Development of an underutilized part of Syzygium aromaticum based on phytochemical and bioactivity assessment

Syzygium aromaticum is an aromatic plant that has been widely introduced to tropical regions worldwide. S. aromaticum bud (SAB), as a valuable spice, has been used for centuries, owing to its exceptional health benefits and economic value. The fruit of S. aromaticum (SAF) is not a commonly used component and its phytochemical properties and bioactivities have seldom been analyzed. Herein, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry combined with feature-based molecular networking analysis was applied to characterize the phytochemical constituents of these two parts individually. The bioactivities of SAB and SAF were innovatively evaluated, including their hypolipidemic activity on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, anti-inflammatory activity on RAW264.7 cells, and anti-proliferative activity on vascular smooth muscle cells. Initially, 75 components from SAB and SAF extracts were identified. Subsequently, activity experiments indicated that both SAB and SAF extracts showed significant activities in these cell types. Intriguingly, they showed similar hypolipidemic effects but different anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects. Then, 14 differential markers were screened for further quantitative analysis to explore the material basis for the difference in bioactivity between SAB and SAF. Finally, using correlation analysis, 10 compounds were identified as biomarkers that contributed to the difference in activity between SAB and SAF. These results suggest that SAF is rich in natural metabolites, showing potential as a natural plant component with hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative effects. This study could contribute to the targeted selection of different parts of S. aromaticum and serve as a foundation for the development and utilization of SAF.