This study investigated the structural composition and antioxidant properties of pectic polysaccharides extracted from Rohdea japonica (Thunb.) Roth. Pectins, which belong to a complex category of acidic polysaccharides, possess a wide range of biological effects stemming from their distinctive structural domains. The polysaccharides were extracted using water, and were subsequently purified through ion exchange and gel permeation chromatography. In order to elucidate their structural features, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance techniques were applied. Two specific polysaccharides, WRJP-A2a and WRJP-A3b, with molecular weights of 42.7 kDa and 64.1 kDa, respectively, were identified to contain varying proportions of homogalacturonan, rhamnogalacturonan I, and rhamnogalacturonan II domains. Regarding antioxidant capacity, WRJP-A3b exhibited superior scavenging capabilities against DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radicals, potentially attributed to its higher galacturonic acid content and abundance of homogalacturonan domains. These results enhance our comprehension of the structure–activity interplay of pectic polysaccharides sourced from Rohdea japonica (Thunb.) Roth and their potential utility in the healthcare and functional food sectors.

This research explores the structural composition and antioxidant abilities of pectins extracted from Adenophora tetraphylla (Thunb.) Fisch. Pectins, which are a complex group of acidic polysaccharides, exhibit various biological activities due to their unique structural domains. Following aqueous extraction, the pectins underwent sequential purification using ion exchange and gel permeation chromatography techniques. FT-IR and NMR techniques were used to elucidate their structural characteristics. The structural investigation was enhanced through the application of multiple characterization methods: Congo red binding analysis, circular dichroism measurements, and scanning electron microscopy imaging. Among the isolated pectins, WATP-A2b (22.5 kDa) and WATP-A3b (49.8 kDa) demonstrated significant variations in their structural domain organization, comprising different ratios of homogalacturonan, rhamnogalacturonan I, and rhamnogalacturonan II. WATP-A3b displayed the most potent antioxidant performance among the tested pectins, effectively scavenging all three free radical species, which may be correlated with its higher galacturonic acid proportion and substantial rhamnogalacturonan I domain presence. These experimental results provide valuable insights into the correlation between structural characteristics and biological functions of pectins derived from Adenophora tetraphylla and their potential applications in healthcare.

Aronia melanocarpa contains abundant phenolic compounds, including procyanidins, flavonols, flavan-3-ols, and phenolic acids, but its pronounced astringency limits its broader use in food applications. Catechol and other oxygen-donor motifs in plant phenolics are known to associate with Fe³⁺ and can support metal–phenolic assembly. In this study, ultrasound-assisted cellulase–pectinase extraction was used to recover an A. melanocarpa polyphenol extract, which was subsequently combined with Fe³⁺ to construct a plant-derived hair dye coating on keratin fibers. Under optimized extraction conditions, the total phenolic yield reached 82.315 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry fruit. A limited targeted LC–MS/MS panel was used to evaluate 12 selected non-anthocyanin phenolic analytes, including procyanidin dimers, a flavan-3-ol, flavonols, and phenolic acids; the contribution of the pH-sensitive anthocyanin fraction was not resolved. Among the tested metal ions, Fe³⁺ produced the strongest chromogenic response. The optimized L-cysteine pretreatment–Fe³⁺ mordanting–polyphenol dyeing sequence produced a ΔE* of 55.42. Adsorption experiments empirically described the uptake behavior of the polyphenol extract, whereas complementary surface, spectroscopic, elemental, diffraction, thermal, and wettability analyses were consistent with the presence of a relatively uniform Fe-containing polyphenol coating at the hair fiber interface. Neither the adsorption-model fits nor the individual characterization techniques uniquely resolved the underlying molecular mechanism. Preliminary HET-CAM, single-exposure dermal, and acute eye irritation assessments showed no obvious acute irritation under the tested conditions. An exploratory image-based analysis examined whether standardized hair tress photographs could approximate a predefined colorimetric score. Because only 30 independent original samples were available and no external validation was performed, this analysis was treated solely as a proof of concept. This laboratory proof-of-concept extends established Fe³⁺–polyphenol assembly chemistry to a compositionally complex A. melanocarpa extract for hair fiber coloration. Further work is required to clarify anthocyanin behavior, simplify the sequential protocol, and benchmark its performance against representative commercial hair dyes.

Trillium camschatcense, a plant renowned for its ecological and medicinal value, is predominantly found in the temperate forests of East Asia. However, its habitat is increasingly threatened from climate change, habitat fragmentation, and intensified human activities. In this study, the Maxent (Maximum Entropy) model was used to assess the current ecological suitability of T. camschatcense based on historical climate data (1970–2000), and further simulate its potential distribution shifts under multiple future climate change scenarios to predict long-term habitat variation trends across northeast China. All modeling and spatial mapping analyses were performed using MaxEnt and ArcGIS 10.8.1 software. Drawing upon 93 known distribution points and 26 pertinent environmental variables covering climate, soil, and elevation, we built species distribution models for both present and future periods to pinpoint the crucial environmental factors influencing its distribution. Our findings revealed that elevation, soil nitrogen content, seasonal temperatures, annual precipitation, mean temperature during the coldest quarter, and mean diurnal temperature range were the primary factors influencing the distribution of T. camschatcense. Notably, highly suitable habitats were predominantly concentrated in Baishan City and the southwestern region of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province. This insight offers valuable scientific guidance for the conservation planning, sustainable utilization, and potential introduction and cultivation of T. camschatcense. Furthermore, targeted conservation strategies can help identify climate refugia and protect climatically stable habitats for the long-term persistence and resilience of the species under continuous global warming.