Flavor and bioactive compound profiling of sea buckthorn leaf tea: Characterization of key bitter constituents and prediction of their anti‐type 2 diabetes activity

BACKGROUND: Sea buckthorn leaves possess significant nutritional and medicinal properties but suffer from poor consumer acceptance as a result of their pronounced bitterness and astringency. However, these aversive bitter constituents often correspond to valuable bioactive compounds. The present study aimed to investigate how fermentation modulates the flavor profile of sea buckthorn leaf tea (SBLT) and to explore the potential anti-diabetic bioactivities of its core bitter components. RESULTS: ) with bitter receptors TAS2R14 and TAS2R39. Network pharmacology further demonstrated that these bitter compounds synergistically target 874 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-related nodes, primarily modulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt and tumor necrosis factor signaling pathways through core targets such as AKT1, interleukin-6 and GAPDH. CONCLUSION: Fermentation is an effective processing strategy that enhances the sensory quality of SBLT by reducing bitterness and enriching roasted aromas. The multi-target network analysis underscores that these bitter constituents act as key anti-inflammatory and glucose-regulating agents, providing a strong theoretical basis for SBLT as a functional dietary intervention for T2DM. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.