Exploring the Bioactive Metabolites Behind the Medicinal Functions of <i>Garcinia oblongifolia</i> Champ. ex Benth. (Clusiaceae): A Metabolomics Perspective

Garcinia oblongifolia, used by the Li ethnic group native to southern China, is valued for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing properties, yet its bioactive metabolites remain poorly characterized. This study aimed to elucidate tissue-specific metabolic mechanisms underlying the pharmacological effects of G. oblongifolia through untargeted metabolite profiling combined with bioactivity correlation analysis. Untargeted UHPLC-QE-MS metabolomics mapped phytochemical variations across leaves, twigs, bark, and fruits, while antioxidant (ABTS/DPPH), antitumor (CCK-8, apoptosis staining), anti-inflammatory (LPS-triggered cytokine assay), and antibacterial assays evaluated functional activities. Metabolomic analysis identified 402 tissue-specific metabolites, with flavonoids and xanthones as major bioactive candidates. Functional assays revealed tissue-dependent efficacy: leaves exhibited superior ABTS radical scavenging, bark showed the strongest DPPH inhibition, and fruits demonstrated potent antitumor/anti-inflammatory effects. All tissues displayed antibacterial activity against Gram-positive pathogens. Correlation analysis highlighted kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, marucoflavone, and isovitexin as key contributors to antioxidant activity, while daidzin, kaempferol, and cirsimarin were primarily associated with antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. Integrated metabolomic-functional profiling demonstrates that tissue-specific bioactivity profiles of G. oblongifolia arise from differential accumulation of key flavonoid/xanthone metabolites. This metabolite-activity matrix provides a scientific basis for optimizing medicinal utilization, quality standardization, and drug discovery from this ethnopharmacological resource. This study characterized tissue-specific metabolites and bioactivities of Garcinia oblongifolia, an ethnomedicine. Untargeted metabolomics (UHPLC-QE-MS) identified 402 metabolites, predominantly flavonoids/xanthones. Bioassays showed leaves excelled in ABTS scavenging, bark in DPPH inhibition, fruits in antitumor/anti-inflammatory effects, and all tissues had antibacterial activity. Key correlated metabolites included kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (antioxidant), daidzin (antitumor), and kaempferol (anti-inflammatory/antibacterial). This metabolite-activity matrix guides optimized medicinal use and quality control.