Pharmaceutical Field Research Articles

Thermostability and activity improvement in l-threonine aldolase through targeted mutations in V-shaped subunit

l-threonine aldolase (LTA) catalyzes the synthesis of β-hydroxy-α-amino acids, which are important chiral intermediates widely used in the fields of pharmaceuticals and pesticides. However, the limited thermostability of LTA hinders its industrial application. Furthermore, the trade-off between thermostability and activity presents a challenge in the thermostability engineering of this enzyme. This study proposes a strategy to regulate the rigidity of LTA's V-shaped subunit by modifying its opening and hinge regions, distant from the active center, aiming to mitigate the trade-off. With LTA from Bacillus nealsonii as targeted enzyme, a total of 25 residues in these two regions were investigated by directed evolution. Finally, mutant G85A/M207L/A12C was obtained, showing significantly enhanced thermostability with a 20 °C increase in T5060 to 66 °C, and specific activity elevated by 34 % at the optimum temperature. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that the newly formed hydrophobicity and hydrogen bonds improved the thermostability and boosted proton transfer efficiency. This work enhances the thermostability of LTA while preventing the loss of activity. It opens new avenues for the thermostability engineering of other industrially relevant enzymes with active center located at the interface of subunits or domains.

A Review on the Mechanisms, Applications, and Clinical Trials of Advanced Technologies in the Transdermal Drug Delivery System.

Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems (TDDS) have emerged as a promising method for administering therapeutic agents due to their non-invasive nature and patient-friendly approach. However, the effectiveness of this system is limited to drugs with specific physicochemical properties that allow for transdermal delivery as the skin acts as a barrier. To address this limitation, researchers have been exploring alternative approaches to improve drug delivery through the stratum corneum, ensuring consistent drug distribution at controlled rates. Thirdgeneration delivery systems have been developed to facilitate the delivery of various drugs across the skin barrier by disrupting the stratum corneum while protecting deeper skin tissues from injury. This review has explored various approaches that have gained popularity in enhancing drug delivery through TDDS, including microneedle-mediated, nanoparticle-enabled, thermal ablation-enhanced, and electroporation-driven delivery systems. It has discussed the mechanisms of drug delivery and potential applications for different types of drugs and detailed the clinical studies. This review has also highlighted the significant advancements in TDDS, offering valuable insights into both the pharmaceutical field and biomedical applications. The continued exploration and refinement of these delivery systems, particularly with the incorporation of Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and machine learning, hold promise for expanding the scope of therapeutic interventions.

Molecular imprinting electrochemical sensor based on hollow spherical PProDOT-2CH2OH and chitosan-derived carbon materials for highly sensitive detection of chloramphenicol

The misuse of chloramphenicol (CAP) has jeopardized environmental safety. It is critical to create an effective and sensitive CAP detection technique. In this paper, a composite of chitosan (CS)-derived carbon material modified hollow spherical hydroxylated poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT-2CH2OH) was designed, which innovatively used o-phenylenediamine and p-aminobenzoic acid as bi-functional monomers to prepare molecular imprinting polymer (MIP) sensors for highly sensitive analysis and determination of CAP. It was found that the hollow spherical structure of PProDOT-2CH2OH significantly enhanced the rapid electron migration. When combined with the CS-derived carbon material, which has multi-functional sites, it improved the electrical activity and stability of the sensor. It also provided more active centers for the MIP layer to specifically recognize CAP. Therefore, this MIP sensor had a wide linear response (0.0001 ∼ 125 μM), a low limit of detection (LOD, 6.6 pM), excellent selectivity and stability. In addition, studies showed that the sensor has potential practical value. Environmental implicationChloramphenicol (CAP) is one of the most widely used antibiotics with the highest dosage due to its low price and broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. Due to its incomplete metabolism in living organisms and its difficulty in degrading in the environment, contamination caused by it can pose a threat to public health. In this study, a novel molecularly imprinted sensor (MIP/PC2C1/GCE) was designed to provide a new idea for rapid and precise removal of CAP by adsorption. The detection of CAP in pharmaceutical, water quality, and food fields was realized.

