Abstract
The comprehensive utilization and valorization of tomato pomace could benefit tomato processing industry and decrease the environmental burden. In the study, Ultrasonic-assisted extraction and AB-8 macroporous resin were applied to extract and purify the total flavonoids from tomato pomace (TPTF) and the extract conditions were optimized by response surface methodology. UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS were used to identify and quantify 15 different flavonoids in TPTF. The cell proliferation effects and anti-inflammatory activities of TPTF were investigated, and the results showed that TPTF could prompt the proliferation of Human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs) and showed significant anti-inflammatory activity by decreasing the release of LPS-induced inflammatory indicators, such as IL-6, TNF-α and IL-12. The virtual screening indicated that rutin, quercetin 3-β-D-glucoside and kaempferol-3-O-glucoside were the most potential ingredients, and P450 and COX-2 were the potential targets. The study established the optimum purifying conditions of TPTF, and revealed its effects on cell proliferation and anti-inflammation, which provided the guidance for the further application as additive ingredients in nutraceutical and cosmetic industries. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-025-06240-z.