内容: Gastrodin (GAS), the principal bioactive composition of Gastrodia elata Blume, has potential for pharmaceutical applications. Several studies in recent years have shown that GAS may enhance neurotrophic benefits, reduce inflammation, and act as an antioxidant. In this study, we sought to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective benefits of GAS against colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in mice. GAS (200 mg/kg) significantly ameliorated the severity of colitis in mice caused by DSS, as evidenced by an increase in colon length, a reduction in disease activity index, a decrease in tissue damage, and a reduction in body weight loss. Additionally, GAS inhibited DSS-induced hyperactivation of inflammation-related NF-κB signaling pathways to reduce the production of inflammatory mediators, thereby mitigating the inflammatory response in mice. Furthermore, the administration of GAS restored the function of the gastrointestinal barrier by increasing the count of goblet cells, as well as the levels of tight junctionassociated proteins, including Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, and Claudin-3. GAS also influenced the overall richness of the gut microbiota, as shown by 16S rRNA sequencing analysis, consequently boosting the proliferative rate of probiotic species, such as Lachnospiraceae and Muribaculaceae, while reducing the richness of harmful bacteria including Escherichia_Shigella, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacteroidaceae, and Bacteroides. GAS (200 mg/kg) alleviated ulcerative colitis (UC) by modulating gut dysbiosis, as demonstrated by a fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) test. Furthermore, inflammatory damage induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was averted in RAW264.7 cells by GAS administration, hence preventing the NF-κB signaling pathway from being activated in these experimental conditions conducted in vitro. Overall, the data indicate that GAS treatment effectively reduces colitis caused by DSS by regulating gut microbiota, suppressing inflammation, and preserving the mucosal barrier integrity.

内容: Cell cultured meat has been extensively studied as an environmentally friendly, energy-saving and more effective technology. However, there are many technical bottlenecks, especially the regulatory mechanism and manufacturing method of in vitro myogenesis. Based on an edible modified silk protein scaffold, with 3D culturing, in situ differentiated and transcriptome analysis, this study describes novel scaffolds and fabrication methods for cell cultured meat. The results showed that the effective space and utilization efficiency for cell culture of the scaffold is 26–1 000 that of the traditional culture dish; it could form a tissue-like structure. Transcriptomics revealed the regulatory pathways and key factors of different cycles. It clarifies that the multi-cycle process of myoblast myogenesis in vitro is different from the single feedback regulation in vivo. More importantly, a novel scaffold-based cell cultured meat manufacturing method was developed, further develop a new tissue culture solution that is different from existing cell culture meat production. For manufacturing processes, it provides a new cell culture meat technology system, provides a theoretical basis for the regulation of cell proliferation and muscle growth, and lays the technical foundation for in situ tissue culture of cell cultured meat in vitro.

内容: Solid-phase extraction ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS) was used to evaluate the contamination of ochratoxin A (OTA) and assessed the human exposure risk of OTA in Rasa roxburghii. A more suitable method for OTA extraction and purification of R. roxburghii was obtained. Treated 25 mL of R. roxburghii juice with enzymatic hydrolysis at a concentration of 0.06 mg/mL, filtered the resulting mixture and concentrated the filtrate to dry, then redissolved with 0.2 mL of methanol and diluted with 0.4 mL of ultra-pure water. Added sample solution to the activated hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) column, washed with 6 mL of ultra-pure water and purified by eluting with 6 mL of methanol. The eluent was collected and dried using nitrogen at 40 ℃, then redissolved in 1 mL of methanol and filtered for detection. The hazard quotient (HQ) values of all R. roxburghii fruit and juice, which were storage at room temperature, 4 and −20 ℃ from 0 day to 63 days, ranged from 0.077% to 35.792%, which were within the allowable limits for human consumption. From the perspective of OTA contamination, the results indicated that the maximal storage time of R. roxburghii fruit were 14 days at room temperature, 35 days at 4 ℃ and 63 days at −20 ℃. And the maximal storage time of R. roxburghii juice were 7 days for sealed storage and the sameday for open storage at room temperature, 14 days for sealed storage and 7 days for open storage at 4 ℃, and 63 days for sealed storage and 56 days for open storage at −20 ℃ during the experiment period. And all thirty samples randomly sampled from the market were OTA negative. The results of this study can lay a foundation for the formulation of OTA limit standards in fruits and juice in the future, and provide a reference for consumers to consume R. roxburghii more healthily.

