Metabolomic Profiling of <i>Guadua</i> Species and Its Correlation with Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities

Bamboo plants are widely used in Asian traditional medicine for various health issues and exhibit therapeutic potential. <i>Guadua</i> species are renowned bamboos for their high phenolic compound content, including flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, and possess noteworthy biological properties. Despite this, there is a notable scarcity of research on the chemical and biological aspects of Latin American bamboo leaf extracts (BLEs), especially concerning the <i>Guadua</i> genus. This study aimed to employ a metabolomics approach to integrate the phytochemical and activity profiles of BLEs to identify potential bioactive markers. We determined the metabolic fingerprints of 30 BLEs through HPTLC, HPLC-DAD, UHPLC-QTOF-MS, and ¹H-NMR analyses and screened for antioxidant and cytotoxic activities using ABTS, DPPH, and MTT methods. Ultimately, correlation analyses were performed by using chemometric methods and molecular networking. Our findings present a comprehensive chemical characterization, encompassing 40 flavonoids and 9 cinnamic acid derivatives. Notably, most of these compounds have been reported for the first time within the genus, signifying novel discoveries. Additionally, certain compounds identified in other species of the subfamily Bambusoideae provide valuable comparative insights. These compounds demonstrated a significant correlation with antioxidant potential, with values exceeding 100 and 30 μmol of TE/g of extract for ABTS and DPPH, respectively, in the samples. Extracts from <i>G. incana</i> and <i>G. angustifolia</i> exhibited potent cytotoxic effects with IC₅₀ values of 1.23 and 4.73 μg/mL against HCT-116 colon cancer cells, respectively. Notably, glycosylated flavones showed a strong correlation with cytotoxicity. These new findings significantly contribute to our understanding of the chemical composition and biological properties of these often overlooked bamboo species, providing them with important added value and alternative use.