# Insights into Variations in Chemical Profiles and Antioxidant Properties Among Different Parts of Dalbergia odorifera

## TL;DR

This study compares the chemical and antioxidant properties of different parts of Dalbergia odorifera, showing that leaves and flowers also have significant potential for medicinal use.

## Contribution

The study provides the first systematic comparison of phytochemicals and antioxidant activity across multiple parts of D. odorifera.

## Key findings

- DOH had significantly higher levels of trans-nerolidol and flavonoids compared to other parts.
- Methanolic extracts of DOH showed the highest antioxidant activity, followed by DOL and DOF.
- Flavonoids are likely responsible for the strong antioxidant activity observed in the extracts.

## Abstract

Dalbergia odorifera, a rare and precious medicinal plant, has been used to treat cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases in China for thousands of years. D. odorifera heartwood (DOH) is usually considered to be the main part used for medicine, and other parts (leaf, DOL; flower, DOF; pod, DOP) of D. odorifera are neglected. In this paper, a systematic comparative study was conducted on phytochemicals and antioxidant properties of four parts of D. odorifera. A total of 72 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and 820 nonvolatile organic compounds (NVOCs) were identified in four D. odorifera parts by GC-MS and UPLC-ESI-Q/TRAP-MS/MS, respectively. Differences in phytochemical profiles among the different parts were observed. DOH exhibited a significantly different level of trans-nerolidol and flavonoids compared to the other parts. Taking into account all the parameters measured, methanolic extracts of DOH, DOL, and DOF had good antioxidant activity, with the highest value in DOH, followed by DOL and DOF. Moreover, the strong antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract may be related to the flavonoid components. The results indicated that DOL and DOF also have potential for further development and utilization.