Multivariate comparative assessment of extracts from seven Sambucus species reveals phytochemical diversity and biological potential

Sambucus nigra is pharmaceutically important taxon, while the potential of other Sambucus species remains insufficiently explored. This study provides a comparative assessment of flower and leaf extracts from seven species (S. nigra, S. canadensis, S. caerulea, S. racemosa, S. williamsii, S. sibirica and S. kamtschatica) to identify alternative sources of valuable raw materials. UHPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS profiling identified 38 constituents, primarily caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and flavonol glycosides. Quantitative analysis revealed substantial interspecific variation, with quantified phenolic content accounting for 106-651 mg/g of dry extracts. Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis identified species-specific phenolic patterns, separating rutin-dominant species from those enriched in flavonol glucosides. The extracts displayed strong antioxidant activity against physiologically important reactive oxygen species (ROS), showing OH˙ and HClO-scavenging capacity comparable to ascorbic acid. In ex-vivo-stimulated human neutrophils, all extracts significantly inhibited ROS release and elastase-2 secretion in a dose-dependent manner. Z-score normalization and Area Under the Curve metrics were employed to obtain an integrated bioactivity evaluation. Overall, the results demonstrated considerable phytochemical diversity within the genus and identified S. williamsii and S. sibirica as particularly promising for broader applications, representing viable alternatives to S. nigra as a source of phenolic-rich extracts with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential.