Synergistic Effects of Bovine Colostrum and Tremella fuciformis Polysaccharide on Enhancing Antioxidant Capacity, Immunomodulation, and Gut Microbiota Regulation in Mice

Bovine colostrum and Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide (TEP) exhibit bioactivities when used individually. However, the efficacy of their combined application remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate whether the co-administration of bovine colostrum and TEP exhibits synergistic effects in enhancing antioxidant capacity, immunomodulation, and gut microbiota regulation in mice. The results showed that TEP is composed of mannose, xylose, fucose, glucose, and glucuronic acid. The combined use of medium concentrations of bovine colostrum (125 mg/kg) and TEP (50 mg/kg) was exhibited serum MDA levels of 8.20 ± 0.54 nmoL/mL, GSH levels of 80.85 ± 3.12 µmoL/mL, and IgA levels of 13.46 ± 0.69 mg/mL, significantly outperforming the high-dose monotherapies (bovine colostrum 625 mg/kg or TEP 250 mg/kg). Besides, the combined use of medium concentrations of bovine colostrum and polysaccharide was significantly more effective than high concentrations of either substance alone in elevating serum levels of IgA, IgM, LZM, TNF-α, IL-6, and the gut abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus of normal mice. These findings demonstrate that the combined use of bovine colostrum and TEP exhibits synergistic effects, which provide new insights for the formulation and development of dietary supplements and functional foods.