The effects of endophytic fungal metabolites from Conyza blinii on antioxidant capacity and healthspan in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The traditional Chinese medicinal plant Conyza blinii contains a wealth of bioactive compounds derived from its endophytic fungi, which hold considerable potential for antioxidant applications and cancer prevention and treatment. Nevertheless, in vivo pharmacological studies on endophytic fungal metabolites from Conyza blinii remain scarce. Building on prior laboratory findings, this study employed active metabolic mixtures fermented by four endophytic fungi isolated from Conyza blinii (F. pseudoanthophilum, F. foetens, F. circinatum, and F. panlongense) to assess in vivo antioxidant capacity using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism. Combined with RNA-seq and differential gene enrichment analysis, we further explored the molecular mechanisms by which these endophytic metabolites enhance the survival ability of C. elegans. Results showed that endophytic metabolites improved the activity of metabolism-related enzymes in C. elegans, enhancing their resistance to external stimuli and promoting drug absorption. Additionally, these metabolites optimised the structural composition of the nematode cuticle.