Integrated multi-omics analysis reveals tissue-specific flavonoid profiles and bioactivities in Ormosia henryi Prain for industrial applications

Ormosia henryi Prain, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, is known for its diverse flavonoid compounds. These bioactive flavonoids have demonstrated significant antioxidant, antimicrobial, and enzyme inhibitory activities. However, the industrial potential of these compounds, including their tissue-specific distribution and application as bio-based products, remains underexplored. Flavonoid extracts from six different tissues of O. henryi were assessed for antioxidant activity (using FRAP, DPPH and ABTS assays), enzyme inhibitory effects (against α-amylase and α-glucosidase), and antibacterial properties. Tissue-specific bioactivity profiles were integrated using TOPSIS multi-criteria analysis. Untargeted metabolomics based on UHPLC-MS/MS was employed to identify key flavonoid metabolites. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were applied to elucidate therapeutic mechanisms and compound-target interactions. Quantitative analysis confirmed the tissue-specific accumulation of major flavonoids. Significant tissue-level heterogeneity was observed in flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, enzyme inhibitory activity, and antibacterial effects. Notably, Old leaves exhibited the highest composite bioactivity (score:0.74). Untargeted metabolomics identified 222 flavonoids exhibiting distinct tissue-specific accumulation patterns. Network pharmacology associated 16 bioactive flavonoids with 308 therapeutic targets, intersecting with 234 disease-associated targets and 39 core targets. Enrichment analysis identified 153 pathways associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, bactericidal, and hypoglycemic functions. Five hub flavonoids (oroxylin A, 6-hydroxyluteolin, morin, diosmetin, quercetin) and key targets including estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and caspase 3 (CASP3) were identified, exhibiting strong binding affinities in molecular docking. This study presents an integrated multi-omics approach to characterize the flavonoid profiles of O. henryi and demonstrate their potential as bio-based products. The findings support the potential use of O. henryi flavonoids as natural antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, and functional additives in food, health products, and bio-based industries, offering a foundation for sustainable applications in these sectors. • An integrated multi-omics strategy was applied to characterize Ormosia henryi Prain flavonoids. • Old leaves exhibited the highest composite bioactivity score among six tissues. • Untargeted metabolomics identified 222 flavonoids with distinct accumulation patterns. • Network pharmacology and docking revealed 5 hub flavonoids and 5 core therapeutic targets. • O. henryi flavonoids show high potential as natural additives for food and bio-based industries.