Obesity has become a significant public health issue worldwide, which is defined as the abnormal enlargement of adipose tissue. Inhibiting fat cell growth and accumulation has been a key strategy in anti-obesity treatments. Poplar type propolis has shown great anti-obesity effects, but its effect and mechanism of poplar type propolis on adipocyte differentiation and fat accumulation are still not fully understood. In this study, the main compounds in poplar type propolis extract (PPE) were identified and used to construct a pharmacological network, revealing that PPE has potential roles in cellular development, differentiation, and lipid synthesis. Furthermore, lipidomics analysis indicated that PPE could reduce the ability of 3T3-L1 cells to mature and differentiate into adipocytes, which was evidenced by decreased formation of large lipid droplets and reduced cell membrane fluidity, along with a significant decrease in glucose uptake (67.45%) and fat accumulation (83.60%). Moreover, transcriptomics revealed PPE suppressed glycolysis in cells by steroid biosynthesis and PPAR signaling pathway by affected extracellular matrix remodeling during cell differentiation with Col1a1 was identified as an essential target of PPE affecting these processes through protein-protein interaction network and molecular docking. Finally, western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis were performed to validate the regulatory effect of PPE on Col1a1 expression. In conclusion, this study reveals a novel anti-adipogenic mechanism of PPE by inhibiting Col1a1-dependent extracellular matrix remodeling, thereby suppressing 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation. This study provides robust experimental evidence and theoretical foundations for developing PPE as a functional food.

The sensory and physicochemical properties of Junlian black tea samples produced in the three villages of Yinxing, Yinjiang, and Maogu in Junlian county, Sichuan province were evaluated, and their non-volatile and volatile components were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) and solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS), respectively. Multivariate analyses including heatmap, principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were combined to distinguish the key compounds of Junlian black tea from different geographical origins. The results showed that the Yinxing sample had the highest sensory evaluation score, lowest water content and tea polyphenol levels and highest water extract levels, which were primarily characterized by a red and bright infusion color, sweet, floral and fruity aromas, a fresh, sweat and mellow taste, and tender leaf bottom with multiple buds. A total of 50 differential metabolites were selected by UPLC-QTOF-MS, which could serve as potential marker compounds for distinguishing Junlian black tea from the three different regions, and most glycosides, some amino acids and organic acids were significantly accumulated in the Yinxing sample, whereas most flavonoids and catechins were predominantly richer in the Maogu sample. The results of SPME-GC-MS showed that linalool, geraniol and β-ionone were abundant in Junlian black tea, and all of them contributed to floral, fruity, and sweet aromas, which could be regarded as the characteristic aroma components. A total of 17 differential compounds were selected, which could be used as potential volatile markers for distinguishing Junlian black tea from different geographical origins. Most of the differential volatile metabolites were the most abundant in the Yinxing sample, showing a significant floral and fruity aroma. This study provides a theoretical basis for the quality control of Junlian black tea, and lays a foundation for understanding the formation mechanism of key chemical components and aroma components in Junlian black tea.

Royal jelly (RJ) is rich in various nutrients with multiple health-promoting properties. This study aims to evaluate whether RJ can modulate related metabolite in the natural aging mice. Male C57BL/6J mice drank RJ solution daily for 9 months. Determination of serum lipids and pathological analysis exhibited that triglycerides, serum cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were decreased by 31.15%, 9.96%, and 22.58%, respectively, the morphology of brain nerve cells was also effectively recovered after RJ intervention. Lipidomic analysis showed that RJ could improve the levels of different kinds of lipids in aging mice brain, especially by increasing the content of antioxidant ether ester, and that the ratio of monounsaturated fatty acid to polyunsaturated fatty acid was up by 23.46%, which could alleviate oxidative stress. Moreover, the metabolism of glycerol phospholipids, glycerols, and fatty acids in aging mice could be regulated by RJ. RJ intervention can effectively improve lipid metabolism disorders caused by aging.