Royal jelly enhances ovarian function by modulating taurocholic acid metabolism and attenuating oxidative stress in D-galactose-induced POI mice.

Authors

Xiaoxue Zheng, Peihao Sun, Changjiu He, Mingxiao Liu, Jieruo Qiu, Zhiming Ding, Yingying Zhang, Shuo Zhou, Ji Zhou, Jingzhe Sun, Wenwen Feng, Lu Zhang, Ningna Cheng, Qingbiao Xu, Xiang Li, Liguo Yang, Aixin Liang

Published in

Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.). Volume 241. Pages 119500. Oct 01, 2026. Epub May 23, 2026.

Abstract

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder frequently associated with oxidative stress. Royal jelly (RJ) is a well-recognized natural functional food with multiple health benefits; however, its potential effects on POI remain unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms of RJ in a D-galactose (D-gal)-induced POI mouse model. The results showed that RJ increased serum estradiol (E2) levels, enhanced ovarian reserve and oocyte maturation, reduced ovarian oxidative stress, and ultimately improved the fertility of D-gal-treated mice. Integrated metagenomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that RJ alleviated D-gal-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, notably increasing the abundance of Muribaculaceae bacterium, and restored levels of taurocholic acid (TCA), which positively correlated with both Muribaculaceae bacterium abundance and serum E2 levels. Importantly, TCA supplementation alone recapitulated the protective effects of RJ by reversing D-gal-induced reductions in E2 and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, restoring follicle numbers, and alleviating oxidative stress. Mechanistically, TCA activated the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) antioxidant pathway in ovarian tissue, while simultaneously enhancing intestinal β-glucuronidase activity to modulate systemic E2 metabolism. In conclusion, RJ alleviates D-gal-induced POI in mice by modulating the gut microbiota-bile acid-ovarian axis, providing novel insights into its potential application for POI prevention and treatment.

PMID:
42562454
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 07 Aug 2026.

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