Yunnan pickled tea partially mitigates <scp>d</scp> ‐galactose‐induced aging in mice via <i>Bacteroides vulgatus</i> ‐associated microbiota–gut–liver–brain axis

BACKGROUND: Aging is associated with chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic disturbances. Pickled tea has been reported to demonstrate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity; however, its effects on aging and the related mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated whether Yunnan pickled tea could attenuate d-galactose-induced aging in Kunming mice. It explored the potential involvement of the microbiota-gut-liver-brain axis. RESULTS: d-Galactose administration induced typical aging-related alterations, including elevated inflammatory cytokines (i.e. IL-6 and TNF-α) in the liver and brain tissues, decreased antioxidant indicators (superoxide dismutase and glutathione), and histopathological changes in liver, jejunum, and adipose tissues. 16S rRNA sequencing showed an increased relative abundance of Bacteroides vulgatus in aging mice. Serum metabolomics revealed disturbances in amino acid and pyrimidine metabolism. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that B. vulgatus was negatively correlated with amino acids, pyrimidine metabolites, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione levels. Pickled tea intervention partially reversed these changes and reduced tissue injury. The effects were more evident than those observed with vitamin E intervention. CONCLUSION: Yunnan pickled tea partially alleviated d-galactose-induced aging-related changes in mice. This may be associated with the modulation of gut microbiota composition and related metabolic pathways. These results suggest a potential role for pickled tea in the regulation of aging-related processes. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.