NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry in metabolomics analysis of Salvia

The interest in using the ‘-omics’ approach for nutrition, agriculture, food science and human health have seen an explosive growth in the last years. Particularly, metabolomics analysis is becoming an integral part of a system biological approach for investigating organisms. In this review, the limitations and advantages of NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry were discussed in details using the study reported in the literature on different Salvia species (S. hispanica, S. miltiorrhiza, S. officinalis, S. runcinata and S. stenophylla). Both approaches identify and quantify several classes of compounds but not the complete metabolite profile of the plant. A combined approach of these two powerful techniques provides better results allowing to determine both primary and secondary metabolites.