Cultivating Student Competencies and Practical Exploration in the Pharmaceutical Service Teaching Model

With the increasing demand for healthcare and the rapid development of the pharmaceutical service field, pharmaceutical education faces new challenges and opportunities. Traditional pharmaceutical service te aching models can no longer fully meet the requirements of modern pharmaceutical talent cultivation, necessitating the integration of modern educational technologies and innovative teaching methods. This paper first provides an overview of the existing pharmaceutical service teaching models and then explores the cultivation of student competencies within this model, including systematic knowledge and skills development, formation of clinical decision-making abilities, enhancement of communication and collaboration skills, and education on professional ethics and regulatory compliance. Finally, this paper proposes innovative practices in the pharmaceutical service teaching model, such as innovations in practice bases and internship projects, the application of virtual reality and simulation technologies, and the development of interdisciplinary teaching projects, aiming to provide new ideas and methods for pharmaceutical education.

Personalization of lipid-based oral dosage forms via filament-based 3D-printing

While filament-based 3D-printing (3DP) is the most utilized 3DP technology in the pharmaceutical field, it has not been demonstrated for processing of drug-loaded lipid-based formulations. This work exploits hexa-glycerol ester of palmitic acid (Pg6-C16-P) as an advanced lipid material, loaded with felodipine as a poorly soluble model drug, for fabricating novel oral solid dosage forms (OSDFs) via filament-based 3D-printing. After material melt-blending, the formulation was extruded using the liquid feeding approach to obtain a mechanically manageable, and hence 3D-printable, drug-loaded lipid filament. The fabrication of geometries with variable infill densities was demonstrated. The extent of infill density was found to significantly impact the optimal printing parameters required to achieve the desired shape. The solid-state analysis confirmed the amorphous state of felodipine after 3DP. The release rate of the drug was studied via in vitro dissolution test and showed to be tunable based on the tablet geometry. It was also possible to tailor the design of the dosage form to perform similarly to a commercial product. The formulation was evidenced as safe via in vitro toxicity studies with improved felodipine solubility. This study establishes filament-based 3DP as an alternative platform viable for fabricating advanced lipid-based OSDFs, and concurrently, promotes Pg6-C16-P as a promising and high performing 3DP lipid material for drug delivery.

Microwave-Induced Synthesis of Bioactive Nitrogen Heterocycles.

There are many different applications of heterocyclic molecules in the pharmaceutical and materials science fields, which make them an important family of compounds. Among these heterocyclic compounds, nitrogen-containing heterocyclic (N-heterocyclic) compounds have attracted a lot of interest among researchers due to their various applications across a wide variety of fields. Many studies have been performed over the past few years to study the synthesis of N-heterocycles under different reaction conditions, such as solvent-free, catalytic, reactants immobilized on a solid support, one-pot synthesis, and microwave irradiation. It has been demonstrated by our research group that microwaves can be utilized for rapid and efficient synthesis of biologically active compounds. In this review, we provide an overview of the microwave-assisted non-catalytic and catalytic preparation of nitrogen-containing heterocycles, mostly polycyclic N-heterocycles, five-membered N-heterocycles, six-membered N-heterocycles, and fused N-heterocycles. Mostly in this article, we explore the microwave-assisted preparation of biologically important compounds, such as pyrimidines, thiazoles, imines, tetrazoles, steroidal derivatives, quinolines, indolizine, triazoles, beta-lactams, pyrroles and quinoxalines.

Controllably Constructing morphology and structure of potassium chloride crystal by green supersaturation modulation

Controllable and green construction of morphology and structure in potassium chloride (KCl) crystals is necessary in the fields of pharmaceuticals, catalysis, minerals, and jewels design. Here, the work presented a lucid way for preparing KCl crystal with various morphology including hopper-, sphere- and hollow cube-like structure through green supersaturation modulation. Parameters including stirring speed, cooling range, cooling rate, and excess inorganic composing ions influenced the growth kinetics of hopper KCl crystal as well as the surficial morphology and structure: (1) Metastable region and stable conditions were beneficial for uniform growth of crystal; (2) Small size of crystal particles were obtained with high shear force; (3) Corner angle of crystal would be abraded in slow cooling rate; (4) Non-uniform crystal appeared in improper cooling range condition; (5) Additional composing ions might introduce deformed structure according to the basic crystal repeating unit with corresponding elements. Based on the above study of growth kinetics, hopper-, sphere- and hollow cube-like crystal were obtained. The morphology and structure properties of various crystal were researched by three-dimensional visualization, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) for optimized application such as higher exposing surface area of hopper-like crystal than original cubic crystal. The main exposed faces for smooth cubic, hollow cubic, and hopper structure exhibited were (200), (220), and (400) facet, respectively, which could be a consequence of the inner beveling. Surface of spherical structure was a circular arc with relative high roughness, being ascribed to the formation mechanism of spherical structure from cubic structure. Therefore, the work presented a strategy to controllably design KCl crystal with different structure and morphology in a green way.

