What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to analyze the chemical constituents and bioactive properties of essential oils from different parts of Elatostema stewardii.

February 22, 2026Open Access

Variations in chemical constituents and bioactivities of essential oils within Elatostema stewardii Merr. revealed by GC-MS-based metabolomics

Key Points

This study aims to analyze the chemical constituents and bioactive properties of essential oils from different parts of Elatostema stewardii.
Essential oils were extracted from leaves, stems, and roots of Elatostema stewardii.
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for metabolomic analysis.
Multivariate analyses (PCA and PLS-DA) identified significant variations in chemical compounds.
Bioactivity assays were conducted to assess cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory effects, and antioxidant capacity.
Ninety-six essential oil constituents were identified, with significant variations among plant parts.
The leaf-derived essential oil exhibited the strongest cytotoxicity with an IC50 of 36.58-69.23 μg/mL.
Anti-inflammatory effects of the leaf oil showed an IC50 of 47.03 μg/mL for NO inhibition.
Antioxidant capacity was highest in leaf oils with IC50 values of 0.08 and 0.33 mg/mL for different assays.

Abstract

Elatostema stewardii Merr., an endemic species in China, is valued for its medicinal and food uses, yet its chemical compositions and biological activities remain unexplored. This study aims to analyze the essential oils (EOs) obtained from different plant parts (leaves, stems, and roots) of E. stewardii by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based metabolomics. Collectively, 96 EO constituents were identified, primarily consisting of fatty acids (trace-61.56%), diterpenes (3.47-32.39%), alkanes (7.79-16.32%), and ketones (1.46-12.00%). Major constituents included n -hexadecanoic acid (trace-60.58%), 2-methyloctadecane (4.63-12.31%), phytol (0.19-12.00%), and 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (1.39-9.92%). Multivariate analyses principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant component analysis (PLS-DA) revealed significant EO chemical variations in plant parts, identifying 15 key differential constituents such as n -hexadecanoic acid, 3,5,11,15-tetramethyl-1-hexadecen-3-ol, and linoleic acid. Bioactivity assays demonstrated significant differences among the EOs, with the leaf-derived EO exhibiting the strongest cytotoxicity (IC 50 : 36.58-69.23 μg mL -1 ), anti-inflammatory effects (IC 50 : 47.03 μg mL -1 for NO inhibition), and antioxidant capacity (IC 50 : 0.08, 0.33 mg mL -1 for ABTS, DPPH scavenging, respectively; FRAP: 2.95 mmol Fe 2+ /mL). Correlation analysis showed that compounds like β -ionone-5,6-epoxide and neophytadiene were positively associated with these bioactivities. These findings highlight substantial chemical and bioactivity differences among E. stewardii EOs, identifying the leaf EO as a promising pharmaceutical candidate and demonstrating the effectiveness of GC-MS-based metabolomics in investigating Elatostema EOs.

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