Chemical Change of Velvet Antler After Vinegar Processing Was Related With the Increased Fecundity in <scp><i>Drosophila melanogaster</i></scp>

As a traditional Chinese medicine, velvet antler (VA) is usually processed with white wine according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The practice of using aged vinegar to process VA is uncommon, which is only used in "GuiLingJi." In this study, we found significant chemical changes in vinegar processing. Network pharmacology analysis showed that 20 increased components mainly were related with fecundity through the regulation of biosynthesis of steroid hormones and the estrogen signaling pathway. Reproduction experiment using Drosophila melanogaster showed that both VA and vinegar-processed velvet antler (VPVA) could enhance the reproductive capacity and increase the steroid hormone levels in Drosophila, while VPVA was much superior to VA. In addition, metabolomics showed that energy metabolism was related with the mechanisms by which VA improves the fecundity of Drosophila. This study provides a theoretical basis for the rationale of vinegar processing of VA.