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Background: In order to further develop and utilise Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino seeds, a detailed analysis of the characteristics of G. pentaphyllum seed oil (GPSO), including its physico-chemical parameters, fatty acid composition and unsaponifiable matter constituents, has been investigated in this study. The antioxidant potential of GPSO was evaluated by radical-scavenging activity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay in vitro, and the antioxidant activity in vivo was examined by using an aged mice model., Results: The main components of the seeds are lipids (485.54 g kg -1 ) and proteins (203.26 g kg -1 ). The GPSO obtained by supercritical CO 2 fluid extraction was rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (92.85%), especially conjugated linolenic acid (88.17%); and various useful compounds (squalene, tocopherol and phytosterols) were identified in the unsaponifiable matter. The overall antioxidant capacity of GPSO in vitro was shown to be comparable to that of Camellia seed oil as a positive control. GPSO could provide protection to the aged mice against oxidative stress and minimised the impact of ageing., Conclusion: All the results suggest that GPSO has direct and potent antioxidant activities; it could be utilised as a functional food to supplement or replace some conventional oils. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Crude camellia seed oil is rich in free fatty acids, which must be removed to produce an oil of acceptable quality. In the present study, we reduced the free fatty acid content of crude camellia seed oil by lipophilization of epicatechin with these free fatty acids in the presence of Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozym 435), and this may enhance the oxidative stability of the oil at the same time., Results: The acid value of crude camellia seed oil reduced from 3.7 to 2.5 mgKOH g -1 after lipophilization. Gas chomatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that epicatechin oleate and epicatechin palmitate were synthesized in the lipophilized oil. The peroxide, p-anisidine, and total oxidation values during heating of the lipophilized oil were much lower than that of the crude oil and commercially available camellia seed oil, suggesting that lipophilized epicatechin derivatives could help enhance the oxidative stability of edible oil., Conclusion: The enzymatic process to lipophilize epicatechin with the free fatty acids in crude camellia seed oil described in the present study could decrease the acid value to meet the quality standards for commercial camellia seed oil and, at the same time, obtain a new edible camellia seed oil product with good oxidative stability. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.)

This study was designed to investigate physicochemical characterization of the oil extracted from foxtail millet bran (FMBO), and the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects against acute ethanol-induced hepatic injury in mice. GC-MS analysis revealed that unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) account for 83.76% of the total fatty acids; in particular, the linoleic acid (C18:2) is the predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and the compounds of squalene and six phytosterols (or phytostanols) were identified in unsaponifiable matter of FMBO. The antioxidant activity examination of FMBO in vitro showed highly ferric-reducing antioxidant power and scavenging effects against DPPH· and HO· radicals. Furthermore, the protective effect of FMBO against acute hepatic injuries induced by ethanol was verified in mice. In this, intragastric administration with different dosages of FMBO in mice ahead of acute ethanol administration could observably antagonize the ethanol-induced increases in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), and the hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, respectively, along with enhanced hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels relative to the control. Hepatic histological changes were also observed and confirmed that FMBO is capable of attenuating ethanol-induced hepatic injury.