This study aimed to determine the differences in chemical composition of pilose antler samples from different geographical origins and species. Three types of pilose antler were selected: red deer antler from Xinjiang (XC), red deer antler New Zealand (ZC), and sika deer antler from Jilin (JC). Various instrumental techniques were employed to determine the basic nutritional components, chemical elements, amino acids, volatile organic compounds, and metabolite profile of pilose antler. Multivariate statistical analysis was further used to identify the chemical markers for distinguishing between the three types of pilose antler. The results showed significant differences in total ash and total carbohydrate contents among these types. XC was relatively rich in chemical elements and presented a unique creamy and nutty flavor. In terms of amino acid scores, JC was superior to the other two types, with valine (8.1%), leucine (8.2%), and lysine (9.2%) accounting for higher proportions of total amino acids than the WHO/FAO recommended values. Lipids, organic acids, and their derivatives were the predominant metabolites in the pilose antler samples. Significant differences in metabolite composition were observed among them, with 355 and 199 discriminative metabolites identified in the positive and negative ion modes, respectively. These findings confirm the influence of geographical origin and species on the chemical composition of pilose antler, providing data support for the evaluation of its quality characteristics and processing suitability.

This study aimed to elucidate the ameliorative effect and mechanism of quercetagetin, quercetin and lutein, alone and in combination, on acute lung injury. An lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation model was established based on RAW264.7 cells. The optimal mixture ratios between quercetagetin or quercetin and lutein were determined based on the content of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW264.7 cells using combination index (CI) analysis. The individual and combined effects of quercetagetin, quercetin and lutein on the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), inflammatory cytokines (including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6) and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells were investigated. In addition, the relative expression levels of p65, p50, silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1), nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) were evaluated by Western blot. The results showed that the lowest NO level in RAW264.7 cells was observed by treatment with a mixture of high-dose quercetagetin and lutein of 3:1 (30 μg/mL + 10 μg/mL). Quercetagetin, lutein and their combination all decreased the contents of MDA and inflammatory cytokines, increased the activities of SOD and GSH-PX, down-regulated the expression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65, p50 and NLRP3, and up-regulated the expression of SIRT1 and Nrf2, the combination being more effective than either treatment alone.

The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism behind the regulatory effect of capsaicin combined with quercitrin on liver lipid metabolism. The effects of capsaicin alone or in combination with quercitrin on the survival rate of HepG2 cells with oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation were investigated. Oil red O staining was used to observe lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Meanwhile, the levels of total triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total bile acid (TBA) were determined. Moreover, the expression levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), farnesoid X receptor 1 (FXR1), cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) and fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) were determined by Western blotting. The results showed that the proliferation rate of HepG2 cells in each treatment group was greater than 75%, demonstrating no significant cytotoxicity. The results of oil red O staining showed a reduction in lipid accumulation in both single and combined treatment groups. The application of capsaicin alone or combined with quercitrin reduced the contents of TG, TC and LDL-C, increased the contents of HDL-C and TBA, and up-regulated the protein expression levels of EGFR, PI3K, Akt, FXR1 and FGF19. In summary, capsaicin combined with quercitrin exerted a synergistic regulatory effect on lipid metabolism in HepG2 cells, with the most pronounced effect being observed at a 3:1 ratio.