Effect of insect tea on D-galactose-induced oxidation in mice and its mechanisms.

Kai Zhu,Wenfeng Li,Yaru Song,Chong Li,Fang Tan,Xiaofei Zeng,Xin Zhao

doi:10.1002/fsn3.1278

Abstract

Insect tea is a traditional Chinese drink that contains abundant bioactive substances. In this study, the preventive effect of Insect tea on D‐galactose‐induced oxidation in mice was studied. The serum, liver, and spleen of mice were measured by biochemical and molecular biological methods, which showed that Insect tea could increase the biochemical indexes of the thymus, brain, heart, liver, spleen, and kidney in mice with induced oxidative damage. Insect tea can increase the levels of SOD (superoxide dismutase), GSH‐Px (glutathione peroxidase), and GSH (glutathione) and decrease the levels of MDA (malondialdehyde) in the serum, liver, and spleen of mice with oxidative damage. Pathological observation also confirmed that Insect tea could inhibit oxidative damage of the liver and spleen tissue caused by D‐galactose in mice. Further molecular biological experiments also showed that Insect tea could upregulate the mRNA and protein expression of Cu/Zn‐SOD (cuprozinc‐superoxide dismutase), Mn‐SOD (manganese superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), HO‐1 (heme oxygenase‐1), Nrf2 (nuclear factor‐erythroid 2 related factor 2), γ‐GCS (γ‐glutamylcysteine synthetase), and NQO1 (NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1) in the liver and spleen of oxidized mice. Insect tea has a good preventive effect on D‐galactose‐induced oxidation in mice, and the effect is better than vitamin C, an antioxidant. Insect tea is rich in isochlorogenic acid A, quercetin, rutin, hesperidin, neochlorogenic acid, and cryptochlorogenic acid. The combination of these bioactive substances has good antioxidant effects. Thus, Insect tea is a functional food with a good antioxidant effect that has value for future development and utilization.

Highlights

Insect tea is a type of special tea beverage that is produced in China; Insect tea is different from ordinary tea, as it is healthy or medicinal tea
The results of this study showed that D-galactose could reduce the visceral index of mice induced by oxidative damage
Insect tea could alleviate the decrease in the visceral index of mice induced by D-galactose, preventing the oxidative damage in mice, and the effect was better than that of vitamin C

Summary

| INTRODUCTION

Insect tea is a type of special tea beverage that is produced in China; Insect tea is different from ordinary tea, as it is healthy or medicinal tea. As a traditional drink and Chinese medicine, has the functions of reducing and eliminating fever, detoxifying, strengthening the stomach, and helping digestion It has good effects on diarrhea, epistaxis, gingival bleeding and hemorrhoid bleeding (Feng, Luo, & Zhao, 2013). In animal and human clinical studies, natural foods have good antioxidant effects and can protect the body from oxidative stress-induced damage (Carluccio et al, 2003; Li et al, 2013). Effective active substances were extracted from Insect tea and applied to mice with D-galactose-induced oxidative damage. The effects of Insect tea extract on the serum and tissues of mice with D-galactose-induced oxidative damage were observed. The organ index was equal to the organ mass (g)/body mass of mice (kg) ×100

| MATERIALS AND METHODS

| RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

| CONCLUSIONS