Anti-aging effect of Guanshan cherry blossom extract by regulating intestinal microbiota and activating glial cells

Extracts from cherry blossom plants have been reported to have various biological effects on human cells. Although scholars have conducted in-depth research on the product development and functional component analysis of cherry blossoms (CB), there are few studies on its anti-aging effects, especially on the brain. In our study, using d-galactose (D-gal) induced aging mice as an animal model, we found that cherry blossom extract (CBE) treatment reshaped the perturbations of the gut microbiota caused by aging, including up-regulation of Akkermansia abundance and down-regulation of Clostridiales abundance. Furthermore, CBE restored histopathological changes and modulated hippocampal metabolites in aging mice. Mechanistically, CBE activates glial cells, including astroglia and microglia, down-regulates the expression level of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in the brain, and then improves the aging condition of the brain. These alterations help to stimulate 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) expression and neuroinflammation, thereby alleviating aging-induced damage to brain neurons and deposition of harmful factors. Therefore, we speculate that CBE may have a good anti-aging effect in vivo by regulating intestinal microbiota and glial cells.