Digitalization and Technology in the Fight Against Crimes, Related to Pharmacy Drug Addiction

In modern society, digitalization and technology play a key role in the fight against crimes related to drug addiction. This study examines various aspects of the use of digital technologies to combat prescription drug abuse and drug trafficking. The introduction of electronic prescriptions, centralized systems for monitoring drug sales and digital patient databases makes it possible to effectively monitor and control the process of prescribing and receiving drugs. The use of artificial intelligence and big data analytics helps identify patterns associated with drug addiction and early detection of abnormal activities. Online platforms for public information and education, as well as mobile applications for self-control and support, have a significant impact on preventing the development of addiction. As a result, digital technologies provide significant support in the fight against pharmacy addiction by increasing transparency, accountability and safety in the pharmaceutical field.

Development of an accelerated ageing protocol for the study of phytocannabinoid stability in Cannabis sativa L.

Cannabis sativa L. is a plant belonging to the Cannabaceae family known primarily for its recreational use due to the psychoactive properties of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Despite this, several compounds belonging to the category of phytocannabinoids have shown in recent years a number of potentially promising therapeutic effects that have increased the interest in the pharmaceutical field towards this plant. However, the content of these compounds is very variable and influenced by different factors, such as growing conditions and time of the year. An indication of the status and age of Cannabis samples is provided by the content of CBN, a minor phytocannabinoid and degradation product of other phytocannabinoids, including THC. In this research work an innovative, solid state analytical approach has been developed to observe and evaluate the variations in the content of two phytocannabinoids (CBN and CBD) in Cannabis-derived products over time. In order to simulate the ageing of the Cannabis samples, an artificially accelerated ageing procedure has been developed and optimised by using high temperatures. The analyses were carried out using an innovative ATR-FTIR method for solid state analysis, enabling direct analysis of a solid sample without any pretreatment phase. This study has allowed the development of an innovative analytical approach for the evaluation of the age and state of conservation of Cannabis samples and may be a useful tool both in the industrial, pharmaceutical and forensic fields.

Organoselenium-based Azomethines as Apoptosis Inducers in Colorectal Carcinoma via P53, BAX, Caspase-3, Caspase-6, and Caspase-9 Modulations.

Organoselenium (OSe) agents and Schiff bases have demonstrated immense potential in the pharmaceutical field due to their broad spectrum of medicinal activities. We herein report the antitumor activities of bis diselenide-based Schiff bases (3a-3c) derived from bis(4-aminophenyl)diselenide 2 and organoselenide-based Schiff bases (5a-c) derived from p-(methylselanyl)phenyl amine (4). The antitumor activity was estimated against fifteen cancer cell lines. Also, the growth inhibition percentage (GI%) of the Schiff bases tethered OSe compounds was evaluated against two normal cell lines, namely, human skin fibroblasts (HSF) and olfactory ensheathing cell line (OEC), to estimate the potential safety and selectivity. Furthermore, the cytotoxic inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) was assessed against the cancer cell lines with the most outstanding GI% using the SRB assay. Compounds 3a, 3b, 3c, and 5a showed the lowest IC50 values compared to those of doxorubicin (DOX) against HCT116, HEPG2, A549, MDA-MB-468, and FaDu cancer cell lines, respectively, especially against the HCT116 subtype, assuring their potential anticancer activity. On the other side, the apoptotic potentials of the most active compounds (3a, 3b, 3c, and 5a) were also evaluated for apoptosis-related genes (P53, BAX, caspases 3, 6, 8, and 9, MMP2, MMP9, and BCL-2). Interestingly, compounds 3a, 3b, 3c, and 5a upregulated P53, BAX, and caspases 3, 6, 8, and 9 by (2.66, 2.26, 2.44, and 2.57)-, (1.62, 1.52, 1.37, and 1.47)-, (1.87, 1.75, 2.02, and 1.75)-, (1.96, 1.74, 2.06, and 2.30)-, (4.25, 3.78, 3.53, and 3.96)-, and (2.04, 1.72, 1.90, and 1.63)-fold change, respectively. Furthermore, MMP2, MMP9, and BCL-2 were downregulated by (0.39, 0.51, 0.33, and 0.28)-, (0.29, 0.32, 0.37, and 0.41)-, and (0.42, 0.35, 0.29, and 0.38)-fold-change, upon treatment with compounds 3a, 3b, 3c, and 5a, respectively, assuring the apoptotic potentials. Finally, molecular docking also greatly recommends the potential activity of the examined candidates (especially 3a and 3c) against the GSTP1 receptor as a recommended mechanism for their antitumor activity. Our findings point to significant anticancer activities of Schiff bases tethered OSe agents, suggesting their promising potential for development as effective anticancer drugs.

