Zhang Hongyi, Ma Qiaoling, Wang Weichao, Wang Bin, Liu Jiawen, Wang Fu, Hu Yuan, Chen Lin, Liu Youping, Wang Qi, Chen Hongping
State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Department of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Jiangmen Institute for Drug Control, Jiangmen, China.
NPJ Sci Food. 2025 Jun 16;9(1):103. doi: 10.1038/s41538-025-00483-y.
Oysters are recognized for flavor and health benefits, but their shells are regarded as waste, contributing to resource inefficiency. This study investigates the chemical composition and pharmacological activity of oyster shells, using a fraction partitioning approach to separate the oyster shells water extract (WE) into two fractions: WE of extra-membranous (WEE, <1000 kDa) and intra-membranous (WEI, >1000 kDa). Using UPLC-Q-Exactive MS, 231 components were identified such as organic acids, amino acids. ELISA analysis revealed that high-dose WEE significantly increased serum T3, T4, FT3, and FT4 levels while reducing TSH, and improved thyroid tissue lesions. Network pharmacology identified 291 drug-disease intersection targets enriched in the PI3K/AKT pathway. Furthermore, the RT-qPCR and WB results showed that high-dose WEE protected against propylthiouracil-induced goitre by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/Bcl-2 pathway. This study evaluated the anti-goitre potential properties of WE and provided a theoretical basis for further development of oyster shells as a functional food source.
牡蛎因其风味和健康益处而闻名，但它们的壳被视为废物，造成了资源利用效率低下。本研究调查了牡蛎壳的化学成分和药理活性，采用分级分离方法将牡蛎壳水提取物（WE）分为两个部分：膜外部分的水提取物（WEE，<1000 kDa）和膜内部分的水提取物（WEI，>1000 kDa）。使用超高效液相色谱-四极杆-静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱（UPLC-Q-Exactive MS）鉴定出231种成分，如有机酸、氨基酸。酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）分析表明，高剂量的WEE显著提高了血清T3、T4、FT3和FT4水平，同时降低了促甲状腺激素（TSH），并改善了甲状腺组织病变。网络药理学确定了291个药物-疾病交叉靶点，这些靶点在磷脂酰肌醇-3激酶/蛋白激酶B（PI3K/AKT）途径中富集。此外，实时定量聚合酶链反应（RT-qPCR）和蛋白质免疫印迹（WB）结果表明，高剂量的WEE通过抑制PI3K/AKT/凋亡抑制蛋白Bcl-2途径预防丙硫氧嘧啶诱导的甲状腺肿。本研究评估了WE的抗甲状腺肿潜在特性，并为进一步开发牡蛎壳作为功能性食物来源提供了理论依据。
