Identification and characterization of polyphenols in different varieties of Camellia oleifera seed cakes by UPLC-QTOF-MS

Unraveling the metabolic profile regulation of camellia oilseeds under insect and heat stress: Insights into functional effects and mechanistic basis

There is very little information on the impacts of pre/post-harvest stresses on oilseeds. Individual and combined insect (pre-harvest) and heat stress (post-harvest) impacts on the metabolic profile of camellia oilseeds (COs) were investigated using a combination of widely-targeted metabolomics and network pharmacology. A total of 1875 metabolites were identified. In response to individual and combined stresses, 169 (insect),149 (heat), and 21 (insect + heat) metabolites were screened as differential metabolic markers (DEMs), Terpenoids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids are the most impacted metabolite species, accounting for almost 49% of total DEMs. Then network pharmacological analysis identifies 98 key active ingredients (AIs) in CO. A single stress may induce CO to impede cardiovascular system function, but the combined stress induced AI-promoting effects of CO in the urinary system. The individual and combined perturbed biological mechanisms were related to the flavonoid biosynthesis and the biosynthesis of various plant secondary metabolites pathway, respectively.

Effects of Camellia oleifera seed shell polyphenols and 1,3,6-tri-O-galloylglucose on androgenic alopecia via inhibiting 5a-reductase and regulating Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the leading cause of hair loss in adults. Its pathogenesis remains unclear, but studies have shown that the androgen-mediated 5α-reductase-AR receptor pathway and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway play significant roles. Camellia oleifera is an oil plant, and its fruits have been documented in folklore as having a hair cleansing effect and preventing hair loss. In this study, we used UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS to identify the structure of the substances contained in the polyphenols of Camellia oleifera seed shell. These polyphenols are mainly used for shampooing and anti-hair loss purposes. Next, we used molecular docking technology to dock 41 polyphenols and steroidal 5 alpha reductase 2 (SRD5A2). We found that the docking scores and docking sites of 1,3,6-tri-O-galloylglucose (TGG) and finasteride were similar. We constructed a mouse model of DHT-induced AGA to evaluate the effects of Camellia oleifera seed shell polyphenols (CSSP) and TGG in vivo. Treatment with CSSP and TGG alleviated alopecia symptoms and reduced DHT levels. Additionally, CSSP and TGG were able to reduce androgen levels by inhibiting the SRD5A2-AR receptor signaling pathway. Furthermore, by regulating the secretion of growth factors and activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, CSSP and TGG were able to extend the duration of hair growth. In conclusion, our study showed that CSSP and TGG can improve AGA in C57BL/6 J mice and reduce the effect of androgen on hair follicle through the two signaling pathways mentioned above. This provides new insights into the material basis and mechanism of the treatment of AGA by CSSP.

Natural products from Camellia oleifera fruit and its comprehensive utilisation

Camellia oleifera (C. oleifera) is a woody oil plant with a good reputation of 'Oriental Olive Oil' in China. The national understanding of the health-care benefits of Camellia oil are already widespread, but the production of C. oleifera fruit has not been achieved large-scale industrialisation. In this review, we focus on the properties and commercial value of its natural products, and processing technology, performance characterisation, and novel modification strategies of its processed products. In addition, we briefly summarised the research progress of breeding and put forward the comprehensive utilisation of C. oleifera fruit based on the tandem of extraction and processing. This review might attract more researchers to make profound study regarding it as an alternative of olive oil.

