Evaluation of Sustainable Recycled Products to Increase the Production of Nutraceutical and Antibacterial Molecules in Basil Plants by a Combined Metabolomic Approach

Background: An important goal of modern medicine is the development of products deriving from natural sources to improve environmental sustainability. In this study, humic substances (HS) and compost teas (CTs) extracted from artichoke (ART) and coffee grounds (COF) as recycled biomasses were employed on Ocimum basilicum plants to optimize the yield of specific metabolites with nutraceutical and antibacterial features by applying sustainable strategies. Methods: The molecular characteristics of compost derivates were elucidated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy to investigate the structure-activity relationship between organic extracts and their bioactive potential. Additionally, combined untargeted and targeted metabolomics workflows were applied to plants treated with different concentrations of compost extracts. Results: The substances HS-ART and CT-COF improved both antioxidant activity (TEAC values between 39 and 55 μmol g-1) and the antimicrobial efficacy (MIC value between 3.7 and 1.3 μg mL-1) of basil metabolites. The metabolomic approach identified about 149 metabolites related to the applied treatments. Targeted metabolite quantification further highlighted the eliciting effect of HS-ART and CT-COF on the synthesis of aromatic amino acids and phenolic compounds for nutraceutical application. Conclusions: The combination of molecular characterization, biological assays, and an advanced metabolomic approach, provided innovative insight into the valorization of recycled biomass to increase the availability of natural compounds employed in the medical field.