucosidase inhibition potential (IC50 2.62 ± 0.28 µg/mL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing the antidiabetic potential of A. lakoocha fruit extract. In addition, it also showed an accumulation of several natural bioactive phytochemicals within the fruit, which support the observed biological activities and nutraceutical potential. Such nutraceutical and phytochemical-rich A. lakoocha fruit can be developed into future food supplements to support human health and the national economy by conducting further comprehensive research in the future in the field of production, value addition, and commercialization.