Assessing the Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and enzyme Inhibitory Effects of Pentapleura subulifera and Cyclotrichium glabrescens Extracts

The Lamiaceae family, encompassing diverse plant species, holds significant value in food, medicine, and cosmetics. Within this family, Pentapleura subulifera and Cyclotrichium glabrescens, relatively unexplored species, were investigated for their chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme-inhibiting effects. The chemical composition of hexane, methanolic, and aqueous extracts from P. subulifera and C. glabrescens were analyzed using LC-ESI-MS/MS and the non-polar hexane fraction was investigated via GC-MS. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was determined through radical scavenging, reducing power and metal chelating assays. Additionally, inhibitory activity against six enzymes - acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), tyrosinase, amylase, and glucosidase - was examined. The aqueous extract of P. subulifera and the methanolic extract of C. glabrescens exhibited elevated phenolic content at 129.47 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g and 55.97 mg GAE/g, respectively. Chemical profiling of the constituents of the two plant species resulted in the identification of a total of twenty compounds. The majority of which belonged to flavonoids and quinic acid derivatives, primarily concentrated in the methanol and aqueous extracts. Among all antioxidant assays, the aqueous extracts of P. subulifera demonstrated superior antioxidant activity, with the highest recorded activity of 404.93 mg trolox equivalent (TE)/g in the cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) test. Meanwhile, the hexane extract of C. glabrescens exhibited the highest AChE inhibitory activity at 2.71 mg galanthamine equivalent (GALAE)/g, followed by the methanol extract of P. subulifera at 2.41 mg GALAE/g. These findings unequivocally establish the notable antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activity of P. subulifera and C. glabrescens extracts, underscoring their potential as a source of valuable natural antioxidants.

Metabolomic profiling and quantification of polyphenols from leaves of seven Acacia species by UHPLC-QTOF-ESI-MS

The genus Acacia (Fabaceae) comprises >1350 species and has been used in traditional medicine as infusions and decoctions to treat wounds, sores, headaches, diarrhea, and cough. The leaf methanolic extracts of seven Acacia species growing in Egypt namely: Acacia saligna, Acacia seyal, Acacia xanthophloea, Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana., Acacia tortilis, Acacia laeta, Acacia albida were analyzed using UPLC-QTOF-ESI-MS. A total of 37 polyphenols were identified and discussed in detail. They included phenolic acids, flavonoids, and procyanidins, among which sixteen polyphenols were identified in Acacia for the first time. Folin-ciocalteau assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity, 2,20 -azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) cation radical and the scavenging capacity against 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl radical were performed to investigate the total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity of the Acacia extracts, respectively. Furthermore, the absolute quantification of eighteen polyphenols common to most of the species was performed using UPLC-MS. It was evident that the differences in the chemical composition among the species accounted for the difference in antioxidant activity which was in line together with the total phenolic content.

A novel strategy by combining foam fractionation with high-speed countercurrent chromatography for the rapid and efficient isolation of antioxidants and cytostatics from Camellia oleifera cake

Camellia oleifera cake is a by-product, which is rich in functional chemical components. However, it is typically used as animal feed with no commercial value. The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify compounds from Camellia oleifera cake using a combination of foam fractionation and high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) and to investigate their biological activities. Foam fractionation with enhanced drainage through a hollow regular decahedron (HRD) was first established for simultaneously enriching flavonoid glycosides and saponins for further separation of target compounds. Under suitable operating conditions, the introduction of HRD resulted in a threefold increase in enrichment ratio with no negative effect on recovery. A novel elution-extrusion countercurrent chromatography (EECCC) coupled with the consecutive injection mode was established for the successful simultaneous isolation of flavonoid glycosides and saponins. As a result, 38.7 mg of kaemferol-3-O-[2-O-D-glucopyranosyl-6-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl]-β-D-glucopyranoside (purity of 98.17%, FI), 70.8 mg of kaemferol-3-O-[2-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-6-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl]-β-D-glucopyranoside (purity of 97.52%, FII), and 560 mg of an oleanane-type saponin (purity of 92.32%, FIII) were separated from the sample (900 mg). The present study clearly showed that FI and II were natural antioxidants (IC50 < 35 μg/mL) without hemolytic effect. FIII displayed the effect of inhibiting Hela cell proliferation (IC50 < 30 μg/mL). Further erythrocyte experiments showed that this correlated with the extremely strong hemolytic effect of FIII. Overall, this study offers a potential strategy for efficient and green isolation of natural products, and is beneficial to further expanding the application of by-products (Camellia oleifera cake) in food, cosmetics, and pharmacy.