内容: Alcohol abuse constitutes a significant health hazard, leading to various organ damage, notably the liver and brain. Shanxi aged vinegar (SAV) is one of the famous fermented and functional foods containing a variety of bioactive ingredients with beneficial effects on the human body. This study aimed to explore the potential protective effect of SAV in alleviating acute alcohol intoxication (AAI) in mice. It was found that SAV at 2.5 mL/kg BW effectively ameliorated the decline in behavioral abilities following alcohol consumption, characterized by a shortened sobering period. SAV reduces alcohol-induced liver damage by inhibiting hepatic function enzymes and oxidative stress levels. Additionally, SAV mitigated the overactivation of microglia and the downregulation of neurotransmitter levels including acetylcholinesterase (AchE), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA), thereby reducing ethanol-induced brain damage. Meanwhile, SAV significantly decreased concentrations of alcohol and acetaldehyde in the blood and increased alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities in the liver, indicating enhancement of ethanol metabolism. Moreover, we found that some gut microbiota including Verrucomicrobiota, Akkermansia, and Enterococcus were downregulated after SAV treatment in mice with AAI. These bacteria showed a negative correlation with anti-oxidative markers (glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT)) and enzymes related to ethanol metabolism pathways (ADH and ALDH), and a positive correlation with hepatic function markers (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and malondialdehyde (MDA)), alcohol metabolites (alcohol and acetaldehyde) and neurotransmitters (AchE, 5-HT, and DA). However, Bacteroidota, norank_f_Muribaculaceae, and Alistipes exhibited the opposite direction. These findings suggest that SAV possesses protective effects against hepatic and neuro-toxicity, and could be a potential functional food for AAI prevention.

内容: Peach are a fruit with high nutritional and economic value, but their safety and suitability for diabetic patients have been questioned. This study investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of peach pulp (PP) on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in mice induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) combined with streptozotocin (STZ). The results showed that PP alleviated hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and tissue dysfunction in T2DM mice through the synergistic effect of nutrients and non-nutrient compounds. Analysis of mRNA expression levels revealed that PP improved glucose metabolism in T2DM mice by promoting glycogen synthesis and inhibiting gluconeogenesis. Furthermore, elevated levels of PP resulted in an increase in acetic acid content following a 4 weeks intervention period. Additionally, it led to the restoration of gut microbiota balance by decreasing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota (F/B) ratio and enhancing the presence of Romboutsia, Allobaculum, Alloprevotella, and Bacteroides after an 8 weeks intervention. Ultimately, our results suggest that PP may offer advantages for individuals with diabetes.

内容: To solve the problem of the lack of reference material (RM) for determination of allergenic ingredients in food, a RM of cashew nut powder was developed in the study. Cashew nut powder was prepared from cashew nut kernel by selecting, cleaning, crushing, n-hexane degreasing and sieving treatment. The reliability and traceability of RM was verified using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and phylogenetic tree analysis. The cashew nut powder RM showed good homogeneity, and good stability under long-term storage at 4 ℃ and short-term simulated transportation from –20 to 45 ℃. The RM was determined jointly by 8 collaborative laboratories, and the characteristic CT value was 24.732, and the extended uncertainty was 1.052% (k = 2). The RM was applied to verify the amplification efficiency and the limit of detection for qPCR assay, and showed good applicability. The RM could be used for method validation and quality control, for the determination of allergenic ingredients in food mixed with trace amounts of cashew nut.

内容: Arabinoxylan (AX) has been found to improve an imbalanced gut microbiota. Lactobacillus gasseri is a beneficial endogenous bacterium that has been shown to have several health benefits in the human gut, particularly its lipid-lowering activity. However, it is not known whether AX can promote the action of L. gasseri. The results of in vitro experiments showed that AX promoted biofilm formation in L. gasseri, its acid and bile salt resistance could be enhanced, and enabled better colonization of L. gasseri in the intestinal tract of mice. In vivo experiments showed that the AX + L. gasseri group could effectively ameliorate weight gain and fat accumulation in high-fat diet-induced obese mice, and the L. gasseri group or AX + L. gasseri alleviated liver injury in mice. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that L. gasseri can colonize the mice intestine and AX + L. gasseri can ameliorate gut microbiota dysbiosis in obese mice by increasing Lactobacillus spp. and Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002, and decreasing Peptococcaceae. In addition, metabolomics results indicated that the L. gasseri group and the AX + L. gasseri group could alleviate metabolic disorders by decreasing the levels of L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, kynurenine acid, and arachidonic acid in obese mice. The effect of AX + L. gasseri group was better than that of the L. gasseri group, suggesting that AX promotes the lipid-lowering activity of L. gasseri, and the mechanism may be due to the activation of retrograde endocannabinoid signaling. AX can be used as a functional food ingredient to potentially alleviate obesity and metabolic syndrome.

