Analysis of Phytochemical Composition ofCamellia oleiferaOil and Evaluation of its Anti‐Inflammatory Effect in Lipopolysaccharide‐StimulatedRAW264.7 Macrophages

A critical review of the bioactive ingredients and biological functions of camellia oleifera oil

Camellia oleifera oil is a pure and natural high-grade oil prevalent in South China. Camellia oleifera oil is known for its richness in unsaturated fatty acids and high nutritional value. There is increasing evidence indicating that a diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids is beneficial to health. Despite the widespread production of Camellia oleifera oil and its bioactive components, reports on its nutritional components are scarce, especially regarding systematic reviews of extraction methods and biological functions. This review systematically summarized the latest research on the bioactive components and biological functions of Camellia oleifera oil reported over the past decade. In addition to unsaturated fatty acids, Camellia oleifera oil contains six main functional components contributing to its antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anticancer, neuroprotective, and cardiovascular protective properties. These functional components are vitamin E, saponins, polyphenols, sterols, squalene, and flavonoids. This paper reviewed the biological activity of Camellia oleifera oil and its extraction methods, laying a foundation for further development of its bioactive components.

Camellia oil exhibits anti-fatigue property by modulating antioxidant capacity, muscle fiber, and gut microbial composition in mice

Camellia seed oil (CO) has high nutritional value and multiple bioactivities. However, the specific anti-fatigue characteristics and the implied mechanism of CO have not yet been fully elucidated. Throughout this investigation, male C57BL/6J mice, aged 8 weeks, underwent exhaustive exercise with or without CO pretreatment (2, 4, and 6 mL/kg BW) for 28 days. CO could extend the rota-rod and running time, reduce blood urea nitrogen levels and serum lactic acid, and increase muscle and hepatic glycogen, adenosine triphosphate, and anti-oxidative indicators. Additionally, CO could upregulate the mRNA and Nrf2 protein expression levels, as well as enhance the levels of its downstream antioxidant enzymes and induce the myofiber-type transformation from fast to slow and attenuate the gut mechanical barrier. Moreover, CO could ameliorate gut dysbiosis by reducing Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio at the phylum level, increasing the percentage of Alistipes, Alloprevotella, Lactobacillus, and Muribaculaceae, and decreasing the proportion of Dubosiella at the genus level. In addition, specific bacterial taxa, which were altered by CO, showed a significant correlation with partial fatigue-related parameters. These findings suggest that CO may alleviate fatigue by regulating antioxidant capacity, muscle fiber transformation, gut mechanical barrier, and gut microbial composition in mice. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Our study revealed that camellia seed oil (CO) could ameliorate exercise-induced fatigue in mice by modulating antioxidant capacity, muscle fiber, and gut microbial composition in mice. Our results promote the application of CO as an anti-fatigue functional food that targets oxidative stress, myofiber-type transformation, and microbial community.

Rapid Screening of Phenolic Compounds with Anti-Enteritis Activity from Camellia oleifera Oil Using a Smurf Drosophila Model and Molecular Docking Methods

Screening and identifying the active compounds in foods are important for the development and utilization of functional foods. In this study, the anti-enteritis activity of ethanol extract from Camellia oleifera oil (PECS) was quickly evaluated using a Smurf Drosophila model and the metabolomics approach, combined with molecular docking techniques, were performed to rapidly screen and identify compounds with potential anti-enteritis activity in PECS. PECS showed good anti-enteritis activity and inhibited the activity of 5-lipoxygenase (LOX), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In particular, wighteone and p-octopamine were newly identified in C. oleifera oil and were proven to have good anti-enteritis activity. The inhibitory activity of kaempferitrin (IC50 = 0.365 mmol L-1) was higher than that of wighteone (IC50 = 0.424 mmol L-1) and p-octopamine (IC50 = 0.402 mmol L-1). Of note, the IC50 value of salazosulfapyridine was 0.810 mmol L-1. Inhibition of LOX activity is likely one of the anti-enteritis mechanisms of PECS. These new findings lay the foundation for further investigations into the underlying mechanisms of anti-enteritis activity in C. oleifera oil.

UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, network analysis, and molecular docking to investigate the effect and active ingredients of tea-seed oil against bacterial pathogens

Object: This research intended to probe the antibacterial effect and pharmacodynamic substances of Tea-Seed Oil (TSO) through the use of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) analysis, network analysis, and molecular docking. Methods: The major chemical components in the methanol-extracted fractions of TSO were subjected to UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques were integrated to investigate the core components, targets, and potential mechanisms of action through which the TSO exert their antibacterial properties. To evaluate the inhibitory effects, the minimum inhibitory concentration and diameter of the bacteriostatic circle were calculated for the potential active ingredients and their equal ratios of combinatorial components (ERCC) against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. Moreover, the quantification of the active constituents within TSO was achieved through the utilization of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: The methanol-extracted fractions contained a total of 47 chemical components, predominantly consisting of unsaturated fatty acids and phenolic compounds. The network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking analysis revealed that various components, including gallocatechin, gallic acid, epigallocatechin, theophylline, chlorogenic acid, puerarin, and phlorizin, have the ability to interact with critical core targets such as serine/threonine protein kinase 1 (AKT1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a monoclonal antibody to mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 (MAPK14), HSP90AA1, and estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1). Furthermore, these components can modulate the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase protein kinase B (PI3K-AKT), estrogen, MAPK and interleukin 17 (IL-17) signaling pathways, hereby exerting antibacterial effects. In vitro validation trials have found that seven components, namely gallocatechin, gallic acid, epigallocatechin, theophylline, chlorogenic acid, puerarin, and phloretin, displayed substantial inhibitory effects on E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans, and are typically present in tea oil, with a total content ranging from 15.87∼24.91 μg·g-1. Conclusion: The outcomes of this investigation possess the possibility to expand our knowledge base concerning the utilization of TSO, furnish a theoretical framework for the exploration of antibacterial drugs and cosmetics derived from inherently occurring TSO, and establish a robust groundwork for the advancement and implementations of TOS products within clinical settings.

Anti-obesity effects of Camellia (Camellia oleifera Abel) oil treatment on high-fat diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6J mice

PURPOSE

In the current study, we investigated the effects of camellia oil and camellia oil infused with herbs (Camellia oleifera Abel) on obesity in obese mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD).

METHODS

The antioxidant activity of camellia oil in scavenging free radicals was investigated. Additionally, body and organ weight changes, serum and liver marker parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities, liver and epididymal fat histology, protein and gene expression associated with lipogenesis and hyperglycemia effect on adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation, were examined in HFD-induced obese mice.

RESULTS

The hepatic steatosis and epididymal fat were significantly reduced by the oral administration of camellia oil and herb-infused camellia oil. Moreover, hepatic and serum marker parameters such as total cholesterol, insulin, triglycerides, tumor necrosis factor-α, adiponectin, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine transaminase were beneficially impacted. Additionally, the activity of antioxidant enzymes also increased. Camellia oil and herb-infused camellia oil treatments reduced the expression of genes linked to hyperglycemia and lipogenesis via activation of AMPK phosphorylation.

CONCLUSION

For many people, exercise poses an obstacle in the daily routine due to lack of ease, difficulty in maintaining consistency, and hard work. Camellia oil combined with herbs has anti-obesity and antihyperglycemic effects. These findings indicate that treatment with herb-infused camellia oil is most beneficial for elderly individuals who do not prefer frequent exercise.

Undescribed sesquiterpene coumarins from the aerial parts of Ferula sinkiangensis and their anti-inflammatory activities in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages

Eight undescribed sesquiterpene coumarins (1-8) and twenty known ones (9-28), were isolated from the aerial parts of Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen. Their structures were elucidated based on the comprehensive analysis of UV, IR, HRESIMS, 1D, and 2D NMR data. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by single crystal X-Ray diffraction, while the absolute configurations of 2-8 were determined by comparisons of experimental and calculated electrostatic circular dichroism spectra. Compound 2 is the first hydroperoxy sesquiterpene coumarin from the genus Ferula, while compound 8 has an unusual 5',8'-peroxo bridge. Griess reaction results indicated compound 18 significantly decreased nitric oxide production of the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages with an IC₅₀ value of 2.3 μM, and ELISA results revealed that compound 18 effectively inhibited tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 expressions.