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.

LC-MS/MS and GC-MS profiling, antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and antiproliferative activities of Thymus leucostomus H ausskn. & V elen. extracts

The chemical composition as well as antioxidant, antiproliferative, and enzyme inhibition activities of extracts from aerial parts of Thymus leucostomus H ausskn. & V elen. obtained with hexane, methanol, and water were evaluated. Results showed that the methanol extract had significantly (p < 0.05) the highest total phenolic content (TPC; 107.80 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoids content (TFC; 25.21 mg RE/g) followed by the aqueous extract (102.72 mg GAE/g and 20.88 mg RE/g, respectively). LC-MS/MS-guided profiling of the three extracts revealed that rosmarinic acid (34.8%), hesperetin (42.9%), and linoleic acid (18%) were the dominant compounds in the methanol, aqueous and hexane extracts, respectively. GC-MS analysis of the hexane extract showed that ɣ-sitosterol (29.9%) was the major constituent. The methanol extract displayed significantly (p < 0.05) the highest Cu++ , Fe+++ , and Mo(VI) ions scavenging and reducing properties while the aqueous extract exerted significantly (p < 0.05) the highest metal chelating power (42.51 mg EDTAE/g). Both the hexane and methanol extracts effectively inhibited the acetylcholinesterase enzyme (2.63 and 2.65 mg GALAE/g, respectively) while the former extract exerted significantly (p < 0.05) the highest butyrylcholinesterase (2.32 mg GALAE/g), tyrosinase (19.73 mg KAE/g), and amylase (1.16 mmol ACAE/g) inhibition capacity. The aqueous extract exhibited the best glucosidase inhibition property (0.49 mmol ACAE/g). The methanol and hexane extracts exerted a higher cytotoxic effect on HT-29 (IC50 : 8.12 µg/mL) and HeLa (IC50  = 8.08 µg/mL) cells, respectively. In conclusion, these results provide valuable insight into the potential use of T. leucostomus bioactive extracts in different pharmaceutical applications.

Response Surface Optimization of Extraction Conditions for the Active Components with High Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activity and Identification of Key Metabolites from Acer truncatum Seed Oil Residue

The State Council of China has called for the comprehensive development and utilization of Acer truncatum resources. However, research on one of its by-products, namely seed oil residue (ASR), from seed oil extraction is seriously insufficient, resulting in a waste of these precious resources. We aimed to optimize the conditions of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) using a response surface methodology to obtain high acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory components from ASR and to tentatively identify the active metabolites in ASR using non-targeted metabolomics. Based on the results of the independent variables test, the interaction effects of three key extracting variables, including methanol concentration, ultrasonic time, and material-to-liquid ratio, were further investigated using the Box-Behnken design (BBD) to obtain prior active components with high AChE inhibitory activity. UPLC-QTOF-MS combined with a multivariate method was used to analyze the metabolites in ASR and investigate the causes of activity differences. Based on the current study, the optimal conditions for UAE were as follows: methanol concentration of 85.06%, ultrasonic time of 39.1 min, and material-to-liquid ratio of 1.06:10 (g/mL). Under these optimal conditions, the obtained extracts show strong inhibitions against AChE with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values ranging from 0.375 to 0.459 µg/mL according to an Ellman's method evaluation. Furthermore, 55 metabolites were identified from the ASR extracted using methanol in different concentrations, and 9 biomarkers were subsequently identified as potential compounds responsible for the observed AChE inhibition. The active extracts have potential to be used for the development of functional foods with positive effects on Alzheimer's disease owing to their high AChE inhibition activity. Altogether, this study provides insights into promoting the comprehensive utilization of A. truncatum resources.

