Bio-guided fractionation and metabolomics reveal antiglioma potential of a Lepidium meyenii fraction enriched in macamides and polyunsaturated fatty acids

Lepidium meyenii (maca) is a nutraceutical plant widely recognized for its diverse bioactive compounds and associated biological activities. In this study, a bio-guided fractionation approach combined with UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS-based metabolomics and chemometric analysis was applied to identify bioactive fractions associated with antiglioma activity. Cytotoxicity against C6 glioma cells was used as the biological endpoint to guide fractionation. Among the obtained fractions, subfractions F6.5.7 and F6.5.9 exhibited the highest activity, reducing cell viability by 99% and 67%, respectively. Metabolomic profiling revealed that these active subfractions were enriched in macamides and mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Chemometric analysis indicated a strong association between antiglioma activity and specific metabolites, particularly 9-oxo-10E,12E-octadecadienoic acid, linolenic acid, and macamide B. These compounds are proposed as candidate contributors to the observed bioactivity. The results highlight the potential of targeted fractionation combined with metabolomics as a strategy to identify bioactive constituents from functional foods. This study provides a chemical basis for further investigations into maca-derived compounds with antiglioma potential.