内容: Increased accumulation of oxytetracycline (OTC) in environmental water bodies could potentially lead to its accumulation in human body, thereby damaging human intestinal tract. Dietary interventions could be helpful for recovery of intestinal morphology and function. Therefore, this study set zebrafish as model to explore the potential of kefir supplementation in the recovery of intestinal damage caused by exposure to OTC. In experiments by zebrafish, the rearing units used were glass tanks, each with volume of 5 L. The tanks were stocked with 12 zebrafish each. For each treatment, there were 8 replicate tanks. The zebrafish were treated with OTC followed by the addition of kefir to the food. The results showed positive improvements with kefir supplementation. Kefir treatment mitigated intestinal inflammation by reducing the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β; enhancing the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and increasing the gene expression of intestinal tight junction proteins (ZO-1a and ZO-1b). These effects were beneficial for reversing reduced integrity of intestinal barrier caused by OTC. Moreover, kefir helped to reverse the disruption of gut microbiota caused by OTC and further impacted host metabolism. Specifically, Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens and Lactobacillus kefiri, which were derived from the kefir microbiota, were found to be enriched in the zebrafish intestine. This helped to inhibit the increased abundance of some Proteobacteria species induced by OTC treatment. Liver metabolomics analysis revealed that kefir improved OTC-induced disruptions in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycerophospholipid and amino acid metabolism. The differentially abundant metabolites identified included a total of 80 types after OTC exposure, with the abundance of 74 kinds significantly reversed following kefir treatment. Correlation analysis revealed that certain Proteobacteria species and above Lactobacillus species were closely linked with metabolic inhibition in zebrafish caused by OTC and metabolic restoration caused by kefir treatment, respectively.

内容: Lily-Ziziphi Spinosae Semen decoction (LZ) is known for its blood nourishing, mind calming, body sedation, and sleep promoting effects in traditional Chinese medicine. However, its material basis and underlying mechanisms have not yet been clearly defined. This study applies liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, network pharmacology, and animal studies to reveal the material basis and sleep-improving mechanisms of LZ. The mixed decoction (LZ-ME) and single decoction (LZ-SE) were prepared to study their chemical components. Network pharmacology was used to predict the sleep-improving targets and signaling pathways of LZ. ICR mice were intragastrically administered saline (NC), melatonin (positive control group, 0.50 mg/kg), low (12.90 g/kg), medium (25.70 g/kg), and high (38.60 g/kg) dose of LZ-ME and LZ-SH for 30 days. The results showed that LZ-ME could prolong the sleep duration and shorten the sleep latency in sodium barbiturate induced mice model. The results of chemical composition showed that total polysaccharides, total flavonoids, total saponins, and total alkaloids in LZ-ME were significantly higher than those in LZ-SE (177.20%, 82.34%, 30.58%, and 11.66%, respectively). A total of 58 chemical components were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS), and 8 representative difference components of LZ-ME and LZ-SE were found. LZ-ME significantly increased tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in mice serum and neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in mice hippocampus, decreased dopamine (DA) and glutamate (Glu) levels in mice hippocampus (P < 0.05). Furthermore, LZ-ME up-regulated the abundance of the beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus and Eubacterium_R, down-regulated the abundance of the harmful bacteria Lachnospiraceae etc. The polysaccharides, flavonoids (spinosin and 6‴-feruloylspinosin) and saponins (jujuboside A and jujuboside B) were the main material bases for the sleep-promoting effects of LZ. These compounds may directly enhance levels of the GABA, reduced levels of Glu and DA and improve TNF-α levels. And they also may indirectly regulate GABA levels by influencing the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Eubacterium.

内容: Soybean is widely used in diets, and numerous reports have highlighted its antioxidant properties. However, constructing a methodology for rapid identifying and predicting a series of antioxidant active ingredients in Soybean presents certain challenges. Therefore, we introduced the spectrum-effect relationship-ingredient knockout identification technique to identify a series of antioxidant active ingredients in soybean. By combining untargeted metabolomics with network pharmacology, we predicted the antioxidant active ingredients and their target sites. We successfully identified 4 antioxidant active compounds (daidzein, genistein, daidzein, and glycitin) and 10 corresponding antioxidant targets (epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), steroid receptor coactivator (SRC), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), kinase insert domain receptor (KDR), AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), growth factor receptor bound protein 2 (GRB2), signal transducer and activator of transcription1 (STAT1), mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (MAPK8), B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL2)) by our analysis. The validation results from cell experiments revealed that glycitin exhibited the best antioxidant activity and significantly influenced the expression of EGFR and the proteins associated with nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NRF2/NQO1) signaling pathways. These findings were consistent with the predicted outcomes and were further confirmed in a zebrafish model. It suggests that glycitin may exert antioxidant effects by regulating the expression of EGFR, NRF2, and NQO1 proteins. The results demonstrate that a rapid analytical method for determining antioxidant activity was established.