Exploring the Cardiovascular Protective Mechanism of Oil-Tea Camellia Fruit Central Column Based on Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology

To investigate the metabolomic differences between the fruit central columns of Camellia gauchowensis and C. oleifera and to elucidate their cardiovascular protective mechanisms, the contents of functional bioactive constituents and in vitro antioxidant activities were determined, followed by non-targeted metabolomic analysis using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and network pharmacology combined with molecular docking was further employed to reveal the underlying mechanisms, using the fruit central columns of the two species as the research materials. The results showed that: (1) The total polyphenol content in the fruit central column of C. oleifera was 64.10±0.20 mg/g, significantly higher than that in the fruit central co-lumn of C. gauchowensis (58.69±0.14 mg/g), and its DPPH radical scavenging activity was also stronger, with an IC50 value of 25.76±0.04 μg/mL. In contrast, the total flavonoid content in the fruit central column of C. gauchowensis was higher, reaching 16.94±1.36 mg/g, higher than that in the fruit central column of C. oleifera (12.75±1.83 mg/g). (2) A total of 2 473 metabolites were identified from the fruit central columns, among which, apart from other categories, lipids and lipid-like molecules accounted for the highest proportion (17.5%), followed by phenylpropanoids and polyketides (14.1%). Among them, 272 significantly differential metabolites were identified, mainly enriched in pathways such as amino acid biosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis (P < 0.001). (3) Based on network pharmacology, 47 active components and 343 potential targets were screened from the fruit central column, and core targets such as SRC, PIK3R1, and EGFR were predicted to regulate pathways including fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis and the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway (P < 0.05). Baicalein, tangeretin, 6-Methoxy-2-2-(3-methoxyphenyl)ethylchromen-4-one, ricinoleic acid methyl ester, and tamarixetin were identified as core active components, and molecular docking verified their stable binding to the corresponding target proteins. The metabolic differences between the two fruit central columns and the material basis underlying their cardiovascular protection effects are clarified in this study, and an important scientific basis is provided for the high-value deve-lopment and utilization of oil-tea camellia fruit central columns.