Top-down Targeted Metabolomics Reveals a Sulfur-Containing Metabolite with Inhibitory Activity against Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme in <i>Asparagus officinalis</i>

Abstract

The discovery of bioactive natural compounds containing sulfur, which is crucial for inhibitory activity against angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), is a challenging task in metabolomics. Herein, a new S-containing metabolite, asparaptine (<b>1</b>), was discovered in the spears of <i>Asparagus officinalis</i> by targeted metabolomics using mass spectrometry for S-containing metabolites. The contribution ratio (2.2%) to the IC₅₀ value in the crude extract showed that asparaptine (<b>1</b>) is a new ACE inhibitor