Upcycling golden Cili (Rosa sterilis) pomace into a value-added functional extract via homogenization-assisted low-temperature pulsed ultrasound extraction with hepatoprotective effect.

Golden Cili (Rosa sterilis), a seedless species related to R. roxburghii, is mainly processed for juice production, generating substantial amounts of pomace that remain underutilized despite retaining bioactive phytochemicals. In this study, homogenization-assisted low-temperature pulsed ultrasound (HLTPU) extraction was developed to efficiently recover bioactive-rich fractions from golden Cili pomace. Compared with conventional hot-water and continuous ultrasound extraction, HLTPU improved preservation of thermolabile constituents, yielding higher levels of total polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, and superoxide dismutase activity under shorter processing time and lower temperature. The resulting golden Cili pomace extract (GCPE) exhibited hepatoprotective effects in vitro and in vivo. In H2O2-induced LO2 hepatocytes, GCPE restored cell viability, reduced ALT and AST leakage, suppressed lipid peroxidation, and enhanced intracellular antioxidant defenses. In an acute alcohol-induced mouse model, GCPE attenuated liver injury by lowering serum ALT and AST, improving hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities, reducing malondialdehyde levels, alleviating steatosis, and suppressing inflammatory cytokines. Untargeted metabolomics further revealed that GCPE partially reversed alcohol-induced metabolic disturbances with differential metabolites enriched in pathways associated with amino acid and lipid metabolism. These findings demonstrate that GCPE mitigated alcohol-induced liver injury, potentially through modulation of oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic homeostasis. This study highlights the sustainable upcycling of golden Cili pomace as a value-added functional ingredient with potential applications in liver protection.