INFORM May 2026

LIPID ANALYSIS INFORM 21

Beyond assessing composition and nutritional quality, our team has made breakthroughs identifying and structurally characterizing novel fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids (FAHFAs) and their short-chain analogues (SFAHFAs). These FAHFAs show potential anti inflammatory and anti diabetic effects. This article highlights key research featuring such discoveries. HERBAL TEAS: NATURE’S LIPID TREASURE TROVE In Japan herbal teas have deep cultural significance. Long prized in Japan for medicinal virtues, ancient texts mention their harvesting and health rituals. They are still consumed daily for long-term health and detoxification. Dokudami tea is used to cleanse the body and support immunity and skin health. Whereas yomogi has the reputation of being a magic cure.

Imagine sipping dokudami or yomogi tea not just for tradition, but for their unique lipid species—including groundbreaking SFAHFAs— that pack anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and gut-health punches at nutritionally relevant doses. These herbal teas dokudami ( Houttuynia cordata , fish mint), kumazasa ( Sasa veitchii ), sugina ( Equisetum arvense , common horsetail) and yomogi ( Artemisia princeps , Japanese mugwort) shatter the myth of being lipid-poor, as we revealed first with untargeted lipidomics using high-performance LC-LTQ Orbitrap MS analysis. Orbitrap mass spectrometers are fast while providing high resolution and mass accuracy. This is because their design enables them to act as both an analyzer and detector. Ions injected into the analyzer oscillate around a central electrode. Outer electrodes measure the ions’ oscillation

frequencies and image current detection provides the mass spectra using Fourier Transformation. An orbitrap system connected to liquid chromatography offers high throughput separation and detailed identification of complex lipid mixtures. When we used this analysis method to determine the composition of the herbal teas, we found they contain phenyl-terminated SFAHFAs with 4-hydroxyphenyl nonanoic acid (PNA) cores. To our knowledge, this is the first report of these compounds in plants, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of the teas’ health benefits. We identified the gut essential, short-chain fatty acids propanoic acid, butyric acid, and valeric acid. Finding this novel source of short chain fatty acids reveals an analytical challenge of under researched lipid profiles, while opening doors to their use in functional beverages.

Novel FAHFAs and SFAHFAs detected in Japanese herbal teas . Source: Gowda lab [M-H]-

Yomogi

4- PAHPNA

4- BAHPNA

Sugina

Dokudami

4- VAHPNA

FAHFA 13:0/17:4

Herbal tea

Kumazasa