UHPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS based metabolomics and biological activities of Camellia fascicularis from different geographical regions

Abstract

Camellia fascicularis is a specific botanical resource from Yunnan province, China. It is rich in several active ingredients and nutrients and has both ornamental and medicinal contexts. However, different geographical environments affect the accumulation of metabolites, leading to quality differences. In this study, the metabolites of C. fascicularis from three geographical regions, namely Maguan (MG), Hekou (HK), and Gejiu (GJ), were investigated using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS) and the antioxidant and antitumor capacities were thoroughly assessed. The metabolomics analysis showed that 232, 215, and 83 significantly differential metabolites (SDMs) of three comparative groups, MG vs. HK, GJ vs. MG, and GJ vs. HK, had been screened in POS, respectively, whereas 29, 22, and 11 had been screened in NEG, respectively, with flavonoids as the main active SDMs. In vitro antioxidant and antitumor activities for MG, HK, and GJ were different, and HK exhibited the strongest antitumor ability. The correlation analysis indicated that the differences in activities of C. fascicularis from different geographical regions associated with flavonoids, such as isoquercitrin, hesperetin 7-glucoside, cosmosiin, mulberrin, vicenin 2, and corymboside in SDMs. This research provides a basis for evaluating germplasm resources and exploring the potential for development derived from the medicinal plant C. fascicularis.