High-Performance Organic Aerogels Tailored for Versatile Recycling Approaches: Recycling-Reforming-Upcycling.

Organic aerogels are emerging as promising materials due to their versatile properties, rendering them excellent candidates for a variety of applications in the fields of thermal insulation, energy storage, pharmaceuticals, chemical adsorption, and catalysis. However, current aerogel designs rely on cross-linked polymer networks, which lack efficient end-of-use solutions, thereby hindering their overall sustainability. In this study, a facile synthesis of organic aerogels with a unique combination of imine and cyanurate moieties is presented, resulting in high-performance, lightweight insulating materials. The aerogels' structure, ensures mechanical robustness, thermal resistance, and hydrophobicity without additional treatments, crucial for long-term performance. Additionally, in response to the currently unsustainable use of cross-linked polymer materials, the molecular design offers diverse avenues of chemical recycling. These include full depolymerization back into the original monomers, partial network fragmentation producing soluble oligomers that can be promptly employed to fabricate new aerogels, and upcycling of aerogel waste into useful building blocks. This work pioneers a novel approach to material design, emphasizing recyclability as a core feature while maintaining high-performance excellence.

Aquasome: As Drug Delivery Carrier in the Pharmaceutical Field

Aquasome: As Drug Delivery Carrier in the Pharmaceutical Field

Novel “Signal-On” photoelectrochemical assay by regulating the release of cationic dyes with the utilization of target-specific enzymolysis hydrogels

Targeted response-based controlled release strategy exhibits high specificity and sensitivity in many biomedical applications. In this paper, we report a novel and simple “signal-on” photoelectrochemical (PEC) assay strategy, which regulates the release of cationic dyes through the utilization of target-specific enzymolysis hydrogel. The cationic dye crystal violet (CV) embedded in the hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel was released in the presence of hyaluronidase (HAase) and increased the cathodic photocurrent of BiOBr nanoflowers. The cathodic photocurrent response is linear with the logarithm of HAase activity in the range of 0.10–120 U/mL, with an ultralow detection limit of 0.034 U/mL detected. Our work provides a simple and efficient strategy to detect HAase activity by monitoring the enzyme response of hydrogel-controlled release photosensitizer, which is expected to be able to provide an efficient strategy for early clinical diagnosis of some other diseases and meet the ever-increasing needs in pharmaceutical and medical fields.

Synthesis of Chi-sphere silver nanocomposite and nanocomposites of silver, gold, and S@G using a chitosan biopolymer extracted from potato peels and their antimicrobial application

Chitin and chitosan have been proven to have numerous applications in biomedical, pharmaceutical, and industrial fields. In the present study, chitin structural polymer was extracted from potato peel wastes by the use of chemical methods and chitosan biopolymer was generated through the deacetylation of the isolated potato peel chitin. On a dry weight basis, the yield of chitin content of the potato peel wastes is 49.80±1.2 % and the yield of deacetylated potato peel chitin (potato peel chitosan) is 47.60±1.8 %. It was characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR studies. Consequently, the potato peel chitosan was employed in the synthesis of Chitosan-Silver-Nanocomposite-Sphere (Chi-SNC-Sphere), and other metal nanocomposite of silver (C.g-CSNCs), gold (C.g-CGNCs), and bimetallic (C.g-CS@GNCs). The physicochemical features of the resulting products were characterized using UV-Vis, FT-IR, PXRD, FESEM, TEM, and EDAX. The FESEM unveiled a smooth, spherical, and nonporous surface morphology of the synthesized Chi-SNCs-Sphere, while the remaining three have surfaces that appeared in the form of flakes. As per TEM images, particles were visible in black-spherical (C.g-CSNC) and black-multi-shapes (C.g-CSNC, C.g-CS@GNC) nanostructures. Their sizes were confined within the range of 1–10 nm, with average values of 4.36 nm±0.40–5.85 nm±0.42. On the basis of BET analysis, C.g.CSNCs C.g-CS@GNC and C.g.CGNCs under identical conditions possess the surface area of 69.92 m2g−1, 52.35 m2g−1, and 49.75 m2g−1 respectively. The nanomaterials were found stable as revealed by the study of zeta potential which is found in the range of +41.3–56.2. The results of the bioassay for antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus uncovered that the Chi-SNCs-Sphere, C.g-CSNCs, and C.g-CS@GNCs demonstrated superior activities than C.g-CGNCs. According to statistical analysis results of one-way ANOVA of antibacterial results against S. aureus, the P-value F- calculated F-critical was 0.99,1.5 and 3.4 and for P. aeruginosa; P-value, F-calculated, F-critical was 0.80, 0.22 and 5.94 respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was found most significant for C.g-CSNC (20 µg/mL) due to its higher surface area. These activities could be attributed to the synergistic effect of the metal nanoparticles, potato peel chitosan, and the plant extract that was used for the reduction, stabilization, and biofunctionalization.

