Unveiling the Nutraceutical and Nutricosmetic Potential of Syzygium nervosum Flower Buds: A Focus on Phytochemicals and In Vitro Bioactivities

The flower buds of <i>Syzygium nervosum</i> are traditional edible and medicinal plant materials for the treatment of inflammation and stomach disorders. With rising demand for natural products in food and cosmetics, the nutraceutical and nutricosmetic potential of the flower buds has been evaluated in this work. The antioxidant activity of ethanol and water extracts of <i>S. nervosum</i> flower buds were detected through free radical scavenging (DPPH, ·OH, and ABTS) assays, and their inhibitory effects on tyrosinase and elastase enzymes were also evaluated. The ethanol extract (SNEE) exhibited stronger antioxidant activity and superior inhibitory effects on both enzymes compared with the water extract (SNWE), highlighting its potential for anti-aging and skin-whitening applications. Meanwhile, the LC-QTOF-MS was employed for the identification of key chemical molecules responsible for the nutricosmetic properties. Moreover, the enzyme inhibitory mechanisms of the flower bud extracts were further elucidated using inhibition kinetics and molecular docking methods. This research underscores the promising nutraceutical and nutricosmetic potential of <i>S. nervosum</i> flower buds so as to offer important information for further developing the edible flower resource as skin feeding bioactive ingredients.