Aroma Analysis, Health Benefit Evaluation and Olfactory Perception Mechanisms of Chinese Narcissus by GC ‐O‐ MS , EEG and Molecular Simulation

Vollständiger Abstract

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ABSTRACT Narcissus attracted significant attention due to its distinctive aroma and medicinal potential. Understanding aroma composition, health efficacy and perception mechanism was crucial for enhancing its ornamental and medicinal value. In this work, the volatile compounds in three narcissus species and their spatial distribution were systematically analysed by using gas chromatography‐olfactometry‐mass spectrometry (GC‐O‐MS). A total of 58 volatile compounds were identified, with significant variations in composition and content among the three varieties. The overall aroma of the Chongming double‐petal (CM Double) and Zhangzhou double‐petal (ZZ Double) was stronger than that of the Zhangzhou single‐petal (ZZ Single). CM Double had the highest total volatiles (58.086 μg/g), with β‐myrcene, acetophenone and terpinolene unique to this variety. ZZ Double (25.31 μg/g) featured higher aliphatic compounds like undecane, while ZZ Single (15.406 μg/g) uniquely contained benzyl alcohol, caffeine and trans‐β‐ionone. Through a combination of aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), odour activity value (OAV) and aroma recombination and omission experiments, eight key aromatic compounds (KACs) such as linalool, benzyl acetate and indole were identified. Electroencephalography analysis revealed that smelling ZZ Single and CM Double narcissus promoted relaxation, while the ZZ Double induced tension. Molecular docking revealed that long‐chain KACs tend to form torsional bonds, reducing their affinity with olfactory receptors (ORs). OR1G1 showed broad affinity for KACs, with SER‐18 residue as the critical recognition site. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the binding stability between KACs and ORs. This work established a research framework of ‘aroma composition‐efficacy evaluation‐perception mechanism’, providing technical support for the functional development of flowers.