Untargeted ¹H NMR Metabolomics of Elephantopus Scaber Reveals Correlation with Anti-Vibrio Activity

Elephantopus scaber (E. scaber) is a medicinal plant frequently used in traditional medicine for its health-promoting properties, as it contains numerous physiologically active compounds. However, scientific research on the metabolite profile of this plant remains limited. This study aims to establish chemical profiles of E. scaber leaf extracted by different polarity solvents (hexane, chloroform, acetone and 70% (v/v) ethanol) and to correlate the chemical markers to anti-Vibrio activities using the 1H NMR-metabolomics approach. A portion of the powdered E. scaber leaf sample was extracted using different solvent systems, namely hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and 70% (v/v) ethanol. Each extract was evaporated to dryness and subsequently lyophilized before being subjected to NMR analysis. For multivariate data analysis, all samples were prepared in six replicates. The application of principal component analysis effectively distinguished the extracts based on their metabolite profiles. Acetone and 70% (v/v) ethanol were determined to have good extraction efficiency. The findings from the partial least squares analysis revealed a significant correlation between the polar chemicals present in the acetone extract of E. scaber leaf and its anti-Vibrio activity. According to the loading plot, acetone extracts contain a more diversified spectrum as compared to the other extracts, with a total of 42 metabolites comprising carbohydrates, amino acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, organic and fatty acids. The identification of these metabolites in E. scaber leaf extracts indicate that they may play a significant role in the anti-Vibrio action.