Food Bioscience最新文献

{"title":"From traditional remedy to modern Therapeutics: Unveiling the anti-photoaging potential of Wuguchong (Chrysomyia megacephala) peptides","authors":"Ruijia Liu ,&nbsp;Lijuan He ,&nbsp;Wanlu Liu ,&nbsp;Jiulong An ,&nbsp;Lu Li ,&nbsp;Guoqi Liu ,&nbsp;Xinqi Liu ,&nbsp;He Li","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107084","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107084","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wuguchong is a high-quality insect protein source. Its enzymatic hydrolysis products have been proven to have the potential to improve skin photoaging problems. However, the existing preparation techniques are unable to produce such active peptides efficiently and directionally. Furthermore, the relationship between their molecular structures and the anti-photoaging effect remains unclear. This study employed both sequential and simultaneous enzymatic hydrolysis methods, using endopeptidases (alkaline proteinase, trypsin, papain, and neutral protease) and exopeptidases (flavourzyme) to prepare six different enzymatic hydrolysates of Wuguchong (WGC-Pep). The anti-photoaging activity of WGC-Pep was evaluated through cell migration ability, oxidative stress alleviation, and collagen content maintenance. The results showed that the simultaneous enzymatic hydrolysis method significantly increased the peptide yield (up to 57.02 (g/100 g defatted powder)). However, the sequential enzymatic hydrolysis method (alkaline proteinase → trypsin → flavourzyme) produced WGC-Pep with better effects in promoting cell migration, inhibiting ROS production, and suppressing MMP1/3/9 expression. Moreover, the C-terminal and N-terminal of its peptide chains were rich in hydrophobic and charged amino acids, respectively, greatly enhancing its anti-photoaging activity. This study proposed a hydrolysis sequence-peptide structure-functional effect association mechanism for WGC-Pep, and provided a theoretical basis for accurately obtaining WGC-Pep with specific functional activities. By enhancing the biological activity of Wuguchong and its hydrolysates through enzymatic techniques, this research expanded their application in functional foods and pharmaceuticals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 107084"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144335831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physicochemical characteristics and therapeutic mechanisms of Sargassum horneri-derived soluble dietary fiber in cyclophosphamide-induced intestinal damage via gut microbiota and metabolic modulation","authors":"Fanghang Li ,&nbsp;Jing Tian ,&nbsp;Yezhu Xu ,&nbsp;Wenting Yi ,&nbsp;Qiang Chen ,&nbsp;Jiteng Wang ,&nbsp;Su Jiang ,&nbsp;Yunping Tang ,&nbsp;Tao Han","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106996","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106996","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, soluble dietary fiber (SDF) was extracted from <em>Sargassum horneri</em> via enzymatic hydrolysis and evaluated for therapeutic efficacy in male ICR mice (5–6 weeks, 17–18 g) with intestinal injury induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX; 80 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal injection for 5 days). Animals received daily intragastric gavage of SDF at low- (250 mg/kg), medium- (500 mg/kg), or high-dose (1000 mg/kg) concentrations for 7 days. Biochemical assays demonstrated that SDF enhances antioxidant capacity in colon tissues and reduces serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The up-regulation of tight junction proteins (Claudin-1, Zonula Occludens-1, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) further confirmed the reinforcement of the intestinal barrier. Untargeted metabolomics revealed that SDF restores CTX-induced metabolic disorders by modulating the kynurenine pathway, optimizing histidine metabolism, and restoring glycerophospholipid homeostasis. Notably, 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that SDF induces significant shifts in microbial ecology, characterized by increased probiotics (<em>norank_f__Muribaculaceae</em>, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05; <em>Bacteroides</em>, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05; <em>Alloprevotella</em>, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). These findings highlight the intricate interplay between microbiota and metabolome in SDF-mediated intestinal protection, offering novel insights for developing functional foods to combat chemotherapy-associated gut toxicity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 106996"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144313071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of modification technologies on characteristics and bioactivities of the pectic polysaccharide from cantaloupe peels","authors":"Mingze Gong ,&nbsp;Ruizhan Chen ,&nbsp;Hui Sun ,&nbsp;Helong Bai ,&nbsp;Cui Yang ,&nbsp;Dongxue Li ,&nbsp;Wenjing Wu ,&nbsp;Yongtang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107080","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107080","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In order to further reveal the correlation between characteristics and activities, the effects of separation and modifications (sulfation (SM), ultrasound (UM), high temperature and high pressure (HM), and enzymatic hydrolysis (EM)) on the physicochemical characteristics, functional properties, antioxidant, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of Cantaloupe peels pectin polysaccharides (CPs) were systematically compared. Results showed that the separation and