A novel Platycladus orientalis essential oil with functional properties: antioxidant defense, cognitive improvement, and immune enhancement for potential nutraceutical use

CONTEXT: A specialized essential oil extracted from the heartwood of Platycladus orientalis via supercritical CO₂ extraction shows distinct chemical and physicochemical properties compared with conventional leaf-derived oil, with potential applications in functional foods and alternative medicine. OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the acute toxicity, antioxidant capacity, memory-enhancing effects, and immunomodulatory properties of wood-derived P. orientalis essential oil (POEO), and to explore its multi-target mechanisms via molecular docking. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The oil was extracted using supercritical CO₂. We tested its acute toxicity in mice. Its antioxidant, memory-enhancing, and immune-boosting effects were measured using standardized biological tests. We also used computer simulations (molecular docking) to see how the oil's key compounds might interact with specific target proteins in the body. RESULTS: POEO demonstrated a favourable safety profile with low acute toxicity, while also significantly enhancing the body's natural antioxidant defenses. Furthermore, medium and high doses improved spatial memory in mice and strongly enhanced immune responses, notably increasing natural killer cell activity by 98%. Molecular docking suggested potential interactions between major POEO constituents and several proteins associated with antioxidant, neurological, and immune pathways. These findings provide preliminary insights into possible molecular targets and generate hypotheses for future mechanistic investigations. POEO is safe and shows strong potential as a natural product for improving antioxidant status, memory, and immune function. It's observed bioactivity and predicted multi-target interactions support its potential for further development in functional foods and alternative medicine.