Idesia polycarpa is a good source of high-quality vegetable oil and can potentially alleviate pressure on the supply of edible oil. Exploring Idesia polycarpa could enrich the world’s food and oil resources and make up for the shortage of vegetable oil types and production. Here, 15 varieties of wild Idesia polycarpa from major wild Idesia polycarpa resource belts in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River in China were investigated to elucidate the quality and antioxidant activity of wild Idesia polycarpa fruits to tap the potential exploitation capacity of Idesia polycarpa. In this study, wild Idesia polycarpa varieties with high oil quality and antioxidant activity were screened by the comprehensive evaluation of 42 indexes including oil content, dry basis white grain weight, fatty acids, tocopherols, total flavonoids, and minerals, as well as comparisons of free radical scavenging of 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS)) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The result showed the quality characteristics of 15 wild Idesia polycarpa: oil (MN:29.21/100 g), dry basis white grain weight (MN:17.32 g), total flavonoids (MN:27.27 RE/kg), total polyphenols (MN:159.63 GAE/kg), tocopherols [MN:356.10 mg/kg (α-tocopherol (MN:284.96 mg/kg), γ-tocopherol (MN:50. 20 mg/kg), β-tocopherol (MN:9.54 mg/kg), and δ-tocopherol (MN:11.40 mg/kg)], total mineral content (MN:25653.44 mg/kg), and fatty acids [MN:20.89/100 g (70.42% polyunsaturated fatty acids (MN:14.63/100 g), 20.29% saturated fatty acids (MN:4.25/100 g), and 9.29% monounsaturated fatty acids (MN:2.01/100 g)]. Correlation analysis revealed that flavonoids, C16:0, C18:1n9c, C18:2n6c, polyphenols, α-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol, and Ca were significantly correlated with DPPH and ABTS. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis classified the 15 wild samples into three clusters, with the first cluster represented by H8, H6, and H9 being the optimal sample as a woody oilseed crop, the second cluster represented by H10, H 12, and H11 being the optimal sample for functional oil development, and the rest could be selected with emphasis when conducting certain characteristic product development. The excellent lipids and rich nutritional and antioxidant properties suggest that Idesia polycarpa will be a new direction for the development of edible oil resources in the future.

Four new naphthoquinones (1–4), including a dimeric one, shikometabolin G (1), together with six known ones (6–10), were isolated from the methanol extract of Onosma paniculatum. Their structures were established based on the analysis of NMR and MS spectroscopic data. All of the compounds were evaluated for inhibitory effects on NO production in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Compounds 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 displayed good activity on the inhibition of NO production (IC₅₀ = 0.4–16.5 µM), suggesting the potential property of anti-inflammation. ^* These two authors contributed equally to this work.

In this study, peptides were isolated and purified from Idesia polycarpa Maxim. cake meal for the first time, with the aim of discovering peptides with excellent antioxidant properties. Peptides were isolated and purified from the cake meal using ultrafiltration and dextran gel chromatography. Fractions with significant antioxidant activity were identified by mass spectrometry (MS) and the peptides were screened and characterized using techniques, such as network pharmacology and molecular docking. The results showed that the CIPs‐I‐F2 fractions possessed excellent antioxidant activities, and a total of seven peptides were screened, with the main targets of action including serine/threonine‐protein kinase AKT (AKT1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), among which ISKPTWADF had the highest total binding energy to the target. ISKPTWADF was synthesized in vitro by solid‐phase synthesis and showed a dose‐dependent protective effect against the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)‐induced oxidative damage model in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells, with its main active site on the tryptophan indole ring at position 52N‐127H.

Idesia polycarpa Maxim protein was used as a substrate to prepare a novel food packaging material with bioactive functions for encapsulating and extending the postharvest shelf life of sweet cherries. The film-forming solution was prepared from a mixture of Idesia polycarpa Maxim protein, glycerol, and gelatin, and was cast to form a film at room temperature and evaluated for mechanical, optical, structural, crystallinity, thermal properties, morphology, and antioxidant activity. Idesia polycarpa Maxim protein composite film solution was applied as an edible coating on sweet cherries and evaluated for changes in physical and biochemical parameters of sweet cherries in storage at 20°C and 50% relative humidity for 9 days. The results showed that the film tensile strength increased from 0.589 to 1.981 Mpa and the elongation at break increased from 42.555% to 58.386% with the increase of Idesia polycarpa Maxim protein concentration. And in the in vitro antioxidant assay, IPPF-4.0% was found to have the best antioxidant activity, with scavenging rates of 65.11% ± 1.19%, 70.74% ± 0.12%, and 90.96% ± 0.49% for DPPH radicals, ABTS radicals, and hydroxyl radicals, respectively. Idesia polycarpa Maxim protein coating applied to sweet cherries and after storage at 20°C and 50% relative humidity for 9 days, it was found that the Idesia polycarpa Maxim protein coating significantly reduced the weight loss (54.82% and 34.91% in the Control and Coating-2.5% groups, respectively) and the loss of ascorbic acid content (16.47% and 37.14% in the Control and Coating-2.5% groups, respectively) of the sweet cherries, which can effectively extend the aging of sweet cherry fruits and prolong their shelf life. The developed protein film of Idesia polycarpa Maxim with antioxidant activity can be used as a new food packaging material in the food industry.

Cardamine hupingshanensis polysaccharide (CHP) was modified by the sulfur trioxide–pyridine method to obtain the sulfated C. hupingshanensis polysaccharide (SCHP) with a substitution degree of 0.72. The spectral results revealed that the sulfate group was successfully introduced to CHP. In the in vitro antioxidant assay, SCHP showed the highest scavenging rate of hydroxyl radicals, ABTS, and DPPH. Different concentrations of SCHP were chosen to form a compound with Zein to prepare novel bioactive films successfully. The functional and characterization studies of the films were also conducted. The scavenging ability of the films for hydroxyl radicals, ABTS, and DPPH was improved by adding different concentrations of SCHP. Although the films showed a decrease in transparency with the addition of 4 mg/ml SCHP, there was an improvement in tensile strength compared to films without the addition of SCHP. These findings indicate that Zein‐SCHP films can be used as a functional food packaging material with antioxidant properties.