modification techniques were chief factors affecting the yield, chemical composition, molecular weight (Mw), degree of esterification (DE), water solubility (WS), emulsifying ability (EA), emulsion stability (ES), thermal stability, helical structure, antioxidant capacity, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity. Among the eight products, isolated polysaccharide (MCP-1) and HM polysaccharides (H-MCP-4) displayed higher antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities, mainly attributed to lower Mw, DE and higher uronic acid content (UAC), proved that Mw and UAC are the main factors affecting the physicochemical characteristics and bioactivity of polysaccharides. The results reveal that HM of polysaccharide can significantly change their physicochemical and functional properties, increase bioactivities and broaden the application in food and pharmaceutical industries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 107080"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144366688","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Design of an enzymatic process for the obtention of short-chain fructooligosaccharides from Agave salmiana leaves","authors":"Mónica Robles-Arias ,&nbsp;Alma Cruz-Guerrero","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107078","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107078","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agave has become an important crop due to its use in alcoholic beverage production and its content of bioactive compounds such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS). While commercial enzymes have been used to extract FOS from agave pines or directly from agave inulin, the reported yields remain low. This study aimed to evaluate enzymatic extracts produced by epiphytic yeasts (<em>Kluyveromyces marxianus</em>) and lactic-acid bacteria (LAB) (<em>Lacticaseibacillus paracasei</em> ASA.DG5 and <em>Enterococcus faecium</em> ASP.DG8) for FOS production using agave leaves sourced from industrial waste.</div><div>Enzymes secreted by <em>K. marxianus</em> were able to hydrolyze dahlia inulin but were ineffective against agave inulin. In contrast, extracellular enzymes produced by LAB strains successfully hydrolyzed both agave inulin and fructans present in agave leaves. Concentrating these extracellular enzymes by freeze-drying significantly improved FOS yields. The highest FOS production (15.48 mg/mL) was obtained from the tip of the agave leaf using the enzymatic extract from <em>L. paracasei</em> ASP.DG5, yielding FOS with a degree of polymerization (DP) ≤ 5,which may possess biological activity. Furthermore, using the agave leaves, which are an industrial byproduct, for FOS production represents a novel and sustainable strategy to reduce the environmental impact of the distilled beverage industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 107078"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144306519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A cross-sectional study of the gut microbiota associated with urinary and serum equol production status in a general population of Japanese men","authors":"Yukiko Okami ,&nbsp;Hisatomi Arima ,&nbsp;Shigeki Bamba ,&nbsp;Fu Namai ,&nbsp;Keiko Kondo ,&nbsp;Yuki Ideno ,&nbsp;Ayumi Soejima ,&nbsp;Haruna Miyakawa ,&nbsp;Sayuki Torii ,&nbsp;Hiroyoshi Segawa ,&nbsp;Mizuki Ohashi ,&nbsp;Megumi Kawashima ,&nbsp;Takashi Hisamatsu ,&nbsp;Aya Kadota ,&nbsp;Akira Sekikawa ,&nbsp;Akira Fujiyoshi ,&nbsp;Katsuyuki Miura ,&nbsp;SESSA Research Group","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Equol is a metabolite produced by the gut microbiota from the soy isoflavone daidzein. Previous studies identified bacteria capable of converting daidzein to equol. We investigated whether equol producers among Japanese with a high soy intake contained these bacteria. We also examined differences in equol production status between urine and serum and how the gut microbiota differs between these statuses. To minimize the potential confounding effects of hormonal variability in women, this cross-sectional study analyzed 853 Japanese men. Urinary and serum isoflavones were collected in the morning after fasting and were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. By applying a finite mixture model for each log₁₀ equol/daidzein ratio, we defined equol producers and non-producers from urine and serum. Among 669 participants with fecal microbial measurements, the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced on a MiSeq System. The cut-off values for the log₁₀ equol/daidzein ratio were −0.94 for urine and −0.95 for serum. Equol production status in urine and serum matched in 97 %, and equol producers from urine or serum were 42 %. The microbiota was more diverse in producers than in non-producers; the genus <em>Senegalimassilia</em> included strains with high sequence identity (&gt;98 %) to daidzein reductase. The family Oscillospiraceae and class <em>Clostridia</em> also had approximately 46 %–48 % sequence identity. The equol production status of fasting urine and serum almost matched among a general population of Japanese men. Although we did not detect a microbiota with known daidzein reductase in equol producers, several shared similar sequences; these may include equol-producing bacteria that have not yet been identified.