AUTHOR=Mu Jianfei , Yang Fuping , Tan Fang , Zhou Xianrong , Pan Yanni , Long Xingyao , Zhao Xin 

TITLE=Determination of Polyphenols in Ilex kudingcha and Insect Tea (Leaves Altered by Animals) by Ultra-high-performance Liquid Chromatography-Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS) and Comparison of Their Anti-Aging Effects

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2020.600219

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2020.600219

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Ilex kudingcha</italic> C.J. Tseng tea and insect tea, as traditional Chinese teas, are favored for their original craftsmanship, unique flavor, and biological functionality. In this study, ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS) was used to analyze the bioactive components of the extracts of <italic>Ilex kudingcha</italic> and <italic>insect tea</italic>, and D-galactose-induced aging mice were used to compare the <italic>in vivo</italic> anti-aging effects of <italic>Ilex kudingcha</italic> and <italic>insect tea</italic> extracts. The results were remarkable, UHPLC-QqQ-MS analysis showed that ITP contains 29 ingredients, while IKDCP contains 26 ingredients. However, due to the large differences in the content of the main chemical components in IKDCP and ITP, the effects are equally different. At the same time, the <italic>in vivo</italic> research results suggesting that the anti-aging effects of IKDCP and ITP (500 mg/kg) include the regulation of viscera indices of major organs; improvement in liver, skin, and spleen tissue morphology; decreased production of inflammatory cytokines; up regulation of <italic>SOD, CAT, GSH, GSH-PX</italic>, and <italic>T-AOC</italic> and down regulation of <italic>NO</italic> and <italic>MDA</italic> levels in serum and liver tissue; reductions in the concentration of pro-inflammatory factors, and increases in the concentration of anti-inflammatory factor. <italic>RT-qPCR</italic> and western blot assay also showed that IKDCP and ITP affect anti-aging by regulating the gene and protein expression of <italic>GSH-PX, GSH1, SOD1, SOD2</italic>, and <italic>CAT</italic>. The overall results indicate that ITP is more effective in treating oxidative damage in aging mice induced by D-galactose. Thus, ITP appears to be an effective functional drink owing to its rich nutritional components and anti-aging activities.</p>