Tibetan Tea Alleviates the Intestinal Dysfunction in Sleep-Deprived Mice Through Regulating Oxidative Stress and...

Sleep deprivation (SD) disrupts intestinal homeostasis through excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Tibetan tea is a potential dietary intervention for inflammation, it's effect on SD-induced intestinal inflammation remains unclear. This study investigates the alleviating effects of Tibetan tea water-soluble extract (TTE) on intestinal dysfunction in SD mice. After TTE supplementation, the physiological activity, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress levels were assessed in SD-induced intestinal dysfunction mice. SD increased ROS levels and pro-inflammatory cytokines in plasma and small intestine, causing intestinal injury characterized by reduced goblet cells, decreased Mucin2 (MUC2) expression, and impaired tight junction proteins. Conversely, TTE reversed these disorders and improved mucosal injury in the small intestine. Furthermore, TTE modulated gut microbiota by enriching probiotics linked to SCFA production and restored SD-induced metabolic disturbances in the small intestine and systemic circulation, particularly affecting tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, urea cycle, and TAG-related metabolites. Overall, TTE remarkably ameliorated SD-induced intestinal dysfunction through reducing ROS, restoring intestinal barrier function, and regulating the gut microbiome, which suggested that Tibetan tea could contribute to the treatment of intestinal inflammation.