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 107048"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144335829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"5-Hydroxytryptamine mediated 5-HTR4-ILP axis orchestrates glucose utilization and glycogen storage in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)","authors":"Liting Ren ,&nbsp;Ben Yang ,&nbsp;Mengmeng Xu ,&nbsp;Chengjun Zhi ,&nbsp;Qi Li ,&nbsp;Shikai Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107079","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107079","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Glycogen originating from animal-derived foods is increasingly perceived as a high-quality nutrient and an unignorable component of the diet. 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) has been identified to regulate glycogen-targeted nutrient traits based on multi-omics analysis, yet its molecular regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we reveal that the 5-HT mediated 5-HTR4-ILP regulatory axis orchestrates glucose utilization and glycogen synthesis in the Pacific oyster (<em>Crassostrea gigas</em>). We find that 5-HT system in oysters is glucose-sensitive and its activation directs the metabolic fate of glucose toward glycogen accumulation. Phylogenetic analysis combined with glucose treatments identifies 5-HTR4 as the core receptor that triggers a series of downstream signaling cascades, including canonical cAMP/PKA pathway, along with the noncanonical MAPK, mTOR and AMPK pathways. These signals are integrated by nuclear CREM transcription factor, which binds to the CRE element on the promoter of insulin-like peptides (ILPs), thereby initiating gene transcription followed by facilitating the uptake and conversion of glucose into glycogen. This study establishes a 5-HT mediated molecular regulatory network governing metabolic processes, offering novel targets for the enhancement of glycogen quality traits in oysters and other food animals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 107079"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing antimicrobial properties and hydrophilicity of environmentally biodegradable plastic using sparking-deposited ZnO nanoparticles","authors":"Chitsiri Rachtanapun ,&nbsp;Jirasak Sukunta ,&nbsp;Kittisak Jantanasakulwong ,&nbsp;Sarinthip Thanakkasaranee ,&nbsp;Juthamas Tantala ,&nbsp;Pornchai Rachtanapun","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107077","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107077","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodegradable plastics such as polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), and polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) are sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based packaging, but their limited antimicrobial properties hinder broader applications in food packaging. This study presents a solvent-free sparking discharge method to deposit zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles onto bioplastic surfaces to enhance antimicrobial and hydrophilic properties. ZnO was deposited on PLA, PBS, and PBAT films through 10 to 60 sparking cycles. Structural and surface characterizations were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and water contact angle. Antibacterial activity against <em>Escherichia coli</em> and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> and antifungal activity against <em>Aspergillus flavus</em> spores were evaluated by plate count methods. LIVE/DEAD BacLight staining with fluorescence microscopy confirmed microbial viability. PLA showed the most uniform ZnO distribution among the films, with 16.63 wt% Zn detected after 60 sparking cycles. This treatment reduced the water contact angle from 96.67° to 37.93°, indicating improved surface wettability. Zn-PLA-60X achieved the highest antimicrobial performance, reducing <em>E. coli</em> and <em>S. aureus</em> by 1.44 and 1.01 log CFU/25 cm² (96 % and 90 % reduction) and reducing <em>A. flavus</em> spores by 2.16 log (∼99 %). Fluorescence imaging confirmed increased membrane damage and cell death. These results demonstrated that the sparking method offered a practical, scalable, and environmentally friendly approach for producing antimicrobial biodegradable films, with Zn-PLA-60X showing potential for food packaging and biomedical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 107077"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144331499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolic characteristics of yellow tea kombucha and its obesity-prevention potential in high-fat diet induced obesity in mice","authors":"Yaowei Liu ,&nbsp;Zhe Wang ,&nbsp;Yan Zheng ,&nbsp;Ruonan Liu ,&nbsp;Peng Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107075","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107075","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Functional tea beverages are gaining more and more attention globally. This study investigated the metabolic characteristics of yellow tea kombucha (YTK) and evaluated its potential in preventing obesity <em>in vivo</em>. The results showed that the color of yellow tea kombucha became lighter, and the total acidity and total polyphenols increased during the fermentation process. In total, 444 metabolites were quantified, and there are 151 significantly differently metabolites in fresh tea broth and kombucha made from. The content of organic acids, amino acids, and secondary metabolites of plants all increased after fermentation. Besides, the animal experiments showed that YTK showed great potential in preventing high fat feed (HFD) induced obesity. Histological observation indicated YTK treatment alleviated the adipose accumulation in both white adipose and liver tissue. In addition, YTK treatment decreased the total cholesterol (TC) and total triglyceride (TG) levels in blood. The transcriptome revealed that YTK alleviated the HFD-induced obesity of mice by regulating