Integrated multi-omics and network pharmacology reveals antioxidant-active metabolites and health benefits of Camellia oleifera seed oil

The antioxidant properties of camellia oil (CO) remain insufficiently characterized. Here, multi-omics profiling combined with ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays was applied to identify antioxidant-active metabolites (AAMs). Widely-targeted metabolomics detected 2110 metabolites, while fatty acid, tocopherol, and elemental analyses revealed key nutritional contributors. Oleic acid dominated the fatty acid fraction (68.2–82.7 %), α-tocopherol was the major tocopherol (139.78–337.20 mg/kg), and selenium and zinc were the most relevant trace elements. A total of 160 AAMs were defined by OPLS-DA and WGCNA, with over 42 % being non-phenolics. Antioxidant assays indicated ABTS activity was mainly phenolic-driven, whereas DPPH involved both phenolics and amino acids. Network pharmacology linked core AAMs to targets in neurological, cardiovascular, hepatic, and respiratory systems. An integrated metabolic pathway network highlighted the multi-dimensional basis of CO's antioxidant potential. These findings reveal a broader antioxidant architecture beyond phenolics and provide a mechanistic foundation for developing CO as a functional nutraceutical oil.