Profiling of phytochemicals using LC-ESI-MS2 , in vitro, in vivo characterization and cosmeceutical effects of Alpinia galanga (wild) extract loaded emulgel

BACKGROUND

The potential as a depigmenting agent, sun protection, and healthy benefits is indicated by the sun protection factor, radical scavenging, and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of Alpinia galanga (wild).

AIMS

A stable emulgel containing A .galanga (wild) extract is prepared. This emulgel is then characterized by in vitro evaluation and identification of contents by LC-ESI-MS² . In vivo performance is counted in terms of moisturizing, melanin level, erythema, sebum, skin fine pores and large pores analysis, and other related physiological skin parameters.

METHODS

DPPH radical scavenging activity, total phenolic and flavonoid counts were used to measure the free radical scavenging and tyrosinase inhibitory capability of A .galanga (wild) extract, respectively. LC-ESI-MS² used for phytochemical analysis. Emulgels synthesize, and their globule size, Ultracentrifugation, pH, and conductivity were all evaluated. Among the developed formulations, the optimal emulgels formulation underwent 90-day stability tests for organoleptic characteristics and rheology at 8°C, 25°C, 40°C, and 40°C + 75% RH (relative humidity). Using sebumeter®, mexameter®, and corneometer®, changes in skin physiological parameters were assessed over the course of 12 weeks in 13 healthy male, Asian volunteers. VisioFace® is used for computational analysis of high-resolution pictures to determine the % area, fine pore counts, and large pore counts of the skin.

RESULTS

The antioxidant, tyrosinase inhibitory potential and counts of total phenolic and flavonoids of A .galanga (wild) extract were impressive (85%, 75%, and 48.0 mg GAE/g and 14.37 mg quercetin/g, respectively). In terms of stability evaluation, globule size (0.7528 ± 0.192 μm). Optimized A .galanga (wild) ethanol aqueous (AGEA) extract loaded emulgel was stable in terms of organoleptic and in vitro evaluation. The AGEA formulation significantly reduced the amount of sebum, erythema, fine pore counts, large pore counts, fine pore % area and large pores area percentage while significantly improved the moisture and elasticity of the skin.

CONCLUSION

A stable A .galanga (wild) extract loaded emulgel was successfully produced that improved the skin physiological parameters in terms of skin's sebum, erythema, moisturizing, melanin, and pores.

Typical Characterization of Commercial Camellia Oil Products Using Different Processing Techniques: Triacylglycerol Profile, Bioactive Compounds, Oxidative Stability, Antioxidant Activity and Volatile Compounds

The processing technique is one of the key factors affecting the quality of camellia oil. In this study, camellia oils were obtained using four different processing techniques (cold-pressed, roast-pressed, fresh-pressed, and refined), and their triacylglycerols (TAGs) profile, bioactive compound (tocopherols, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols) level, oxidative stability, and volatile compounds were analyzed and compared. To further identify characteristic components in four camellia oil products, the TAG profile was analyzed using UPLC-QTOF-MSE. Five characteristic markers were identified, including OOO (m/z 902.8151), POL (m/z 874.7850), SOO (m/z 904.8296), PPL (m/z 848.7693), PPS (m/z 852.7987). Regarding the bioactive compound level and antioxidant capacity, the fresh-pressed technique provided higher α-tocopherols (143.15 mg/kg), β-sitosterol (93.20 mg/kg), squalene (102.08 mg/kg), and polyphenols (35.38 mg/kg) and showed stronger overall oxidation stability and antioxidant capacity. Moreover, a total of 65 volatile compounds were detected and identified in four camellia oil products, namely esters (23), aldehydes (19), acids (8), hydrocarbons (3), ketones (3), and others (9), among which pressed oil was dominated by aldehydes, acid, and esters, while refined oil had few aroma components. This study provided a comprehensive comparative perspective for revealing the significant influence of the processing technique on the camellia oil quality and its significance for producing camellia oil of high quality and with high nutritional value.

