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The team led by Professor Wei Ying from the College of Food Science and Engineering recently published a research paper titled "Enhanced bioactivity of honeysuckle-Cassia seeds extracts through Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis co-fermentation: Impact on alcoholic liver disease and gut microbiota" on the Food Chemistry (CAS Tier 1, IF=9.8). The innovative technology provides a new path for removing the bottleneck in the application of traditional Chinese medicine and driving the high value-added development of traditional Chinese medicine.

Pharmacological and Target Analysis

The research team innovatively designed a technological system for "Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis co-fermentation", enhancing bioactivity through the synergy of Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus acidophilus. As a "biological cell wall disruption engine", Bacillus subtilis efficiently breaks down the dense plant tissue structures of honeysuckle and Cassia seeds, releasing deep-seated active substances. Lactobacillus acidophilus gives further play to its role as a "biological converter", transforming macromolecular substances into easily absorbable and highly active small-molecule components. This technology enables a breakthrough improvement in key active ingredients: when compared with the traditional water decoction method, the contents of total polysaccharides (72.6 mg/g), total flavonoids (34.7 mg/g) and total saponins (15.2 mg/g) surge by 275%, 72% and 62%, respectively, while no complex enzymatic hydrolysis or chemical treatment is involved. This not only improves bioavailability, but also ensures the safety and stability of the process, laying a core scientific foundation for industrial application.

Changes in tissue structure and active components before and after fermentation

The research finds that this fermentation broth exhibits excellent liver-protecting efficacy in animal models of alcoholic liver injury. As reported, it works through five core mechanisms: significantly repairing liver function indicators, effectively regulating lipid metabolism disorders, substantially enhancing the liver's antioxidant ability, precisely modulating inflammatory responses, and greatly optimizing the structure of intestinal flora. Liver pathological sections show that after intervention with the fermentation broth, cell arrangement in the injured liver becomes tight and regular again, while the diffuse fat vacuoles and inflammatory cell infiltration basically disappear. The repair efficacy rivals that of silymarin, a liver-protecting drug frequently used in clinical treatment.

Stained liver tissue sections

The technology features a simple process, controllable cost, and excellent scalability for mass production. The resulting fermentation broth not only has clear active ingredients and a well-defined mechanism of action, but significantly improves the taste of traditional Chinese medicine decoction. Without bitterness, it tastes refreshing, which makes the product much more palatable and acceptable to consumers, laying a solid technical and sensory foundation for the subsequent development of consumer-oriented liver-protecting health products.

The research was jointly completed by BUA's research team and Ningbo Yufangtang Biotechnology Co., Ltd. Zhou Mengtian, a master's degree applicant from the College of Food Science and Engineering, is the first author of the paper, and Professor Wei Ying is the joint corresponding author.

According to the team leader, they will center around the theme of "implementing the guidelines for building China into a leading country in education and driving the high-quality development of BUA", and take tangible steps in the "Year of Practical Work and Pioneering". Focusing on the needs of economic and social development and industrial progress, they will continue close and pragmatic cooperation with enterprises on the R&D of liver-protecting functional beverages, probiotic mixtures and other products, so as to contribute wisdom and strength to the revitalization of traditional Chinese medicine in the field of food nutrition and health.