Fermented pine pollen formula: Effective antioxidant capable of decreasing cellular triglyceride

Pine pollen has attracted significant attention due to its potent bioactivity, and is widely utilized in the field of functional foods. Microbial fermentation is widely used to promote the release of nutrients and enhance bioactivity in herbal materials. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant effects of different edible strains-fermented pine pollen and medicinal-food homologous composite materials (including lotus leaf, mulberry leaves, eucommia leaves, cassia seeds, and hawthorn), to screen potential microbial strains, and to investigate their lipid-lowering effects on MDI-induced 3T3-L1 cells. Fermented pine pollen and medicinal plant materials were prepared using Kluyveromyces lactis (CICC1572), Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (CICC6244), Rhizopus oryzae (CICC3010), and Morchella sp. strain CICC14033. The results showed that Kluyveromyces lactis fermented pine pollen-lotus leaf, pine pollen-eucommia leaf, and pine pollen-mulberry leaf formulas increase ABTS scavenging rates by approximately 3.8-fold, 2.8-fold, and 2.9-fold, respectively, while DPPH scavenging rates rose by approximately 1.6-fold, 1.6-fold, and 1.5-fold. Morchella sp. fermented pine pollen-eucommia leaf and Kluyveromyces lactis fermented pine pollen-eucommia leaf formulas increase TPC by approximately 2.2-fold and 2.2-fold, and TFC by approximately 6.4-fold and 8.6-fold, respectively. Fermentation substantially elevated the antioxidant capacity and phenolic compound content of the pine pollen formulas. Antioxidant activities (ABTS and DPPH) were found positively correlated with TPC and TFC. In the cell and toxicity studies, 200 μg/mL Morchella sp. and Kluyveromyces lactis fermented pine pollen-lotus leaf formulas showed no cytotoxicity toward 3T3-L1 cells while significantly inhibiting lipid accumulation (P < 0.01), reducing TG content by 86.6% and 79.2%. These findings indicate that the fermented pine pollen formula has promising applicability as a functional food with antioxidant and lipid-lowering properties. • Fermented PP formulas notably increased total phenolic and flavonoid levels. • Fermented PP formulas demonstrated remarkable antioxidant activity. • Fermented PP-lotus leaf formulas most effectively inhibit lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. • K. lactis and Morchella sp. significantly enhance the bioactivity of PP formula.