Quail egg yolk oil attenuates insulin resistance and redox imbalance in a high-sugar-diet drosophila model

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing globally, creating a need for natural and functional food–based therapeutic interventions. Quail egg yolk oil (QEYO), traditionally used in Chinese medicine as 鹌鹑蛋黄油 (ānchún dànhuáng yóu) for nourishing Yin and supporting metabolic balance, contains bioactive lipids and antioxidants with potential relevance for glycemic and redox regulation. This study investigated the antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of QEYO in a high-sugar diet (HSD)–induced metabolic dysfunction model in Drosophila melanogaster. Methods: Adult male Drosophila melanogaster were fed a high-sugar diet (30% sucrose) to induce metabolic dysfunction and allocated into five groups: control, HSD, QEYO (62.5 or 125 mg/10 mL diet), and metformin (16 mg/10 mL). After 14 days of HSD induction followed by 7 days of treatment, physiological parameters, glucose and lipid biomarkers, oxidative stress indicators, and expression of key metabolic genes were assessed using enzymatic assays and RT-qPCR. Results: HSD-fed flies developed obesity, hyperglycemia, elevated triglycerides, oxidative stress, and dysregulation of insulin pathway–related genes. QEYO significantly ameliorated these abnormalities in a dose-dependent manner. The 62.5 mg dose produced stronger glucose-lowering effects, while the 125 mg dose showed greater antioxidant enhancement and improved expression of SOD, CAT, IRS, and DILP2. Metformin produced comparable metabolic benefits. Discussion: QEYO improved glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and insulin pathway activity, and reduced markers of insulin resistance and oxidative imbalance in HSD-induced flies. These findings support its potential as a functional food–based intervention for T2DM and correspond with its traditional role in Chinese dietary therapy for metabolic regulation. Further mammalian studies are required for translational confirmation.