Does science disrupt technology? Examining science intensity, novelty, and recency through patent-paper citations in the pharmaceutical field

The role of scientific knowledge in advancing technology is widely recognized, but its impact in generating disruptive ideas and catalyzing technological change is less well known. To fill this gap, this study addresses a new research question about whether and how prior scientific knowledge contributes to technological disruptiveness. Specifically, our study focused on the pharmaceutical field, which has a frequent interaction between science and technology, and employed the patent-paper citations to explore the disruptive impact of science on technology. Drawing on the 1,883,593 granted patents in pharmaceuticals and their 1,546,960 cited papers prior to 2018, we found patents with scientific references appear to be more disruptive than those without scientific citations and such effect has gradually pronounced in recent decades, even though technological disruptiveness is generally declining over time. For each granted patent, we further developed three scientific characteristics including science intensity, science novelty and science recency and estimated their effects on technological disruptiveness. The regression analysis showed science intensity and science novelty both have an inverted U-shaped relationship with technological disruptiveness, suggesting intermediate-level novel scientific knowledge input can inspire the generation of disruptive ideas for pharmaceutical technological innovation. While science recency presents a negative association, underlying that recent scientific knowledge could offer advanced theoretical insights that may destabilize the existing technological trajectory. Moreover, collaboration is another important factor in enhancing the disruptive impact of science on technology. Our study contributes to the existing literature by introducing the disruptive impact of science on technology.

Magnetic field enhanced terahertz generation from shape-dependent metallic nanoparticles

Abstract This communication deals with the analytical study of terahertz (THz) generation via frequency-difference mechanism using two circularly symmetric Gaussian laser beams with slightly different frequencies ω 1 and ω 2 and wave vectors k → 1 and k → 2 simultaneously propagating through a mixture of spatially corrugated noble-metal nanoparticles. The mixture, consisting of spherical nanoparticles (SNPs) and cylindrical nanoparticles (CNPs), is placed in a host medium under the influence of an externally applied static magnetic field. The two co-propagating laser beams impart a nonlinear ponderomotive force on the electrons of the NPs, causing them to experience nonlinear oscillatory velocity. Furthermore, the consequent nonlinear current density excites THz radiation at the beat frequency ω ( = ω 1 − ω 2 ) . Magnetic fields influence the surface plasmon resonance condition associated with electrons of the nanoparticles due to enhancement in ponderomotive nonlinearities, thereby causing an increment in the amplitude of the generated THz field. It is observed that the generated THz radiation has a strong dependence on the shape and size of the NPs in addition to the magnetic field strength. CNPSs provide greater THz amplitude than SNPs due to additional resonance modes, and combining both kinds of nanostructures further enhances the amplitude. THz radiation plays an important role in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields, communications, security and THz spectroscopy.

