Serum metabolomics reveals the anti-aging effect of royal jelly in D-galactose induced aging mice

Aging, marked by a gradual decline in physiological functions, presents significant global health challenges. While royal jelly (RJ) is known for its biological activities, its anti-aging mechanisms require further investigation. Using a D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging mouse model, this study applied untargeted serum metabolomics to explore RJ's effects. RJ administration significantly ( P < 0.05) improved locomotor and cognitive abilities impaired by D-gal-induced aging. Metabolomic analysis showed that RJ modulates key pathways in amino acid, lipid, and nucleotide metabolism, which are essential for cellular function and energy supply. RJ enhanced the tricarboxylic acid cycle ( P < 0.05), increased essential amino acids, and elevated nucleotide availability, supporting cognitive function and energy metabolism in aging mice. Notably, RJ had a stronger effect on male mice, particularly in improving lipid and nucleotide metabolism. These findings highlight RJ's potential as a promising anti-aging intervention, warranting further investigation for therapeutic applications in aging. • RJ restores serum amino acid levels, which are integral to neuroprotection and cognitive health. • RJ modulates lipid metabolism, potentially mitigating inflammation-related diseases. • RJ enhances the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, suggesting an improvement in energy supply and cellular metabolism. • RJ promotions nucleotide metabolism, which may contribute to the recovery of cognitive functions.