the genes expression involved with fatty acids metabolism in both white adipose and liver. These findings support further investigation into kombucha as a functional beverage for obesity prevention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 107075"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144306522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modulation of Bacteroides fragilis-driven bile acid metabolism in stroke-associated enterotypes by Eucommia ulmoides extract and Limosilactobacillus reuteri","authors":"Xuangao Wu ,&nbsp;Ting Zhang ,&nbsp;Tianshun Zhang ,&nbsp;Sunmin Park","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107064","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107064","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gut microbiota dysbiosis influences the risk of ischemic stroke (IS). Diet and natural products can modulate the microbiota to prevent disease. This study investigated the relationship between specific enterotypes and bile acids in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and assessed the therapeutic effects of <em>Eucommia ulmoides</em> extract (EU) and <em>Limosilactobacillus reuteri</em> (<em>L. reuteri</em>). Public metagenomic data from IS patients and healthy controls were used to classify the gut microbiota. Constraint-based metabolic models (COBRA) were employed to predict microbial metabolic features. Machine learning (XGBoost-SHAP) was utilized to identify key microbes and metabolites. In vitro experiments explored the interactions between <em>Bacteroides fragilis</em> (<em>B. fragilis</em>) and <em>L. reuteri</em> plus EU extract. Furthermore, a PC12 and Caco-2 co-culture cell model was used to validate their effects on the gut-brain axis. The Bacteroidaceae-dominant enterotype (ET-B) is associated with a higher risk of IS, while the Lachnospiraceae-dominant enterotype (ET-L) is associated with a lower IS risk. ET-B, enriched with <em>B. fragilis</em>, increases the production of deoxycholic acid (DCA), thereby impairing brain and gut function. The combined intervention of <em>L. reuteri</em> and EU extract, particularly the addition of EU, significantly inhibited <em>B. fragilis</em> growth and DCA production, improved intestinal barrier function by upregulating phosphorylation of AMPKα and zonula occludens-1, and demonstrated neuroprotective effects via upregulating the phosphorylation of AKT (p &lt; 0.05).</div><div>In conclusion, ET-B and ET-L represent high-risk and protective enterotypes for IS, respectively, with <em>B. fragilis</em>-derived DCA serving as a key mediator of gut-brain axis dysregulation in stroke pathogenesis. The synergistic effects of EU extract and <em>L. reuteri</em> in ameliorating gut-brain axis dysfunction open new therapeutic possibilities for natural product-based stroke prevention and treatment strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 107064"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144470421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unraveling the mechanisms of fermented chicory root in alleviating hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus: based on in vivo experiments and network pharmacological study","authors":"Shasha Fang ,&nbsp;Jiaqian Liang ,&nbsp;Ke Li ,&nbsp;Qiao Qian ,&nbsp;Zhijie Shi ,&nbsp;Zhenming Lu ,&nbsp;Xiaojuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Mengyang Lu ,&nbsp;Hongyu Xu ,&nbsp;Zhenghong Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107043","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fbio.2025.107043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chicory (<em>Cichorium intybus</em> L.) is a plant that has a dual function as both a foodstuff and a medicinal agent. The substance has been demonstrated to possess a number of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and potentially anti-cancer properties. However, the precise mechanism through which it exerts its action in improving blood sugar levels remains to be fully elucidated. The present study has been conducted for the purpose of investigating the effect of Fermented Chicory Root (FCR) on hyperglycemia in leptin-deficient db./db mice, and of revealing its potential mechanism of action through network pharmacology and experimental validation. The results demonstrate that the ingestion of fermented chicory roots can lead to a substantial reduction in fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and insulin resistance levels, while concomitantly attenuating the inflammatory response of insulin target organs. However, the unfermented group did not demonstrate any improvement in the indicators under review. The active ingredients, targets and pathways are mined in a single step by means of network pharmacology. The mechanism of action of this agent may involve multiple active ingredients, including phenols, coumarins and fatty acid compounds. These ingredients achieve comprehensive regulation of glucose metabolism, insulin resistance and inflammatory response by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. The qRT-PCR detection results of epididymal adipose tissue indicated that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was activated, thus confirming the results of network pharmacology. This study combines <em>in vivo</em> experiments with network pharmacology to provide a new theoretical basis for analyzing the pharmacological effects of chicory roots.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12409,"journal":{"name":"Food Bioscience","volume":"71 ","pages":"Article 107043"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144338311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}