Hawk tea (HT) is a long-established substitute tea, rich in polysaccharides and other biologically active ingredients, with research value in food science and medicine. Therefore, this study, utilized ultrasonic extraction (UAE) to extract HT polysaccharides (UHTP). The disparities in extraction yield, energy consumption, and HT structure between UAE and hot water extraction (HWE) were contrasted to elucidate the extraction mechanism. Subsequently, the physicochemical properties and in vitro activities of the UHTP and polysaccharides extracted by hot water (HTP) were examined and evaluated to reveal the correlation between physicochemical properties and bioactivities. The results manifested that under optimal UAE conditions, the polysaccharide yield was 11.08 ± 0.07%. Compared to HWE, UAE had a 17.00% higher extraction yield, 42.66% less energy consumption, and 42.67% lower CO₂ emissions. The improved UAE efficiency stemmed from its greater capacity to modify cell wall composition, disrupt microstructure, and reduce particle size, facilitating mass transfer. Moreover, compared with HTP, UHTP exhibits lower molecular weight and apparent viscosity, higher content of uronic acid (36.81% increase). UAE notably induced polysaccharide chain degradation, yielding UHTP with more homogeneity, smaller particle size, and rougher surface. Ultimately, UHTP demonstrates stronger antioxidant, hypoglycemic and prebiotic activities. Overall, this study offers a theoretical foundation and new prospects for the highly efficient extraction mechanism and the correlation between physicochemical properties and bioactivities of HT polysaccharides.

Areca nut (Areca catechu L. AN), which is the dried, mature seed of the palm species Areca catechu L., is consumed by over 600 million individuals, predominantly in South Asia, East Africa, and certain regions of the tropical Pacific. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified it as a species carcinogenic to humans and designated it as a Group 1 human carcinogen. Arecoline, which has attracted attention for its therapeutic potential in the treatment of mental illness and the relief of gastrointestinal disorders, is the main active alkaloid in the areca nut. However, in 2020, the IARC said that arecoline might be a “probable human carcinogen”. Arecoline can cause various types of cellular damage, primarily leading to the destruction of cell morphology, reduced survival rates, abnormal physiological functions, and even cell apoptosis. The research on its toxic mechanisms includes several aspects, such as increased levels of reactive oxygen species, autophagy, epigenetic dysregulation, and immune dysfunction, but these research findings are scattered and lack systematic integration. This article summarizes the effect mechanisms of arecoline on the oral cavity, neurological and cardiovascular systems, and other organs, as well as embryogenesis, and provides detailed and valuable insights for the clinical practice and targeted therapy of arecoline.

Space flight has many adverse effects on the physiological functions of astronauts. Certain similarities have been observed in some physiological processes of rodents and astronauts in space, although there are also differences. These similarities make rodents helpful models for initial investigations into space-induced physiological changes. This study uses a 3D-Clinostat to simulate microgravity and explores the role of microgravity in space flight-induced liver and brain abnormalities by comparing changes in the gut microbiota, serum metabolites, and the function and physiological biochemistry of liver and brain tissues between the simulated microgravity (SMG) group mice and the wild type (WT) group mice. The study, based on hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, 16S sequencing technology, and non-targeted metabolomics analysis, shows that the gut tissue morphology of the SMG group mice is abnormal, and the structure of the gut microbiota and the serum metabolite profile are imbalanced. Furthermore, using PICRUST 2 technology, we have predicted the functions of the gut microbiota and serum metabolites, and the results indicate that the liver metabolism and functions (including lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and sugar metabolism, etc.) of the SMG group mice are disrupted, and the brain tissue metabolism and functions (including neurotransmitters and hormone secretion, etc.) are abnormal, suggesting a close relationship between microgravity and liver metabolic dysfunction and brain dysfunction. Additionally, the high similarity in the structure of the gut microbiota and serum metabolite profile between the fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) group mice and the SMG group mice, and the physiological and biochemical differences in liver and brain tissues compared to the WT group mice, suggest that microgravity induces imbalances in the gut microbiota, which in turn triggers abnormalities in liver and brain metabolism and function. Finally, through MetaMapp analysis and Pearson correlation analysis, we found that valeric acid, a metabolite of gut microbiota, is more likely to be the key metabolite that relates to microgravity-induced gut microbiota abnormalities, disorders of amino acid and lipid metabolism, and further induced metabolic or functional disorders in the liver and brain. This study has significant practical application value for deepening the understanding of the adaptability of living organisms in the space environment.

Food and medicine homology (FMH) substances possess the dual capability of being used as both food and medicine. In recent years, the concept of FMH has been emphasized and developed in unprecedented ways. Triterpenoids, as key bioactive constituents within FMH substances, exhibit remarkable structural diversity and multi-target pharmacological activities, including anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and immunomodulatory effects. This review systematically summarizes the structural classification, spatiotemporal distribution patterns, and pharmacological mechanisms of FMH triterpenoids, with a particular focus on their dual role in disease prevention and functional foods. Addressing the challenge of low extraction efficiency from plants, synthetic biology approaches have elucidated the biosynthetic pathways regulated by rate-limiting enzymes, including oxidosqualene cyclases, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, and UDP-glycosyltransferases. Synthetic biology strategies for the heterologous production of these triterpenoids in plant and microbial cell factories are critically evaluated. Despite advances in pathway reconstruction and enzyme engineering, challenges such as low yield, poor catalytic specificity, and scalability for industrial production persist. Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence-driven protein design and biosensor-based high-throughput screening, offer transformative solutions for optimizing triterpenoid biosynthesis. This work lays the groundwork for harnessing FMH triterpenoids as sustainable resources for pharmaceuticals and functional foods.