The Antifungal Potential of Carvacrol against Penicillium Digitatum through 1H-NMR Based Metabolomics Approach

Carvacrol (5-Isopropyl-2-methylphenol), a volatile oil constituent, mainly exists in Labiaceae family plants. Carvacrol has long been studied for its natural antifungal potential and food preservative potential. However, its exact mode of action, especially againstPenicillium digitatum(P. digitatum), remains unexplored. Herein, a1H-NMR-based metabolomic technique was used to investigate the antifungal mechanism of carvacrol againstP. digitatum. The metabolomic profiling data showed that alanine, aspartate, glutamate, and glutathione metabolism were imbalanced in the fungal hyphae. A strong positive correlation was seen between aspartate, glutamate, alanine, and glutamine, with a negative correlation among glutathione and lactate. These metabolic changes revealed that carvacrol-induced oxidative stress had disturbed the energy production and amino acid metabolism ofP. digitatum. The current study will improve the understanding of the metabolic changes posed by plant-based fungicides in order to control citrus fruit green mold caused byP. digitatum. Moreover, the study will provide a certain experimental and theoretical basis for the development of novel citrus fruit preservatives.