Cyclotides Versus Acyclotides: Discovery, Characterization and Their Potential in Cancer Therapy

AbstractProtein‐ and peptide‐based therapies have emerged as a possible alternative to antibody‐ and small molecule‐ based therapies for treating cancer, aiming to improve drug localization and enhance effectiveness. Peptides such as cyclotides and acyclotides are known for their exceptional stability, which is attributed to the presence of a cystine knot. These peptides exhibit a diverse array of biological activities, making them promising candidates for therapeutic development. Transcriptomics approaches are frequently employed to gain insights into gene organization and identify variations in transcript expression levels. Furthermore, proteomics and NMR spectroscopy techniques are highly regarded as a potent method for analyzing peptide structures. This review offers a thorough examination of the most recent advancements and developments in the methods employed to isolate and characterize the peptides, including purification, proteomics, and transcriptomics. Furthermore, the article thoroughly analyzes the unique structural features of cyclotides and acyclotides, providing valuable insights into their potential groundbreaking applications. The discussion also explores the issuance of numerous patents in the medical and pharmaceutical field, highlighting the growing interest and potential applications of cyclotides in cancer treatment.

Production of Fucoxanthin from Microalgae Isochrysis galbana of Djibouti: Optimization, Correlation with Antioxidant Potential, and Bioinformatics Approaches.

Fucoxanthin, a carotenoid with remarkable antioxidant properties, has considerable potential for high-value biotechnological applications in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical fields. However, conventional extraction methods of this molecule from microalgae are limited in terms of cost-effectiveness. This study focused on optimizing biomass and fucoxanthin production from Isochrysis galbana, isolated from the coast of Tadjoura (Djibouti), by testing various culture media. The antioxidant potential of the cultures was evaluated based on the concentrations of fucoxanthin, carotenoids, and total phenols. Different nutrient formulations were tested to determine the optimal combination for a maximum biomass yield. Using the statistical methodology of principal component analysis, Walne and Guillard F/2 media were identified as the most promising, reaching a maximum fucoxanthin yield of 7.8 mg/g. Multiple regression models showed a strong correlation between antioxidant activity and the concentration of fucoxanthin produced. A thorough study of the optimization of I. galbana growth conditions, using a design of experiments, revealed that air flow rate and CO2 flow rate were the most influential factors on fucoxanthin production, reaching a value of 13.4 mg/g. Finally, to validate the antioxidant potential of fucoxanthin, an in silico analysis based on molecular docking was performed, showing that fucoxanthin interacts with antioxidant proteins (3FS1, 3L2C, and 8BBK). This research not only confirmed the positive results of I. galbana cultivation in terms of antioxidant activity, but also provided essential information for the optimization of fucoxanthin production, opening up promising prospects for industrial applications and future research.

The mesoscale mechanics of compacted ductile powders under shear and tensile loads

A discrete numerical analysis of the yield and damage properties associated with a cohesive granular system composed of ductile particles is hereby presented. Such a modelling approach aims at better understanding damage mechanisms which are often encountered during the powder compaction process, widely used in the metallurgical and pharmaceutical fields. The analysis was based on the micromechanical modelling of an idealised granular system in the framework of the multi-particle finite element method, in which particle deformation was fully taken into account. An adhesive interaction law, presented in Audry et al. (2024), was used in the purpose of estimating the averaged mechanical properties associated with the modelled elementary volume. The focus was put on tensile and highly deviatoric loadings, which are usually related to the failure of powder compacts. The specific contact area developed through inter-particles contacts was used as an indicator of the mechanical strength of the elementary volume. Threshold surfaces corresponding to yielding and contact decohesion mechanisms were plotted in the stress space.

Effect of Triadica cochinchinensis honey supplementation on liver metabolomics and gut microbiota in naturally aging mice

This study assessed the effects of dietary intervention of Triadica cochinchinensis honey (TH) on blood lipid profiles, hepatic lipid metabolism, and the gut microbiota in mice undergoing natural aging. All mice were fed a standard diet, supplemented with TH at a dosage of 5 g/kg BW over nine months until the mice were 18 months old. The findings of the study indicated that administering TH significantly decreased the levels of circulating triglycerides (TG), cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Additionally, TH imparted hepatoprotective effects by mitigating liver damage, decreasing the activity of antioxidative enzymes, and suppressing the expression of inflammatory markers, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The lipidomic study revealed that administering TH considerably altered lipid synthesis and metabolism in the aging liver. These changes were characterized by an increase in the levels of 56 lipids and a reduction in the levels of 52 lipids, primarily consisting of TGs. Additionally, TH consumption significantly modified the structure and composition of the gut microbiota. The intervention restored the reduced abundance of Akkermansia in elderly mice and increased the relative abundances of Bacteroidaceae, Sutterellaceae, Burkholderiales, and Gammaproteobacteria. These findings highlighted the high activity of TH and its beneficial effect on aging, providing strong empirical support for the application of TH in the fields of nutrition and pharmaceuticals.