Camellia (Camellia oleifera bel.) seed oil reprograms gut microbiota and alleviates lipid accumulation in high fat-fed mice through the mTOR pathway

Camellia (Camellia oleifera bel.) seed oil (CO) is extensively used as an edible oil in China and Asian countries owing to its high nutritional and medicinal values. It has been shown that a high-fat diet enhances lipid accumulation and induces intestinal microbiota imbalance in mice. However, it is still to be learned whether CO prevents dyslipidemia through gut microbiota. Here, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis of the gut microbiota, we found that oral CO relieved lipid accumulation and reversed gut microbiota dysbiosis. Compared to mice (C57BL/6J male mice) fed a high-fat diet, treatment with CO regulated the composition and functional profiling communities related to the lipid metabolism of gut microbiota. The abundances of Dubosiella, Lactobacillus, and Alistipes were markedly increased in CO supplementation mice. In addition, the colon levels of isobutyric acid, pentanoic acid, and isovaleric acid were similar between the control and CO supplementation mice. Besides, the results indicated that CO supplementation in mice alleviated lipid droplet accumulation in the hepatocytes and subcutaneous adipose tissue, although the liver index did not show a difference. Notably, CO supplementation for 6 weeks significantly reduced the levels of LDL, TC, and TG, while enhancing the level of HDL in serum and liver. Meanwhile, we also identified that CO supplementation suppressed the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in high fat-fed (HF-fed) mice. Taken together, our results suggest that CO improved dyslipidemia and alleviated lipid accumulation in HF-fed mice, the molecular mechanisms possibly associated with the reorganization of gut microbiota, in particular, Alistipes and Dubosiella, mediated the inhibition of the mTOR pathway.

Synergistic Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Lipophilic Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin and Camellia Oil Combination in LPS-Stimulated RAW264.7 Cells

Combination drug therapy has become an effective strategy to control inflammation. Lipophilic grape seed proanthocyanidin (LGSP) and camellia oil (CO) have been independently investigated to show anti-inflammatory effects, but their synergistic anti-inflammatory effects are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic anti-inflammatory effects of LGSP and CO. The anti-inflammatory activity of LGSP and CO individual or in combination on RAW264.7 cells was detected by MTT assay, Griess reagent, RT-PCR, 2′,7′-dichlorfluoroescein diacetate and Western blot analysis. The combined treatment of LGSP with CO (20 μg/mL and 1 mg/mL) synergistically suppressed the production of NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and ROS. Further studies showed that the synergistic effect was attributed to their suppression of the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Overall, our findings demonstrate the potential synergistic effect between LGSP and CO in LPS-induced inflammation.

Diverse Krill Lipid Fractions Differentially Reduce LPS-Induced Inflammatory Markers in RAW264.7 Macrophages In Vitro

Antarctic krill oil is an emerging marine lipid and expected to be a potential functional food due to its diverse nutrients, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), phospholipids, astaxanthin and tocopherols. Although krill oil has been previously proved to have anti-inflammatory activity, there is little information about the relationship between its chemical compositions and anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, the RAW264.7 macrophages model was used to elucidate and compare the anti-inflammatory potential of different krill lipid fractions: KLF-A, KLF-H and KLF-E, which have increasing phospholipids, EPA and DHA contents but decreasing astaxanthin and tocopherols levels. Results showed that all the krill lipid fractions alleviated the inflammatory reaction by inhibition of production of nitric oxide (NO), release of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 and gene expression of proinflammatory mediators including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In addition, KLF-E with the highest phospholipids, EPA and DHA contents showed the strongest inhibition effect on the LPS-induced proinflammatory mediator release and their gene expressions. The results would be helpful to provide powerful insights into the underlying anti-inflammatory mechanism of krill lipid and guiding the production of krill oil products with tailor-made anti-inflammatory activity.

Identification and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of different forms of phenolic compounds in Camellia oleifera oil

Camellia oleifera (C. oleifera) oil is known as "oriental olive oil". We previously reported the anti-inflammatory activity of C. oleifera oil was mainly attributed to the phenolic compounds, but the specific compounds remain uncovered. In this study, phenolic compounds in the form of free (11.92 μg GAE/g), esterified (37.57 μg GAE/g), glycosylated (128.71 μg GAE/g), and insoluble (47.53 μg GAE/g) were prepared from C. oleifera oil. Their anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated by lipopolysaccharide induced RAW 264.7 macrophage. Glycosylated fraction showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity as indicated by the low production of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Subsequently, 13 different glycosylated polyphenols were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS, and the major compounds were purified for anti-inflammatory re-evaluation. Lower anti-inflammatory activities of compound 3 and compound 6 were observed when compared to kaempferol. Overall, these results would promote the utilization of phenolic compounds in C. oleifera oil.