Enhancing Antioxidant Bioaccessibility in Rosa rugosa through Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation

Abstract

This study explores the biotransformation of phenolic compounds in Rosa rugosa through Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation, enhancing their bioaccessibility and antioxidant capacity. We developed a sensitive and reproducible analytical method using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS), enabling the analysis of 17 phenolic compounds from Rosa (R) and fermented Rosa (FR). Additionally, we conducted a density functional theory (DFT) study to correlate the structure of key phenolic compounds from R and FR with their antioxidant activity. Our findings revealed that both R and FR mitigate oxidative stress in tert-butyl-hydrogen peroxide (TBHP)-induced Caco-2 and HT-29 cells by elevating the activities of crucial antioxidative enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and glutathione reductase (GR). Furthermore, fermented Rosa significantly upregulated Nrf2, γ-GCS, HO-1, and NOQ-1 mRNA expression in TBHP-induced cells with Quantitative and real-time PCR technology, emphasizing its protective function primarily through the Nrf2 signaling pathway. This study is the first to demonstrate the link between the enhanced antioxidant potential in fermented Rosa and the biotransformation of its phenolic compounds. It paves the way for augmenting the antioxidant capacity of plant foods through Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation, offering a novel approach to reinforce their health benefits.