Comprehensive review of composition distribution and advances in profiling of phenolic compounds in oilseeds

A wide range of phenolic compounds participate in oilseed growth, regulate oxidative stability of corresponding vegetable oil, and serve as important minor food components with health-promoting effects. Composition distribution of phenolic compounds varied in oilseeds. Isoflavones, sinapic acid derivatives, catechin and epicatechin, phenolic alcohols, chlorogenic acid, and lignans were the main phenolic compounds in soybean, rapeseed, peanut skin, olive, sunflower seed, sesame and flaxseed, respectively. Among which, the total isoflavones content in soybean seeds reached from 1,431 to 2,130 mg/100 g; the main phenolic compound in rapeseed was sinapine, representing 70–90%; chlorogenic acid as the predominant phenolic compound in sunflower kernels, represented around 77% of the total phenolic content. With the rapid development of analytical techniques, it is becoming possible for the comprehensive profiling of these phenolic compounds from oilseeds. This review aims to provide recently developments about the composition distribution of phenolic compounds in common oilseeds, advanced technologies for profiling of phenolic compounds by the metabolomics approaches based on mass spectrometry. As there is still limited research focused on the comprehensive extraction and determination of phenolics with different bound-forms, future efforts should take into account the non-targeted, pseudo-targeted, and spatial metabolomic profiling of phenolic compounds, and the construction of phenolic compound database for identifying and quantifying new types of phenolic compounds in oilseeds and their derived products.

Effect of pretreatments of camellia seeds on the quality, phenolic profile, and antioxidant capacity of camellia oil

Camellia oil is one of the four major woody oils in the world and has high nutritional value due to its richness in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and bioactive substances. In order to compare the effects of pretreatments of camellia seeds on the quality, phenolic profile, and antioxidant capacity of camellia oil, three different pretreatment methods, i.e., hot air (HA), steam (ST) and puffing (PU), were used to treat the seed powder in the present study. All three pretreatments changed the internal structure of the camellia seeds. The oil yield was increased after all three pretreatments, with the highest oil yield increased by PU pretreatment (Based on the oil yield, we screened out the best conditions of the three pretreatments, HA pretreatment is 60°C for 40 min, ST pretreatment is 100°C for 15 min, PU pretreatment is 800 rpm). The fatty acids (FAs) of the oil were relatively stable, with no significant changes after three pretreatments. However, all three pretreatments had a significant effect on the acid value (AV), peroxide value (PV), and benzo(a)pyrene (Ba P) of the camellia oil. The PU and HA pretreatments could increase the tocopherol content and the total sterols content in the camellia oil. The ST and PU pretreatments significantly increased the free phenolics (FP) content, all three pretreatments reduced the contents of conjugated phenolics (CP) and insoluble-bound phenolics (IBP) in the camellia oil. The IBP made the most significant contribution to the antioxidant capacities of camellia oil. ST and PU prtreatments increased the antioxidant capacities of the total phenolics in the camellia oil. Eight phenolics in FP, CP, and IBP were significantly correlated with the antioxidant capacities of camellia oil. The results of the present study could provide some theoretical guidance for the pretreatment of camellia seeds for higher oil yield, phenolic content and enhanced antioxidant capacities of camellia oil.

Generation and stabilization of CO2 nanobubbles using surfactants for extraction of polyphenols from Camellia oleifera shells

