BACKGROUND: Longan ( Dimocarpus longan ) flower is an underutilized botanical byproduct rich in polyphenols with reported neuroprotective actions, yet its role in sleep regulation remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the sleep‐promoting effects of longan flower water extract (LFWE) and its underlying neurochemical mechanisms in vivo . Although longan flower extract has been suggested to enhance melatonin biosynthesis in vitro , its functional role in sleep modulation remains unclear. RESULTS: High‐resolution liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry profiling demonstrated that LFWE is rich in phenolics and flavonoids, with corilagin, gallic acid and epicatechin as dominant constituents, alongside ellagic acid, rutin, procyanidin A2, quercetin and kaempferol. Male C57BL/6 mice received oral LFWE (25 mg kg ⁻¹ d ⁻¹ ) for 7 or 14 days. Sleep behavior was assessed in an isoflurane‐induced sleep paradigm using loss‐of‐righting‐reflex endpoints. LFWE significantly prolonged total sleep duration after 7 and 14 days relative to vehicle, while sleep latency was unchanged, indicating preferential effects on sleep maintenance rather than initiation. To explore mechanisms, neurotransmitters in brain homogenates and melatonin in plasma were quantified by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay on day 14. LFWE elevated brain serotonin and dopamine and increased circulating melatonin compared with vehicle. CONCLUSION: Our findings support a mechanistic model in which LFWE augments the serotonin–melatonin axis and modulates monoaminergic tone to enhance sleep maintenance. The combination of water solubility, high polyphenol content and selective prolongation of sleep duration without sedative‐like latency reduction highlights LFWE as a safe and sustainable phytochemical resource with translational potential in functional food and nutraceutical applications for sleep regulation. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Cisplatin is a widely used platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent that often causes irreversible hair cell loss, leading to hearing impairment. To date, effective strategies for preventing cisplatin-induced ototoxicity remain limited. Corchorus olitorius L. (COL) is rich in bioactive phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; however, the protective role of COL stem against cisplatin-induced hearing loss has not been explored. This study aimed to determine whether COL stem extract treatment could mitigate cisplatin-induced hair cell damage in the lateral line system of zebrafish. Herein, we use 7-day post-fertilization (dpf) transgenic zebrafish larvae as a high-throughput screening platform to assessed COL stem extract against cisplatin-induced hair cell injury. Endpoints included mechanotransduction (MET) function, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptotic and inflammatory responses, and locomotor behavior. Antioxidant capacity and acute toxicity were also evaluated. Pretreatment with COL stem extract preserved hair cell viability, restored MET function, reduced ROS accumulation, upregulated Nrf-2-dependent cytoprotective genes, suppressed apoptosis, and attenuated macrophage infiltration. The recovery of swimming behavior correlated with hair cell protection, confirming the phenotypic relevance. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that COL stem exerts potent otoprotective effects through antioxidative, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, contributes to maintain mechanosensory function and swimming behavior. The findings support COL stem as a promising candidate for otoprotection and validate zebrafish-based high-throughput screening for novel therapeutic discovery.

The heavy reliance of the mushroom industry on sawdust substrates is putting increasing pressure on already limited forest resources, forcing researchers to seek alternative materials. This study investigated the feasibility of using post-harvest djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) stems, waste from this indigenous crop in Taiwan, to partially replace sawdust for Pleurotus sajor-caju cultivation. Initial screening with 0–100% djulis replacement revealed growth inhibition above 50% incorporation levels. Refined experiments focusing on 0–30% djulis ratios demonstrated that strain PT exhibited superior adaptation to djulis-containing substrates. Commercial scale grow bag trials showed that among djulis treatments, 25% djulis incorporation achieved the fastest mycelial colonization rate (1.0 cm/day), while 15% incorporation yielded the highest biological efficiency (76.17%), comparable to commercial controls (76.80%). Three-flush harvest cycles confirmed stable productivity across treatments, with total yields ranging from 286 to 320 g/bag. Nutritional analysis showed no major changes in amino acids and antioxidants, with djulis incorporation maintaining protein quality while some enhancement in total free amino acid content and reducing power at 25% incorporation. These findings demonstrate that 15–25% djulis stem substitution sustained commercial production parameters while contributing to sustainable agricultural waste management and reducing forest resource dependence.