Pharmacological Activities of Components Contained in Camellia Oil and Camellia Oil Cake and their Applications in Various Industries

Abstract

Camellia oil is a common edible oil extracted from Camellia oleifera seeds in China, and it is also a traditional medicine for stomachaches and burns in folk. Camellia oil exhibits a good regulation effect on the human heart and brain blood vessels, digestion, reproduction, neuroendocrine and immune system. Meanwhile, various bioactive components such as unsaturated fatty acids, tea polyphenols, squalene, and carotene isolated from Camellia oil exhibit significant free radical scavenging, antioxidant activity, anti-tumor, antiinflammatory and hypoglycemic effects. The material remaining after oil extraction was named as Camellia oil cake, which also contains numerous bioactive components such as sasanquasaponin (SQS), flavonoid and tannin. Many studies had shown that these components have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-tumor and some other special pharmacological activities. In this review, we summarize the main components and its pharmacological activities of Camellia oil and Camellia oil cake, and their applications in various industries, thus providing a valuable reference for the future development and utilization of Camellia seeds.