Camellia oleifera shells are abundant in polyphenolic compounds. Green extraction methods of polyphenolic compounds are essential to ensure product quality, efficiency, process cost, environment, and safety. This study investigated the effect of Tween 80 and Rhamnolipid surfactants on the production and utilization of stabilized carbon dioxide nanobubbles (CO₂ -NBs). The results confirmed the presence of the CO₂ -NBs in ultra-pure water with a concentration of 8.45 ± 1.05 × 10⁸  ml^-1 , among which the stable CO₂ -NBs possessed a mean size of 40-90 nm and a negative zeta potential (-41.6 ± 1.3 mV). Further, the efficiency of CO₂ -NBs combined with ultrasonication (CO₂ -NBs-Rh-UAE) was evaluated to extract polyphenols from Camellia oleifera shells (waste). The CO₂ -NBs treatment with ultrasonication showed the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) (36.75 ± 0.22 mg GAE/g DW and 24.06 ± 0.22 mg RE/g DW, respectively). Overall, this study demonstrated an innovative approach for producing, stabilizing, and utilizing biosurfactant stabilized CO₂ -NBs to extract polyphenolic compounds from the waste agricultural products. These findings highlighted the potential application of biosurfactant-stabilized CO₂ -NBs.

Selection of potential reference genes for RT-qPCR in the plant pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum fructicola

Colletotrichum is widespread, and these pathogenic fungi can cause various plant diseases. Studies have shown that Colletotrichum fructicola cause oil-tea (Camellia oleifera) anthracnose and is widely distributed as a dominant fungus in all Ca. oleifera-producing regions. Real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR) is considered the most reliable technique for simultaneously measuring relative gene expression levels in different tissues. Target genes are typically quantified using RT-qPCR to explore gene function, and reliable RT-qPCR results require data normalization using stable reference genes. No studies have reported a suitable reference gene in C. fructicola. This study has eight candidate reference genes (CfCk, CfRpp, CfUce, CfRrp, CfAdrh, CfDd, CfAct, and CfTub) which were selected from C. fructicola-Ca. oleifera transcriptome data and evaluated and sequenced using geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper algorithms. The results showed that CfRrp had better stability in C. fructicola, both during the growth of pure pathogenic fungi and during the invasion of different oil-tea leaves. After normalization with CfRrp, the differentially expressed target genes were similar to the transcriptome. Our work provides suitable reference genes for future studies to quantify target gene expression levels in C. fructicola.

Applications of Chinese Camellia oleifera and its By-Products: A Review

Camellia oleifera is a woody oil tree species unique to China that has been cultivated and used in China for more than 2,300 years. Most biological research on C. oleifera in recent years has focused on the development of new varieties and breeding. Novel genomic information has been generated for C. oleifera, including a high-quality reference genome at the chromosome level. Camellia seeds are used to process high-quality edible oil; they are also often used in medicine, health foods, and daily chemical products and have shown promise for the treatment and prevention of diseases. C. oleifera by-products, such as camellia seed cake, saponin, and fruit shell are widely used in the daily chemical, dyeing, papermaking, chemical fibre, textile, and pesticide industries. C. oleifera shell can also be used to prepare activated carbon electrodes, which have high electrochemical performance when used as the negative electrode of lithium-ion batteries. C. oleifera is an economically valuable plant with diverse uses, and accelerating the utilization of its by-products will greatly enhance its industrial value.

UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS Analysis of Phenolic Compounds from the Fruit of Cephalostachyum fuchsianum Gamble and Their Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Activities

Bamboo is a widely distributed graminaceous plant in China and is a potential source of bioactive substances. Incidentally, bamboo’s fruit is rich in phytochemicals such as polyphenols and flavonoids, which are significant to human health. In this study, we identified the phenolic compounds of the fruit and investigated the antioxidant activities of Cephalostachyum fuchsianum Gamble (CFG) fruit polyphenols with in vitro and in vivo tests for the first time. UPLC–Q–TOF–MS/MS analysis results showed that the fruit contained 43 phenolic compounds, including 7 hydroxybenzoic acids, 12 flavonoids, 7 coumarins, 10 hydroxycinnamic acids, 1 terpenoid, and 5 lignans. The TPC of SP extracts was higher than that of IBPs extracts in FP and FF. The SP extracts in FP showed better antioxidant activities in vitro compared to those in FF. In addition, polyphenols from CFG fruits protected against H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells, and the protective effect of polyphenols in FP was superior to that in FF. The analysis results showed that CFG fruit has great potential in exploiting natural chemical substances, which can provide valuable pieces of information for the further development and utilization of CFG.

