This study analyzed the chemical characteristics and physiological activity of five kinds of fresh vegetables produced in trees in early spring and tried to use them as basic data for wild vegetable producers and processed food manufacturers using wild vegetables. The crude protein, minerals, ascorbic acid, folate, total phenol, total flavonoid, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity and ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitory activity were determined. Five spring wild vegetables contain high protein and phosphorus, indicating that they are useful food ingredients as sources of protein and phosphorus. Vitamin C content was high in R. venicifera and C. sinensis shoots, and in particular, R. venicifera and A. cortex shoots have high folic acid (folate) contents of 1,903.91 ug% and 1,525.35 ug%, respectively, which is considered a good food for folic acid intake in spring. The total phenol content was between 0.52% and 1.27%, and it was the highest in C. sinensis of 1.27%, followed by the order of R. venicifera, A.cortex, K.pictus, and A. elata, which tended to be consistent with the total flavonoid content. As for DPPH radical scavenging ability, C. sinensis (55.93%) showed the highest activity, and ACE inhibitory activity showed the highest activity in A. cortex (88.04%).

Four olefinic catechols, commonly referred to as urushiol were isolated from the sap of Korean Rhus verniciflua Stokes and had the stronger inhibitory effects on the reverse transcriptase of AIDS. The hexane extract with a inhibitory effects on reverse transcriptase was purified by silica and ODS gel column chromatography. The active compounds were identified by MS and 1H-NMR as 3-[8' (Z), 11' (Z), 14' -pentadecatrienyl]catechol, 3-[8' (Z), 11' (Z)-pentadecadienyl]catechol, 3-[8' (Z)-penta- decenyl]catechol, and 3-pentadecylcatechol. All of these compounds showed strong inhibitory effects on reverse transcriptase of AIDS, in which 3-pentadecylcatechol exhibited the highest activity (IC50 : 10.87 μg/ml).

For the comparison of the urushiol composition and biological acitivity between the fresh sap and fire distilled sap of lacquer tree(Rhus vernicifera), we analysed the urushiol composition by HPLC and EI-MS, and investigated the antioxidative , antimicrobial and anticancer acitivities according to solvent fractionations. There was no difference in the urushiol composition between fresh and fire distilled saps of lacquer tree. The hexane frqctionsof two saps showed a strong DPPH radical scaverging activity (RC50 : 7.0-7.5μg). They also showed a strong antifungal activity onthe spore germination of Cladosporium herbarum(MIC : 8μg/ml), whereas they have no or low activity against the bacteria(BAcillus subtilis , Escherichia coli). In addition , hexane and butanol fractions of two saps showed a strong inhibitory activity against cultured tumour cell lines (GI50 : 0.35, 12.29μg/ml) in vitro. These results confirm that the fresh sap and fire distilled sap might have the similar urushiol compositions and biological activities.

Four urushiol components isolated from the sap of Korean lacquer tree(Rhus vernicifera Stokes) showed a strong antifungal activity, but they have no or low activity the bacteria and yeasts. Among them, 3-pentadecylcatechol marked the highest activity on the spore germination of Cladosporium herbarum (MIC:4μg/ml).