Gastrodiae Rhizoma (tianma, TM), a traditional medicine that has food and medicine homology, faces controversy over retaining its epidermis (tianma pi, TP) during processing due to unclear phytochemical value. This study presents the first integrated approach combining GC–IMS, UHPLC–MS, and Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) aging models to compare TP with the tuber core (tianma xin, TX). The results include the following: (1) A total of forty-seven volatile compounds were identified by GC–IMS, including 12 key aroma substances via relative odor activity value (ROAV ≥ 1), of which seven ((Z)-4-heptenal, β-citronellol, hexanal, 1-pentanol, 1-octen-3-one, 2-methylpropanol, and 2-butanone) were enriched in TP. (2) Non-targeted metabolomics revealed 1025 metabolites via UHPLC–MS, highlighting phenylpropanoid biosynthesis as the primary differential pathway (p < 0.05). Phenylpropanoids and polyketides exhibited predominant enrichment in TP (|log2FC| > 2, VIP > 1, p < 0.01). (3) In C. elegans models, TP outperformed TX in pharyngeal pumping (4.16%, p < 0.05), while both extended stress-resistant lifespan (p < 0.01). In conclusion, TP plays an essential role in establishing the characteristic odor profile of TM and retaining bioactive components, particularly phenylpropanoids. Preserving TP during processing optimally maintains the distinctive aroma profile and pharmacological value of TM, which provides valuable guidance for industrial utilization.

Camellia petelotii (Merr.) Sealy (Jinhuacha, JHC) is a rare plant species native to Guangxi, China, and northern Vietnam, renowned for its significant ornamental, nutritional, and medicinal properties. To date, 177 chemical constituents have been isolated and identified from JHC, including Flavonoids, Terpenoids, Steroids, Phenylpropanoids, Essential oils, Alkaloids, and Organic acids. Among these, Quercetin, Kaempferol, Luteolin, Catechin, Oleanolic acid, and Camelliaside A are the primary bioactive compounds. The JHC exhibits diverse pharmacological activities, including hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antidepressant, and antitumor properties. Studies have demonstrated that extracts of JHC effectively inhibit pancreatic lipase (PL) and cholesterol esterase (CEase), with median inhibitory concentrations (IC50) values of 320 μg/mL and 200 μg/mL, respectively. Additionally, the extracts show strong free radical scavenging activity, with 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical clearance rates reaching 84.61% and 95.51%, respectively. Clinical applications indicate that JHC Hypoglycemic Capsules achieve a total effective rate of 93.33% in the adjunctive treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, the quality control markers and the precise mechanisms underlying certain pharmacological effects of JHC remain to be fully elucidated. This paper systematically reviews current advances in the study of the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of JHC, and further proposes future research directions, aiming to provide a scientific foundation for the in-depth investigation of its active constituents and mechanisms of action.

Malania oleifera, the sole species of its genus, is an endangered tree endemic to the karst regions of China and a valuable woody oil crop. However, deep seed dormancy and slow germination severely limit its propagation and utilization. In this study, freshly harvested mature seeds of M. oleifera were soaked in gibberellic acid (GA₃) solutions at different concentrations. Germination traits and physiological and biochemical parameters were assessed, and transcriptome sequencing was performed to investigate the mechanisms underlying GA₃-promoted seed germination. Soaking seeds in GA₃ for 24 h significantly promoted germination in a concentration-dependent manner. The strongest response occurred at 600 mg·L⁻¹ GA₃, with germination potential and germination percentage reaching 34.2% and 60.0%, respectively. The beneficial effect declined at 800 mg·L⁻¹. Treatment with 600 mg·L⁻¹ GA₃ significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content, indicating that an appropriate GA₃ concentration helped maintain redox balance during germination. Transcriptome analysis identified 7548 and 3571 differentially expressed genes in UT_vs_W24 and W24_vs_GA24, respectively. These results indicated that water soaking initiated germination-related transcriptional changes that were further modified by GA₃ treatment. Functional enrichment analysis showed that transcriptional changes induced by water soaking mainly involved carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, secondary metabolism, and responses to stimuli, whereas GA₃ treatment further modulated redox processes, defense responses, plant hormone signal transduction, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Reconstruction of the plant hormone and MAPK signaling pathways showed that GA₃ markedly affected the expression of genes involved in gibberellin, abscisic acid, auxin, and brassinosteroid signaling. GA₃ also regulated the MKK–MPK cascade and downstream transcription factors, including WRKYs. Together, these findings characterize the physiological responses of M. oleifera seeds to GA₃ and reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying GA₃-promoted germination, providing a basis for improving the propagation efficiency of this valuable species.

Champereia manillana (Bl.) Merr. var. longistaminea is an evergreen small tree. It belongs to the genus Champereia Griff. (Opiliaceae), and its tender leaves or flower buds can be eaten. It also has important medicinal and nutritional values. Wild populations of C. manillana are small and has a phenomenon of deforestation. Market development is hindered by propagation constraints, including low seed germination rates and poor rooting of cuttings. Standardized cultivation protocols are currently lacking. This paper systematically reviews the current status of propagation and cultivation research on C. manillana and analyzed the primary challenges. Recent research indicated that seed germination obstacles had been preliminarily overcome, and 50% shading was identified as the optimal cultivation condition. However, challenges remain, including slow growth, lack of standardized water and fertilizer management, and unclear molecular mechanisms regulating development. Future research should focus on improving vegetative propagation efficiency, elucidating growth mechanisms via multi-omics, and establishing standardized cultivation protocols from breeding to harvest. These strategies are essential for the sustainable utilization of C. manillana resources.

Habitat conditions are important factors influencing plant reintroduction outcomes, yet the physiological responses of endangered woody species across contrasting reintroduction habitats remain poorly understood. In this study, seedlings of Malania oleifera reintroduced into limestone (karst) and red-soil habitats were investigated, with naturally reintroduced wild seedlings serving as a reference. Photosynthetic light-response and CO ₂ -response curves, chlorophyll contents, leaf anatomical traits, morphological characteristics, and water-use efficiency (WUE) were measured to compare physiological and morphological variation among contrasting reintroduction habitats. Seedlings from the limestone reintroduction site exhibited higher maximum net photosynthetic rate ( P _max ), light saturation point ( LSP ), and isotope-derived water-use efficiency (WUE) than seedlings from the red-soil reintroduction site, whereas red-soil seedlings showed higher CO ₂ -saturated photosynthetic capacity ( A _max ). Limestone-grown seedlings also contained higher chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll contents than red-soil seedlings but lower levels than wild seedlings. Leaf anatomical traits also varied among habitats, with wild seedlings exhibiting greater palisade tissue thickness (PT) and higher palisade-to-spongy tissue ratios (PT/ST), whereas limestone- and red-soil-reintroduced seedlings showed similar PT/ST values. Seedlings from the limestone reintroduction site showed greater final plant height and basal stem diameter than those from the red-soil reintroduction site and wild reference habitat, whereas crown width did not differ significantly among habitats. Furthermore, isotope-derived WUE values were higher in seedlings from the limestone reintroduction site than in those from the red-soil site. This difference suggests variation in water-use strategies among habitats, although the underlying mechanisms require further investigation. Thus, seedlings from the three habitats exhibited distinct combinations of photosynthetic, morphological, anatomical, and water-use traits. The observed differences represent habitat-associated variation during the investigated period rather than evidence of universal habitat superiority. Because soil type was confounded with site conditions and the study evaluated seedlings during a single sampling period, long-term monitoring across multiple sites is required to further assess the persistence and reintroduction outcomes of this endangered karst tree species.