Alleviating Effects of Ethanol Extract from Acremonium terricola Culture on Patulin Toxicity

Exposure to patulin (PAT) poses a significant health risk to animals, emphasizing the need for natural, safe substances to mitigate toxicity. <i>Acremonium terricola</i> culture (ATC), a fungal fermentation-derived feed additive, is known for its antioxidant properties, yet its potential to alleviate mycotoxin-induced toxicity remains largely uninvestigated. In this study, the ethanol extracts from the ATC (EEAT) were prepared with a total phenolic content of 67.9 mg GAE/g and a total flavonoid content of 32.7 mg RE/g. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis was employed to investigate the bioactive components in EEAT. In PAT-exposed <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> models, EEAT treatment significantly enhanced locomotory capacity and elevated antioxidant enzyme activities by 63.1% (SOD) and 90.1% (GSH-ST), respectively. Molecular docking analysis revealed that key active compounds in EEAT, such as coumarin, succinic acid, and trigonelline, exhibited effective binding affinities to potential targets SIR-2.1 and DAF-2. Notably, coumarin and trigonelline were most effective in alleviating PAT toxicity, as evidenced by rescued locomotor rates and oxidative impairment in <i>C. elegans</i>. Our findings not only elucidate the molecular basis of EEAT-mediated PAT mitigation but also establish <i>A. terricola</i> culture as a sustainable antioxidant.