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.

Phytochemical constituents of Camellia osmantha fruit cores with antithrombotic activity

Camellia osmantha is a new species of the genus Camellia and is an economically important ornamental plant. Its activity and ingredients are less studied than other Camellia plants. This study investigated the antithrombotic effect and chemical components of C. osmantha fruit cores using platelet aggregation assays and coagulation function tests. The cores of C. osmantha fruits were extracted with ethanol to obtain a crude extract. The extract was dissolved in water and further eluted with different concentrations of methanol on an MCI resin column to obtain three fractions. These samples were used for antithrombotic activity tests and phytochemical analysis. The results showed that the extract and its fractions of C. osmantha have strong antithrombotic activity, significantly reducing the platelet aggregation rate and prolonging the thrombin time (TT). The total saponins, flavonoids, and polyphenols in the active fractions may be responsible for the antithrombotic activity. The chemical constituents were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS). Twenty-three compounds were identified rapidly and accurately. Among them, ellagic acid, naringenin, and quercetin 3-O-glucuronide may be important antithrombotic constituents. Furthermore, interactions between these compounds and the P2Y1 receptor were investigated via molecular modeling, because the P2Y1 receptor is a key drug target of antiplatelet aggregative activity. The molecular docking results suggested that these compounds could combine tightly with the P2Y1R protein. Our results showed that C. osmantha fruit cores are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and saponins, which can be developed into a promising antithrombotic functional beverage for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Effect of phenolic extracts from Camellia oleifera seed cake on the formation of polar compounds, core aldehydes, and monoepoxy oleic acids during deep-fat frying

The frying process is an excellent way to obtain food with desirable sensory. However, some harmful substances, such as aldehydes and monoepoxy oleic acids, could also be produced. This study mainly explores the inhibition of polyphenols from the Camellia oleifera seed cake extract (CSCE) on the formation of polar compounds, core aldehydes, and monoepoxy oleic acids during deep-fat frying. The results showed that the CSCE could significantly decrease peroxide, p-anisidine, total polar, and monoepoxy oleic acids compared with other groups. In addition, the CSCE could significantly inhibit the generation of oxidized triacylglycerol polymer (TGP) and oxidized triacylglycerol (ox-TG), indicating its anti-polymerization activity. The total amount of core aldehydes and glycerol ester core aldehydes (9-oxo) in soybean oil was significantly reduced. Furthermore, CSCE had a better inhibitory effect on monoepoxy fatty acids than TBHQ. Our results might be helpful to provide a basis for the search for new natural antioxidants.

Valorization of European Cranberry Bush (Viburnum opulus L.) Berry Pomace Extracts Isolated with Pressurized Ethanol and Water by Assessing Their Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antiproliferative Activities

Defatted by supercritical CO₂, Viburnum opulus berry pomace (VOP) was subjected to consecutive extraction with pressurized ethanol (E) and water (W) and yielded 23% of VOP-E and 8% of VOP-W, respectively. The major phytochemical groups covering 42 identified and quantified constituents in VOP extracts were organic and phenolic acids, iridoids, quercetin and (epi)catechin derivatives, flavalignans, procyanidins, and anthocyanins. The on-line HPLC-DPPH^•-scavenging assay revealed the presence of numerous antioxidants. VOP-E had a higher total phenolic content, was a stronger antioxidant (equivalent to 0.77, 0.42, and 0.17 g trolox/g in oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), ABTS, and DPPH assays, respectively), and recovered the major part of phenolics from the pomace; however, both extracts demonstrated similar antioxidant activity in the cellular assay. VOP-E inhibited HT29 cancer cells at non-cytotoxic concentrations. The results of this study revealed that VOP contains valuable phytochemicals possessing antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Consequently, extracts from VOP substances may be of interest in developing functional ingredients for healthy foods, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals.