Isoflavones

Watershed-Scale Risk to Aquatic Organisms from Complex Chemical Mixtures in the Shenandoah River

River waters contain complex chemical mixtures derived from natural and anthropogenic sources. Aquatic organisms are exposed to the entire chemical composition of the water, resulting in potential effects at the organismal through ecosystem level. This study applied a holistic approach to assess landscape, hydrological, chemical, and biological variables. On-site mobile laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate biological effects of exposure to chemical mixtures in the Shenandoah River Watershed. A suite of 534 inorganic and organic constituents were analyzed, of which 273 were detected. A watershed-scale accumulated wastewater model was developed to predict environmental concentrations of chemicals derived from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to assess potential aquatic organism exposure for all stream reaches in the watershed. Measured and modeled concentrations generally were within a factor of 2. Ecotoxicological effects from exposure to individual components of the chemical mixture were evaluated using risk quotients (RQs) based on measured or predicted environmental concentrations and no effect concentrations or chronic toxicity threshold values. Seventy-two percent of the compounds had RQ values <0.1, indicating limited risk from individual chemicals. However, when individual RQs were aggregated into a risk index, most stream reaches receiving WWTP effluent posed potential risk to aquatic organisms from exposure to complex chemical mixtures.

Therapeutic benefits of flavonoids against neuroinflammation: a systematic review

Flavonoids are an important class of natural polyphenolic compounds reported to exert beneficial effects in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, cancer, autoimmune and neurological disorders. Flavonoids possess potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic and immuno-modulation properties. Intriguingly, the importance of flavonoids in different neurological disorders is gaining more attention due to the safety, better pharmacokinetic profile and blood-brain barrier penetration, cost-effectiveness and readiness for clinical uses/trials. Many in vitro and in vivo research studies have established the neuroprotective mechanism of flavonoids in the central nervous system (CNS) diseases. The present review summarizes the benefits of various classes of flavonoids (flavones, flavonols, flavanones, anthocyanidins, isoflavones, flavanols), chemical nature, classification, their occurrence and distribution, pharmacokinetics and bioavailability. The manuscript also presents available evidences relating to the role of flavonoids in regulating key signaling pathways such as nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, Janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins (JAK/STAT) pathway, Toll-like receptors (TLR) pathway, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) pathway involved in neuroinflammation associated with major neurological disorders. Literature search was conducted using electronic databases like Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed central, Springer search and Web of science. Chemical structures used in the present analysis were drawn using Chemdraw Professional 15.0 software. This collective information provides comprehensive knowledge on disease pathways and therapeutic benefits of flavonoids in neurological disorders, druggability and future scope for research.

A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials of the Effects of Soy Intake on Inflammatory Markers in Postmenopausal Women

BACKGROUND

Elevated concentrations of serum inflammatory cytokines, specifically TNF-α and IL-6, as well as C-reactive protein (CRP), are commonly observed after menopause.

OBJECTIVES

Because soy isoflavones may have some anti-inflammatory potential, the aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was to explore whether soy intake affects serum markers of inflammation in postmenopausal women.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched up to August 2020. All RCTs that met the following criteria were included: 1) studies of the effects of soy intake on inflammatory markers; 2) any date of publication; 3) conducted on postmenopausal women; 4) with sufficient quantitative data for meta-analysis. Effect sizes were expressed as weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% CIs. A total of 24 RCTs assessing the effects of soy intake on serum concentrations of CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 were included in the analysis. A random-effects model was used to determine the overall effect.

RESULTS

Soy supplementation significantly reduced CRP by 0.11 mg/L in postmenopausal women (95% CI: -0.22, -0.004 mg/L; P = 0.0414), but did not affect IL-6 or TNF-α. Significant reductions in CRP concentration occurred when natural soy products were given (WMD: -0.23 mg/L; 95% CI: -0.29, -0.17 mg/L; P < 0.001). This is equivalent to a ∼9% reduction in CRP concentration from baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

Although our meta-analysis found evidence that soy products significantly reduce CRP concentrations in postmenopausal women, the mechanisms by which soy foods and their constituents affect inflammatory biomarkers still need to be clarified.This systematic review was registered at www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ as CRD42020179232.

Genistein affects gonadotrophin-releasing hormone secretion in GT1-7 cells via modulating kisspeptin receptor and key regulators

Epidemiological studies have shown that genistein, an isoflavonoid phytoestrogen from soybean, affects endocrine and reproductive systems and alters pubertal onset. Administration of genistein in mice could impact the electrophysiology of hypothalamic neurons associated with the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), a key component of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis that governs hormone release and reproductive maturation. However, whether genistein could directly influence GnRH secretion in GnRH-specific neurons requires further investigation. Here, mouse hypothalamic GT1-7 neurons were recruited as a GnRH-expressing model to directly evaluate the effect and mechanisms of genistein on GnRH release. Results from this study demonstrated that genistein treatment decreased cell viability, impacted cell cycle distribution, and induced apoptosis of GT1-7 cells. A high concentration of genistein (20 μM) significantly increased GnRH secretion by 122.4% compared to the control. Since GnRH release is regulated by components of the kisspeptin-neurokinin-dynorphin (KNDy) system and regulators including SIRT1, PKC_γ, and MKRN3, their transcription and translation were examined. Significant increases were observed for the mRNA and protein levels of the KNDy component kisspeptin receptor (Gpr54/Kissr). Compared to the control, genistein treatment upregulated the level of Sirt1 mRNA level, while it downregulated Prkcg and Mkrn3 expression. Therefore, this study provided direct evidence that genistein treatment could affect GnRH secretion by modulating kisspeptin receptors, SIRT1, PKC_γ and MKRN3 in GT1-7 cells.Abbreviations: GnRH: gonadotropin-releasing hormone; HPG: hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal; KNDy: kisspeptin-neurokinin-dynorphin; LH: luteinizing hormone; FSH: follicle-stimulating hormone; ARC: arcuate nucleus; ER: estrogen receptor; SIRT1: silent information regulator 1; PKCγ: protein kinase c γ: MKRN3: makorin ring finger protein 3; LC: lethal concentration; PI: propidium iodide; ECL: chemiluminescence; BCA: bicinchoninic acid assay; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; CT: fluorescence reached threshold; PVDF: polyvinylidene difluoride.

Neuroimmunomodulatory Properties of Flavonoids and Derivates: A Potential Action as Adjuvants for the Treatment of Glioblastoma

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are tumors that have a high ability to migrate, invade and proliferate in the healthy tissue, what greatly impairs their treatment. These characteristics are associated with the complex microenvironment, formed by the perivascular niche, which is also composed of several stromal cells including astrocytes, microglia, fibroblasts, pericytes and endothelial cells, supporting tumor progression. Further microglia and macrophages associated with GBMs infiltrate the tumor. These innate immune cells are meant to participate in tumor surveillance and eradication, but they become compromised by GBM cells and exploited in the process. In this review we discuss the context of the GBM microenvironment together with the actions of flavonoids, which have attracted scientific attention due to their pharmacological properties as possible anti-tumor agents. Flavonoids act on a variety of signaling pathways, counteracting the invasion process. Luteolin and rutin inhibit NFκB activation, reducing IL-6 production. Fisetin promotes tumor apoptosis, while inhibiting ADAM expression, reducing invasion. Naringenin reduces tumor invasion by down-regulating metalloproteinases expression. Apigenin and rutin induce apoptosis in C6 cells increasing TNFα, while decreasing IL-10 production, denoting a shift from the immunosuppressive Th2 to the Th1 profile. Overall, flavonoids should be further exploited for glioma therapy.

Biochanin-A: A Bioactive Natural Product with Versatile Therapeutic Perspectives

BACKGROUND

Biochanin-A (5,7 dihydroxy 4 methoxy isoflavone) is a phytochemical phytoestrogen that is highly effective against various diseases. Biochanin-A is a nutritional and dietary isoflavonoid naturally present in red clover, chickpea, soybeans and other herbs. Biochanin- A possesses numerous biological activities.

OBJECTIVE

The study focused on collective data of therapeutic activities of Biochanin-A.

METHODS

According to the literature, biochanin-A revealed a range of activities starting from chemoprevention, by hindering cell growth, activation of tumor cell death, hampering metastasis, angiogenic action, cell cycle regulation, neuroprotection, by controlling microglial activation, balancing antioxidants, elevating the neurochemicals, suppressing BACE-1, NADPH oxidase hindrance to inflammation, by mitigating the MAPK and NF- κB, discharge of inflammatory markers, upregulating the PPAR-γ, improving the function of heme oxygenase-1, erythroid 2 nuclear factors, detoxifying the oxygen radicals and stimulating the superoxide dismutase action, and controlling its production of transcription factors. Against pathogens, biochanin-A acts by dephosphorylating tyrosine kinase proteins, obstructing gram-negative bacteria, suppressing the development of cytokines from viruses, and improving the action of a neuraminidase cleavage of caspase-3, and acts as an efflux pump inhibitor. In metabolic disorders, biochanin-A acts by encouraging transcriptional initiation and inhibition, activating estrogen receptors, and increasing the activity of differentiation, autophagy, inflammation, and blood glucose metabolism.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, biochanin-A could be used as a therapeutic drug for various pathological conditions and treatments in human beings.

Genistein: A Potential Natural Lead Molecule for New Drug Design and Development for Treating Memory Impairment

Genistein is a naturally occurring polyphenolic molecule in the isoflavones group which is well known for its neuroprotection. In this review, we summarize the efficacy of genistein in attenuating the effects of memory impairment (MI) in animals. Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases were used to find the relevant articles and discuss the effects of genistein in the brain, including its pharmacokinetics, bioavailability, behavioral effects, and some of the potential mechanisms of action on memory in several animal models. The results of the preclinical studies highly suggested that genistein is highly effective in enhancing the cognitive performance of the MI animal models, specifically in the memory domain, including spatial, recognition, retention, and reference memories, through its ability to reduce oxidative stress and attenuate neuroinflammation. This review also highlighted challenges and opportunities to improve the drug delivery of genistein for treating MI. Along with that, the possible structural modifications and derivatives of genistein to improve its physicochemical and drug-likeness properties are also discussed. The outcomes of the review proved that genistein can enhance the cognitive performance and ameliorate MI in different preclinical studies, thus indicating its potential as a natural lead for the design and development of a novel neuroprotective drug.

Protective effect of isoflavones and triterpenoid saponins from pueraria lobata on liver diseases: A review

In recent years, with the improvement of people's living standard and the change of diet structure, liver disease and its related complications have become a significant public health problem globally. Pueraria lobata (Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willd.) Sanjappa & Pradeep) belongs to the genus Pueraria, which is widely planted and used as medicine and food in Asia with a long history. A variety of natural active products, including puerarin, daidzein, formononetin, genistein, and soyasaponin, have been isolated and identified from pueraria lobata. A large number of studies have shown that various natural active products of pueraria lobata can play a protective role in different types of liver diseases by regulating oxidative stress, inflammatory response, lipid metabolism, etc. In this review, we focused on the protective effects of isoflavones and triterpenoid saponins from pueraria lobata on the liver through different targeted therapeutic mechanisms. What's more, we summarized their therapeutic potential for different types of liver diseases to provide evidence for their clinical application.

Polyphenols-Gut Microbiota Interrelationship: A Transition to a New Generation of Prebiotics

The present review summarizes the studies carried out on this topic in the last five years. According to the new definitions, among all the compounds included in the group of prebiotics, polyphenols are probably the most important secondary metabolites produced by the plant kingdom. Many of these types of polyphenols have low bioavailability, therefore reaching the colon in unaltered form. Once in the colon, these compounds interact with the intestinal microbes bidirectionally by modulating them and, consequently, releasing metabolites. Despite much research on various metabolites, little is known about the chemistry of the metabolic routes used by different bacteria species. In this context, this review aims to investigate the prebiotic effect of polyphenols in preclinical and clinical studies, highlighting that the consumption of polyphenols leads to an increase in beneficial bacteria, as well as an increase in the production of valuable metabolites. In conclusion, there is much evidence in preclinical studies supporting the prebiotic effect of polyphenols, but further clinical studies are needed to investigate this effect in humans.

Flavonoids Present in Propolis in the Battle against Photoaging and Psoriasis

The skin is the main external organ. It protects against different types of potentially harmful agents, such as pathogens, or physical factors, such as radiation. Skin disorders are very diverse, and some of them lack adequate and accessible treatment. The photoaging of the skin is a problem of great relevance since it is related to the development of cancer, while psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes scaly skin lesions and deterioration of the lifestyle of people affected. These diseases affect the patient's health and quality of life, so alternatives have been sought that improve the treatment for these diseases. This review focuses on describing the properties and benefits of flavonoids from propolis against these diseases. The information collected shows that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of flavonoids play a crucial role in the control and regulation of the cellular and biochemical alterations caused by these diseases; moreover, flavones, flavonols, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, and isoflavones contained in different worldwide propolis samples are the types of flavonoids usually evaluated in both diseases. Therefore, the research carried out in the area of dermatology with bioactive compounds of different origins is of great relevance to developing preventive and therapeutic approaches.

Flavonoids kaempferol and quercetin are nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1, Nur77) ligands and inhibit rhabdomyosarcoma cell and tumor growth

BACKGROUND

Flavonoids exhibit both chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity for multiple tumor types, however, their mechanisms of action are not well defined. Based on some of their functional and gene modifying activities as anticancer agents, we hypothesized that kaempferol and quercetin were nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1, Nur77) ligands and confirmed that both compounds directly bound NR4A1 with KD values of 3.1 and 0.93 μM, respectively.

METHODS

The activities of kaempferol and quercetin were determined in direct binding to NR4A1 protein and in NR4A1-dependent transactivation assays in Rh30 and Rh41 rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cells. Flavonoid-dependent effects as inhibitors of cell growth, survival and invasion were determined in XTT and Boyden chamber assays respectively and changes in protein levels were determined by western blots. Tumor growth inhibition studies were carried out in athymic nude mice bearing Rh30 cells as xenografts.

RESULTS

Kaempferol and quercetin bind NR4A1 protein and inhibit NR4A1-dependent transactivation in RMS cells. NR4A1 also regulates RMS cell growth, survival, mTOR signaling and invasion. The pro-oncogenic PAX3-FOXO1 and G9a genes are also regulated by NR4A1 and, these pathways and genes are all inhibited by kaempferol and quercetin. Moreover, at a dose of 50 mg/kg/d kaempferol and quercetin inhibited tumor growth in an athymic nude mouse xenograft model bearing Rh30 cells.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate the clinical potential for repurposing kaempferol and quercetin for clinical applications as precision medicine for treating RMS patients that express NR4A1 in order to increase the efficacy and decrease dosages of currently used cytotoxic drugs.

The Potential Role of Phytonutrients Flavonoids Influencing Gut Microbiota in the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), characterized by the chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, is comprised of two idiopathic chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases. As the incidence of IBD increases, so does the need for safe and effective treatments. Trillions of microorganisms are colonized in the mammalian intestine, coevolve with the host in a symbiotic relationship. Gut microbiota has been reported to be involved in the pathophysiology of IBD. In this regard, phytonutrients flavonoids have received increasing attention for their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In this review, we address recent advances in the interactions among flavonoids, gut microbiota, and IBD. Moreover, their possible potential mechanisms of action in IBD have been discussed. We conclude that there is a complex interaction between flavonoids and gut microbiota. It is expected that flavonoids can change or reshape the gut microbiota to provide important considerations for developing treatments for IBD.

Estrogens and phytoestrogens in body functions

Estrogens are the hormones of reproduction in women as well as of many other important functions in the male and female body. They undergo significant changes in the different phases of life, e.g. during puberty, pregnancy or at menopause/andropause. Phytoestrogens are natural non-steroidal phenolic plant compounds that can mimic the activity of estrogens and their beneficial effects in women and in men. This narrative review summarizes the literature on the physiological role of estrogens and the several potential health benefits of phytoestrogens, with particular attention given to the possible role of phytoestrogens in aging.

Chiral Flavonoids as Antitumor Agents

Flavonoids are a group of natural products with a great structural diversity, widely distributed in plant kingdom. They play an important role in plant growth, development and defense against aggressors. Flavonoids show a huge variety of biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, antimicrobial and antitumor, being able to modulate a large diversity of cellular enzymatic activities. Among natural flavonoids, some classes comprise chiral molecules including flavanones, flavan-3-ols, isoflavanones, and rotenoids, which have one or more stereogenic centers. Interestingly, in some cases, individual compounds of enantiomeric pairs have shown different antitumor activity. In nature, these compounds are mainly biosynthesized as pure enantiomers. Nevertheless, they are often isolated as racemates, being necessary to carry out their chiral separation to perform enantioselectivity studies. Synthetic chiral flavonoids with promising antitumor activity have also been obtained using diverse synthetic approaches. In fact, several new chiral bioactive flavonoids have been synthesized by enantioselective synthesis. Particularly, flavopiridol was the first cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor which entered clinical trials. The chiral pool approaches using amino acid as chiral building blocks have also been reported to achieve small libraries of chrysin derivatives with more potent in vitro growth inhibitory effect than chrysin, reinforcing the importance of the introduction of chiral moieties to improve antitumor activity. In this work, a literature review of natural and synthetic chiral flavonoids with antitumor activity is reported for the first time.

Role of Flavonoids as Epigenetic Modulators in Cancer Prevention and Therapy

Epigenetic regulation involves reversible changes in histones and DNA modifications that can be inherited without any changes in the DNA sequence. Dysregulation of normal epigenetic processes can lead to aberrant gene expression as observed in many diseases, notably cancer. Recent insights into the mechanisms of DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs involved in altered gene expression profiles of tumor cells have caused a paradigm shift in the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches towards cancer. There has been a surge in search for compounds that could modulate the altered epigenetic landscape of tumor cells, and to exploit their therapeutic potential against cancers. Flavonoids are naturally occurring phenol compounds which are abundantly found among phytochemicals and have potentials to modulate epigenetic processes. Knowledge of the precise flavonoid-mediated epigenetic alterations is needed for the development of epigenetics drugs and combinatorial therapeutic approaches against cancers. This review is aimed to comprehensively explore the epigenetic modulations of flavonoids and their anti-tumor activities.

Optical properties of natural small molecules and their applications in imaging and nanomedicine

Natural small molecules derived from plants have fascinated scientists for centuries due to their practical applications in various fields, especially in nanomedicine. Some of the natural molecules were found to show intrinsic optical features such as fluorescence emission and photosensitization, which could be beneficial to provide spatial temporal information and help tracking the drugs in biological systems. Much efforts have been devoted to the investigation of optical properties and practical applications of natural molecules. In this review, optical properties of natural small molecules and their applications in fluorescence imaging, and theranostics will be summarized. First, we will introduce natural small molecules with different fluorescence emission, ranging from blue to near infrared emission. Second, imaging applications in biological samples will be covered. Third, we will discuss the applications of theranostic nanomedicines or drug delivering systems containing fluorescent natural molecules acting as imaging agents or photosensitizers. Finally, future perspectives in this field will be discussed.

Dietary Phytoestrogens and Their Metabolites as Epigenetic Modulators with Impact on Human Health

The impact of dietary phytoestrogens on human health has been a topic of continuous debate since their discovery. Nowadays, based on their presumptive beneficial effects, the amount of phytoestrogens consumed in the daily diet has increased considerably worldwide. Thus, there is a growing need for scientific data regarding their mode of action in the human body. Recently, new insights of phytoestrogens’ bioavailability and metabolism have demonstrated an inter-and intra-population heterogeneity of final metabolites’ production. In addition, the phytoestrogens may have the ability to modulate epigenetic mechanisms that control gene expression. This review highlights the complexity and particularity of the metabolism of each class of phytoestrogens, pointing out the diversity of their bioactive gut metabolites. Futhermore, it presents emerging scientific data which suggest that, among well-known genistein and resveratrol, other phytoestrogens and their gut metabolites can act as epigenetic modulators with a possible impact on human health. The interconnection of dietary phytoestrogens’ consumption with gut microbiota composition, epigenome and related preventive mechanisms is discussed. The current challenges and future perspectives in designing relevant research directions to explore the potential health benefits of dietary phytoestrogens are also explored.

Isoflavones in Animals: Metabolism and Effects in Livestock and Occurrence in Feed

Soybeans are a common ingredient of animal feed. They contain isoflavones, which are known to act as phytoestrogens in animals. Isoflavones were described to have beneficial effects on farm animals. However, there are also reports of negative outcomes after the consumption of isoflavones. This review summarizes the current knowledge of metabolization of isoflavones (including the influence of the microbiome, phase I and phase II metabolism), as well as the distribution of isoflavones and their metabolites in tissues. Furthermore, published studies on effects of isoflavones in livestock species (pigs, poultry, ruminants, fish) are reviewed. Moreover, published studies on occurrence of isoflavones in feed materials and co-occurrence with zearalenone are presented and are supplemented with our own survey data.

Flavonoids: Classification, Function, and Molecular Mechanisms Involved in Bone Remodelling

Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds spotted in various fruits, vegetables, barks, tea plants, and stems and many more natural commodities. They have a multitude of applications through their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-carcinogenic properties, along with the ability to assist in the stimulation of bone formation. Bone, a rigid connective body tissue made up of cells embedded in a mineralised matrix is maintained by an assemblage of pathways assisting osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis. These have a significant impact on a plethora of bone diseases. The homeostasis between osteoblast and osteoclast formation decides the integrity and structure of the bone. The flavonoids discussed here are quercetin, kaempferol, icariin, myricetin, naringin, daidzein, luteolin, genistein, hesperidin, apigenin and several other flavonoids. The effects these flavonoids have on the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor kappa β (NF-kβ), Wnt/β-catenin and bone morphogenetic protein 2/SMAD (BMP2/SMAD) signalling pathways, and apoptotic pathways lead to impacts on bone remodelling. In addition, these polyphenols regulate angiogenesis, decrease the levels of inflammatory cytokines and play a crucial role in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). Considering these important effects of flavonoids, they may be regarded as a promising agent in treating bone-related ailments in the future.

Polyphenols as Antitumor Agents Targeting Key Players in Cancer-Driving Signaling Pathways

Polyphenols constitute an important group of natural products that are traditionally associated with a wide range of bioactivities. These are usually found in low concentrations in natural products and are now available in nutraceuticals or dietary supplements. A group of polyphenols that include apigenin, quercetin, curcumin, resveratrol, EGCG, and kaempferol have been shown to regulate signaling pathways that are central for cancer development, progression, and metastasis. Here, we describe novel mechanistic insights on the effect of this group of polyphenols on key elements of the signaling pathways impacting cancer. We describe the protein modifications induced by these polyphenols and their effect on the central elements of several signaling pathways including PI3K, Akt, mTOR, RAS, and MAPK and particularly those affecting the tumor suppressor p53 protein. Modifications of p53 induced by these polyphenols regulate p53 gene expression and protein levels and posttranslational modifications such as phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination that influence stability, subcellular location, activation of new transcriptional targets, and the role of p53 in response to DNA damage, apoptosis control, cell- cycle regulation, senescence, and cell fate. Thus, deep understanding of the effects that polyphenols have on these key players in cancer-driving signaling pathways will certainly lead to better designed targeted therapies, with less toxicity for cancer treatment. The scope of this review centers on the regulation of key elements of cancer signaling pathways by the most studied polyphenols and highlights the importance of a profound understanding of these regulations in order to improve cancer treatment and control with natural products.

Nanotechnology Applications of Flavonoids for Viral Diseases

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of several viral diseases, including various zoonotic diseases such as the current pandemic caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Other viruses, which possess pandemic-causing potential include avian flu, Ebola, dengue, Zika, and Nipah virus, as well as the re-emergence of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) coronaviruses. Notably, effective drugs or vaccines against these viruses are still to be discovered. All the newly approved vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2-induced disease COVID-19 possess real-time possibility of becoming obsolete because of the development of ‘variants of concern’. Flavonoids are being increasingly recognized as prophylactic and therapeutic agents against emerging and old viral diseases. Around 10,000 natural flavonoid compounds have been identified, being phytochemicals, all plant-based. Flavonoids have been reported to have lesser side effects than conventional anti-viral agents and are effective against more viral diseases than currently used anti-virals. Despite their abundance in plants, which are a part of human diet, flavonoids have the problem of low bioavailability. Various attempts are in progress to increase the bioavailability of flavonoids, one of the promising fields being nanotechnology. This review is a narrative of some anti-viral dietary flavonoids, their bioavailability, and various means with an emphasis on the nanotechnology system(s) being experimented with to deliver anti-viral flavonoids, whose systems show potential in the efficient delivery of flavonoids, resulting in increased bioavailability.

Role of Polyphenols in the Metabolism of the Skeletal System in Humans and Animals – A Review

Polyphenols are a group of compounds arousing enormous interest due to their multiple effects on both human and animal health and omnipresence in plants. A number of in vitro and animal model studies have shown that all polyphenols exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, and play a significant role against oxidative stress-related pathologies. They also exert gut promotory effects and prevent chronic degenerative diseases. However, less attention has been paid to the potential influence of polyphenols on bone properties and metabolism. It is well known that proper growth and functioning of the organism depend largely on bone growth and health. Therefore, understanding the action of substances (including polyphenols) that may improve the health and functioning of the skeletal system and bone metabolism is extremely important for the health of the present and future generations of both humans and farm animals. This review provides a comprehensive summary of literature related to causes of bone loss during ageing of the organism (in both humans and animals) and possible effects of dietary polyphenols preventing bone loss and diseases. In particular, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms that can modulate skeletal homeostasis and influence the bone modeling and remodeling processes are presented.

Effects of Pasture Type on Metabolism, Liver and Kidney Function, Antioxidant Status, and Plant Secondary Compounds in Plasma of Grazing, Jersey Dairy Cattle During Mid-lactation

Some pasture species are rich in phytochemicals, able to improve milk yield and quality and to reduce the environmental impacts of livestock farming. The phytochemicals interact with the different gene networks within the animal, such as nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), but their overall impact on animal health remains to be fully understood. The objective of this study was to identify the effects of pasture Legumes and non-leguminous Forbs containing high bioactive compounds on metabolism and activity of the liver, antioxidant response, kidney function, and inflammation of dairy cows using a large array of blood parameters associated with metabolism and the innate immune system. For this purpose, 26 parameters and the concentration of certain bioactive compounds were assessed in blood plasma, collected from the Jersey cows grazing either Grass, Legume, or Forb-based pastures. In addition, serum collected from all the cows was utilized to detect the changes in NRF2 activation in bovine mammary alveolar cells (MACT) and hepatocytes. Compared with Grass, the cows that grazed both Forb and Legume pastures had lower β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) and creatinine and larger vitamin E and the ferric reducing ability of the plasma, supporting an improved antioxidative status for these animals. Compared with both Grass and Legume, the cows that graze Forb pasture had lower urea and urea to creatinine ratio, and lower creatinine, indicating a better kidney function. The cows grazing Legume pasture had greater hematocrit, bilirubin, cholesterol, albumin, β-carotene, retinol, and thiol groups but lower ceruloplasmin, paraoxonase, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) than those grazed Grass and Forb pastures, indicating a positive effect of Legume pasture on the liver, oxidative stress, and red blood cells. The plasma of cows in the various pastures was enriched with various isoflavonoids, especially the cows grazed on Forb and Legume pastures, which likely contributed to improving the antioxidative status of those cows. However, this effect was likely not due to the higher activation of NRF2. Overall, these results indicate that Forb and Legume pastures rich in secondary metabolites do not strongly affect the metabolism but can improve the status of the liver and the kidney and improve the efficiency of N utilization and antioxidant response, compared with the Grass pasture.

Influence of synthetic isoflavones on selected urinary steroid biomarkers: Relevance to doping control

In this work we have investigated the influence of the intake of two synthetic isoflavones, methoxyisoflavone and ipriflavone, on the urinary concentration of endogenous steroids, and on their relative ratios, of doping relevance. Specifically, the concentrations of testosterone (T), epitestosterone (E), androsterone (A), etiocholanolone (Etio), 5α-androstan-3α,17α-diol (5αAdiol), 5β-androstan-3α,17α-diol (5βAdiol), and the ratios T/E, A/T, A/Etio, 5αAdiol/5βAdiol, 5αAdiol/E, were considered, in the framework of the Steroidal Module of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP). The above set of parameters were complemented by the urinary levels of luteinizing hormone (total LH) and the ratio between T and LH (T/total LH), to assess the possible effects on the biosynthesis of the mentioned steroids. Five healthy Caucasian male volunteers were selected for the study. Urine samples were collected before and during the administration of (i) methoxyisoflavone (Methoxyisoflavone, MyProtein) and (ii) ipriflavone (Osteofix ®, Chiesi Farmaceutici). For the analysis of the urinary steroid profile, after enzymatic hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase from Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) and liquid-liquid extraction with tert-buthylmethyl ether, all samples were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), while for the determination of total LH all urine samples were directly analyzed by a chemiluminescent immunometric assay technique (Siemens Immulite 2000 LH). Our results show that the administration of either methoxyisoflavone or ipriflavone causes an alteration of the urinary concentrations and concentration ratios of the investigated steroids, in the range 55-80% from the baseline values. Furthermore, an oversecretion of LH after the daily intake of methoxyisoflavone or ipriflavone was also recorded in all volunteers, corresponding to an increase in the biosynthesis and excretion of T and some of its metabolites. These changes trigger a disregulation in the pattern of urinary excretion of the steroids included in the Steroidal Module of the ABP, which makes more difficult the interpretation of the longitudinal steroid profile based on the definition of individual normality ranges for each athlete. Our data are also consistent with previous evidence regarding the in vitro effects of natural and synthetic isoflavones, suggesting that their monitoring in doping control routine analysis would be very beneficial for the result management activities.

The Effects of the Trifolium Pratense L. Extract on the Leukemia Inhibitory Factor and its Receptor in The Endometrial Epithelial Cell Line

Isoflavones have attracted much notice due to their health advantages; however, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of isoflavones on endometrium biology remains undiscovered. The expression and deficiency of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and LIF receptor (LIFR) has been shown to be involved in multiple implantations failures in female infertility. Mechanisms implicated in the failure of implantations require further researches, thus our aim is to investigate the effect of the Trifolium pratense L. isoflavone extract with abundant formononetin content on implantation through assessing LIF and LIFR expressions. The Ishikawa cells were cultured with 20, 30, and 40 µg/mL concentrations of Trifolium pratense L. isoflavone extracts for 24 h and detected staining intensity of LIF and LIFR by immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescence staining using image analysis software. As compared with the control and 20 µg/mL Trifolium pratense L. groups, the staining intensity of LIF and LIFR in 30 and 40 µg/mL Trifolium pratense L. groups were significantly increased ( P < .0001). Our findings suggest that Trifolium pratense L. isoflavone extract may alter the endometrium expression of LIF and LIFR in the human endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line.

Current developments in the synthesis of 4-chromanone-derived compounds

The chroman-4-one framework is a significant structural entity that belongs to the class of oxygen-containing heterocycles. It acts as a major building block in a large class of medicinal compounds, and synthetic compounds exhibit a broad variety of remarkable biological and pharmaceutical activities. Several studies have been performed to improve the methodologies of 4-chromanone-derived compounds. This review focuses on the major synthetic methods of preparation reported on chroman-4-one derivatives from 2016 to 2021.

Potential Effects of Soy Isoflavones on the Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome

Isoflavones are polyphenols primarily contained in soybean. As phytoestrogens, isoflavones exert beneficial effects on various chronic diseases. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of death due to arteriosclerosis in individuals with various pathological conditions, including obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia. Although the health benefits of soybean-derived isoflavones are widely known, their beneficial effects on the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome are incompletely understood. This review aims to describe the association between soybean-derived isoflavone intake and the risk of metabolic syndrome development. We reviewed studies on soy isoflavones, particularly daidzein and genistein, and metabolic syndrome, using PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science. We describe the pathological characteristics of metabolic syndrome, including those contributing to multiple pathological conditions. Furthermore, we summarize the effects of soybean-derived daidzein and genistein on metabolic syndrome reported in human epidemiological studies and experiments using in vitro and in vivo models. In particular, we emphasize the role of soy isoflavones in metabolic syndrome-induced cardiovascular diseases. In conclusion, this review focuses on the potential of soy isoflavones to prevent metabolic syndrome by influencing the onset of hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and arteriosclerosis and discusses the anti-inflammatory effects of isoflavones.

Flavonoid-statin interactions causing myopathy and the possible significance of OATP transport, CYP450 metabolism and mevalonate synthesis

3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, statins, are a primary treatment for hyperlipidemic cardiovascular diseases which are a leading global cause of death. Statin therapy is life saving and discontinuation due to adverse events such as myotoxicity may lead to unfavourable outcomes. There is no known mechanism for statin-induced myotoxicity although it is theorized that it is due to inhibition of downstream products of the HMG-CoA pathway. It is known that drug-drug interactions with conventional medicines exacerbate the risk of statin-induced myotoxicity, though little attention has been paid to herb-drug interactions with complementary medicines. Flavonoids are a class of phytochemicals which can be purchased as high dose supplements. There is evidence that flavonoids can raise statin plasma levels, increasing the risk of statin-induced myopathy. This could be due to pharmacokinetic interactions involving hepatic cytochrome 450 (CYP450) metabolism and organic anion transporter (OATP) absorption. There is also the potential for flavonoids to directly and indirectly inhibit HMG-CoA reductase which could contraindicate statin-therapy. This review aims to discuss what is currently known about the potential for high dose flavonoids to interact with the hepatic CYP450 metabolism, OATP uptake of statins or their ability to interact with HMG-CoA reductase. Flavonoids of particular interest will be covered and the difficulties of examining herbal products will be discussed throughout.

Analysis of the molecular mechanisms by flavonoids with potential use for osteoporosis prevention or therapy

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis is the most common skeletal disorder worldwide. Flavonoids have the potential to alleviate bone alterations in osteoporotic patients with the advantage of being safer and less expensive than the conventional therapies.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective is to analyze the molecular mechanisms triggered in bone by different subclasses of flavonoids. In addition, this review provides an up-to-date overview on the cellular and molecular aspects of osteoporotic bones versus healthy bones, and a brief description of some epidemiological studies indicating that flavonoids could be useful for osteoporosis treatment.

METHODS

The PubMed database was searched in the range of years 2001- 2021 using the keywords osteoporosis, flavonoids, and their subclasses such as flavones, flavonols, flavanols, isoflavones, flavanones and anthocyanins, focusing the data on the molecular mechanisms triggered in bone.

RESULTS

Although flavonoids comprise many compounds that differ in structure, their effects on bone loss in postmenopausal women or in ovariectomized-induced osteoporotic animals are quite similar. Most of them increase bone mineral density and bone strength, which occur through enhancement of osteoblastogenesis and osteoclast apoptosis, decrease in osteoclastogenesis as well as increase in neovascularization on the site of the osteoporotic fracture.

CONCLUSION

Several molecules of signaling pathways are involved in the effect of flavonoids on osteoporotic bone. Whether all flavonoids have a common mechanism or they act as ligands of estrogen receptors remain to be established. More clinical trials are necessary to know better their safety, efficacy, delivery and bioavailability in humans, as well as comparative studies with conventional therapies.

In sacco evaluation of ruminal degradability of isoflavones from full-fat soybean and extracted soybean meal-A pilot study

The aim of the study was to determine the ruminal degradability of dry matter (DM), daidzein, genistein, glycitein and total isoflavones in ground full-fat soybean (GFFS) and solvent-extracted soybean meal (SSBM) using the in sacco method. The experiment was carried out in three replications on ruminally cannulated sheep that were fed twice a day with a diet consisted of hay and supplemental mixture (6:4, DM basis). The nylon bags with 2 g feed samples ground to 2 mm were incubated in the rumen for 0, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24 h. The effective degradability (ED) of DM, daidzein, genistein, glycitein and total isoflavones was calculated at outflow rate of 0.06 h. The ED of DM in GFFS was 77.8% and was higher than in SSBM being 71.8% (p < 0.001). The ED of daidzein (96.8%) and genistein (93.6%) was higher for SSBM compared with GFFS (93.9% and 92.8%, p < 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively) while ED of glycitein was lower for SSBM than for GFFS (75.5 and 81.7%, respectively, p < 0.001). All isoflavones in the incubations were extensively degraded in the rumen, and regardless of dietary source, they were almost completely degraded after 16 h of incubation. Further, the disappearance patterns, that is the functions describing the time courses of the analyte disappearance, were assessed. The disappearance patterns of daidzein, genistein, glycitein and total isoflavones were similar and showed greater disappearance of mentioned isoflavones from SSBM compared to GFFS (p < 0.001 for daidzein, genistein and total isoflavones and p = 0.002 for glycitein). The study provides knowledge on the effect of processing on degradability of isoflavones in rumen that can be used to clarify the interrelationship between isoflavones and rumen microbiota.

Synthesis and Bio-evaluation of 2-Alkyl Substituted Fluorinated Genistein Analogues Against Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women. The current methods of chemotherapy for breast cancer generally have strong adverse reactions and drug resistance. Therefore, the discovery of novel anti-breast cancer lead compounds is urgently needed.

OBJECTIVE

Design and synthesize a series of 2-alkyl substituted fluorinated genistein analogues and evaluate their anti-breast cancer activity.

METHODS

Target compounds were obtained in a multistep reaction synthesis. The anti-tumor activity of compounds I-1~I-35 were evaluated with MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-435, and MCF-10A cell lines in vitro, with tamoxifen as the positive control. Molecular docking was used to study the interaction between the synthesized compounds and PI3K-gamma.

RESULTS

A series of 2-alkyl substituted fluorinated genistein analogues were designed, synthesized and screened for their bioactivity. Most of the compounds displayed better selectivity toward breast cancer cell lines as compared with tamoxifen. Among these analogues, I-2, I-3, I-4, I-9, I-15 and I-17 have the strongest selective inhibition of breast cancer cells. Compounds I-10, I-13, I-15, I-17 and I-33 were found to have significant inhibitory effects on breast cancer cells. Molecular docking studies have shown that these compounds may act as PI3Kγ inhibitors and may further exhibit anti-breast cancer effects.

CONCLUSION

Most of the newly synthesized compounds could highly selectively inhibit breast cancer cell lines. The experimental results indicate that the synthesized analogs may also have obvious selective inhibitory effects on other malignant proliferation cancer cells.

Impacting the Remedial Potential of Nano Delivery-Based Flavonoids for Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast cancer persists as a diffuse source of cancer despite persistent detection and treatment. Flavonoids, a type of polyphenol, appear to be a productive option in the treatment of breast cancer, because of their capacity to regulate the tumor related functions of class of compounds. Plant polyphenols are flavonoids that appear to exhibit properties which are beneficial for breast cancer therapy. Numerous epidemiologic studies have been performed on the dynamic effect of plant polyphenols in the prevention of breast cancer. There are also subclasses of flavonoids that have antioxidant and anticarcinogenic activity. These can regulate the scavenging activity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which help in cell cycle arrest and suppress the uncontrolled division of cancer cells. Numerous studies have also been performed at the population level, one of which reported a connection between cancer risk and intake of dietary flavonoids. Breast cancer appears to show intertumoral heterogeneity with estrogen receptor positive and negative cells. This review describes breast cancer, its various factors, and the function of flavonoids in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer, namely, how flavonoids and their subtypes are used in treatment. This review proposes that cancer risk can be reduced, and that cancer can be even cured by improving dietary intake. A large number of studies also suggested that the intake of fruit and vegetables is associated with reduced breast cancer and paper also includes the role and the use of nanodelivery of flavonoids in the healing of breast cancer. In addition, the therapeutic potential of orally administered phyto-bioactive compounds (PBCs) is narrowed because of poor stability and oral bioavailability of compounds in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and solubility also affects bioavailability. In recent years, creative nanotechnology-based approaches have been advised to enhance the activity of PBCs. Nanotechnology also offers the potential to become aware of disease at earlier stages, such as the detection of hidden or unconcealed metastasis colonies in patients diagnosed with lung, colon, prostate, ovarian, and breast cancer. However, nanoformulation-related effects and safety must not be overlooked. This review gives a brief discussion of nanoformulations and the effect of nanotechnology on herbal drugs.

Characterization of Phytoestrogens in Medicago sativa L. and Grazing Beef Cattle

Phytoestrogens are plant-produced bioactive secondary metabolites known to play an integral role in plant defense that frequently accumulate in times of stress and/or microbial infection. Phytoestrogens typically belong to two distinct chemical classes; flavonoids (isoflavones) and non-flavonoids (lignans and coumestans). Upon consumption by livestock, high concentrations of phytoestrogens can cause long-term disruption in reproduction due to structural similarities with mammalian estrogens and their tendency to bind estrogen receptors. Wide variation in phytoestrogen concentration has been reported in pasture legumes and corresponding silage or hay. Lucerne is a common perennial pasture legume in temperate climates, but information on phytoestrogen production or accumulation in grazing livestock is currently limited. Therefore, metabolic profiling using UHPLC-MS-QToF was performed to identify and quantitate key phytoestrogens in both fresh and dried lucerne fodder from replicated field or controlled glasshouse environments. Phytoestrogens were also profiled in the blood plasma of Angus cattle grazing field-grown lucerne. Results revealed that phytoestrogens varied quantitatively and qualitatively among selected lucerne cultivars grown under glasshouse conditions. Fresh lucerne samples contained higher concentrations of coumestans and other phytoestrogenic isoflavones than did dried samples for all cultivars profiled, with several exceeding desirable threshold levels for grazing cattle. Coumestans and isoflavones profiled in plasma of Angus heifers grazing lucerne increased significantly over a 21-day sampling period following experimental initiation. Currently, threshold concentrations for phytoestrogens in plasma are unreported. However, total phytoestrogen concentration exceeded 300 mg·kg⁻¹ in fresh and 180 mg·kg⁻¹ in dried samples of selected cultivars, suggesting that certain genotypes may upregulate phytoestrogen production, while others may prove suitable sources of fodder for grazing livestock.

Polyphenols and Their Effects on Muscle Atrophy and Muscle Health

Skeletal muscle atrophy is the decrease in muscle mass and strength caused by reduced protein synthesis/accelerated protein degradation. Various conditions, such as denervation, disuse, aging, chronic diseases, heart disease, obstructive lung disease, diabetes, renal failure, AIDS, sepsis, cancer, and steroidal medications, can cause muscle atrophy. Mechanistically, inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction are among the major contributors to muscle atrophy, by modulating signaling pathways that regulate muscle homeostasis. To prevent muscle catabolism and enhance muscle anabolism, several natural and synthetic compounds have been investigated. Recently, polyphenols (i.e., natural phytochemicals) have received extensive attention regarding their effect on muscle atrophy because of their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have reported polyphenols as strongly effective bioactive molecules that attenuate muscle atrophy and enhance muscle health. This review describes polyphenols as promising bioactive molecules that impede muscle atrophy induced by various proatrophic factors. The effects of each class/subclass of polyphenolic compounds regarding protection against the muscle disorders induced by various pathological/physiological factors are summarized in tabular form and discussed. Although considerable variations in antiatrophic potencies and mechanisms were observed among structurally diverse polyphenolic compounds, they are vital factors to be considered in muscle atrophy prevention strategies.

Soy Isoflavones Intake and Obesity in Chinese Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Shanghai, China

This study was designed to examine the association of soy isoflavones (SI) intake with different body measurements indicative of obesity in Chinese adults of Shanghai, a population consuming foods rich in SI. This study used baseline data from the Shanghai Gaofeng cohort study. SI intake was measured by using a self-reported food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). A restricted cubic spline (RCS) was performed to examine the possible nonlinear relationship of SI intake with obesity. A logistic regression model was applied to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Compared with the lowest tertile group of SI intake, the highest tertile group had a lower prevalence of obesity and central obesity. The OR for overall obesity was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.85, 0.98) in the highest versus the lowest SI tertile group; the associations differed by sex and menopausal status. A negative association was also observed between SI intake and central obesity, and a significant modifying effect of sex was found on the association. No significant interactions were observed between SI intake and physical activity (PA) levels. Our results suggest that Chinese adults with higher dietary intake of SI may be less likely to be obese, particularly for postmenopausal women.

In Vitro Antibacterial Effect of the Methanolic Extract of the Korean Soybean Fermented Product Doenjang against Staphylococcus aureus

Simple Summary

The emergence of bacterial antibiotic resistance is a negative phenomenon occurring worldwide in both animals and humans. The EU banned the use of antibiotic growth promoters in animal production, as their administration to livestock is assumed to substantially contribute to the spread of bacterial resistance. Therefore, alternatives to antibiotic substances are needed to maintain the quality and quantity of animal products. Certain plant materials, such as fermented soybean products, can serve as a source of substances with potential to decrease the growth of resistant bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus. Fermented soybean products, including doenjang, are known to contain natural phytoestrogens called isoflavones, which are especially interesting due to their antimicrobial activity; these products can also be utilized in animal feed. Thus, the antibacterial activity of the methanolic extract of the Korean soybean fermented product doenjang was evaluated using standardized microbiological methods against nine strains of resistant and sensitive S. aureus, including those occurring in animals. The extract has been shown to be active at a concentration range of 2048–4096 µg/mL against all tested S. aureus strains and can therefore serve as a promising alternative to antibiotics in animal feed after additional testing in the laboratory and on living animals.

Abstract

Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry showed soyasaponin I and the isoflavones daidzein, genistein, and glycitein to be the main components of the methanolic extract of the Korean soybean fermented product doenjang, which is known to be a rich source of naturally occurring bioactive substances, at average contents of 515.40, 236.30, 131.23, and 29.00 ng/mg, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extract of doenjang against nine Staphylococcusaureus strains was determined in vitro by the broth microdilution method to investigate its potential to serve as an alternative antibacterial compound. The results suggest that the extract is an effective antistaphylococcal agent at concentrations of 2048–4096 µg/mL. Moreover, the tested extract also showed the ability to inhibit the growth of both methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant animal and clinical S. aureus isolates. The growth kinetics of the chosen strains of S. aureus at the minimum inhibitory concentration of the methanolic extract of doenjang support the idea that the tested extract acts as an antibacterial compound. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the antistaphylococcal action of the methanolic extract of doenjang thus, additional studies including in vivo testing are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.

Chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles designed to encapsulate polyphenolic compounds for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications - A review

Plant-based polyphenols are natural compounds, present in fruits and vegetables. During recent years, polyphenols have gained special attention due to their nutraceutical and pharmacological activities for the prevention and treatment of human diseases. Nevertheless, their photosensitivity and low bioavailability, rapid metabolism and short biological half-life represent the major limitations for their use, which could be overcome by polyphenols encapsulation (flavonoids and non-flavonoids) into chitosan (CS)-tripolyphosphate (TPP) based nanoparticles (NP). In this review, we particularly focused on the ionic gelation method for the NP design. This contribution exhaustively discusses and compares results of scientific reports published in the last decade referring to ionic gelation applied for the protection, controlled and site-directed delivery of polyphenols. As a consequence, CS-TPP NP would constitute true platforms to transport polyphenols, or a combination of them, to be used for the designing of a new generation of drugs or nutraceuticals.

Functionality of Bread and Beverage Added with Brosimum alicastrum Sw. Seed Flour on the Nutritional and Health Status of the Elderly

Physiological changes in elderly individuals (EI) can contribute to nutritional deterioration and comorbidities that reduce their quality of life. Factors such as diet can modulate some of these effects. The aim was to evaluate the functionality of foods added with Brosimum alicastrum Sw. seed flour in EI. EI (n = 23) living in nursing home conditions agreed to participate. A control stage was carried out (30 days) and subsequently, an intervention stage (30 days) was realized in which a muffin and a beverage, designed for EI, were added to the participants’ their usual diet. In both stages, anthropometric parameters, body composition, nutritional status, dietary intake, sarcopenic status, cognitive and affective states, biometric parameters, and total phenolic compounds (TPC), and antioxidant capacity in foods and plasma of EI were determined. The results showed that the consumption of the foods improved the energy intake and preserved the muscle reserves of the EI. The EI gained body weight (+1.1 kg), increased their protein (+18.6 g/day; 1.5 g/kg BW/day), dietary fiber (+13.4 g/day), iron (+4.4 mg/day), zinc (+1.8 mg/day), folic acid (+83.4 µg/day) consumption while reducing their cholesterol (−66 mg/day) and sodium (−319.5 mg/day) consumption. LDL-C lipoproteins reduced (14.8%) and urea (33.1%) and BUN (33.3%) increased. The TPC increased (7.8%) in the plasma, particularly in women (10.7%). The foods improve the EI nutritional status, and this has a cardiovascular protective effect that can benefit the health of the EI.

Genistein: An Integrative Overview of Its Mode of Action, Pharmacological Properties, and Health Benefits

Genistein is an isoflavone first isolated from the brooming plant Dyer's Genista tinctoria L. and is widely distributed in the Fabaceae family. As an isoflavone, mammalian genistein exerts estrogen-like functions. Several biological effects of genistein have been reported in preclinical studies, such as the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral activities, the effects of angiogenesis and estrogen, and the pharmacological activities on diabetes and lipid metabolism. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date evidence of preclinical pharmacological activities with mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and clinical evidence of genistein. The literature was researched using the most important keyword "genistein" from the PubMed, Science, and Google Scholar databases, and the taxonomy was validated using The Plant List. Data were also collected from specialized books and other online resources. The main positive effects of genistein refer to the protection against cardiovascular diseases and to the decrease of the incidence of some types of cancer, especially breast cancer. Although the mechanism of protection against cancer involves several aspects of genistein metabolism, the researchers attribute this effect to the similarity between the structure of soy genistein and that of estrogen. This structural similarity allows genistein to displace estrogen from cellular receptors, thus blocking their hormonal activity. The pharmacological activities resulting from the experimental studies of this review support the traditional uses of genistein, but in the future, further investigations are needed on the efficacy, safety, and use of nanotechnologies to increase bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy.

Isoflavones derived from plant raw materials: bioavailability, anti-cancer, anti-aging potentials, and microbiome modulation

Isoflavones are secondary metabolites that represent the most abundant category of plant polyphenols. Dietary soy, kudzu, and red clover contain primarily genistein, daidzein, glycitein, puerarin, formononetin, and biochanin A. The structural similarity of these compounds to β-estradiol has demonstrated protection against age-related and hormone-dependent diseases in both genders. Demonstrative shreds of evidence confirmed the fundamental health benefits of the consumption of these isoflavones. These relevant activities are complex and largely driven by the source, active ingredients, dose, and administration period of the bioactive compounds. However, the preclinical and clinical studies of these compounds are greatly variable, controversial, and still with no consensus due to the non-standardized research protocols. In addition, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion studies, and the safety profile of isoflavones have been far limited. This highlights a major gap in understanding the potentially critical role of these isoflavones as prospective replacement therapy. Our general review exclusively focuses attention on the crucial role of isoflavones derived from these plant materials and critically highlights their bioavailability, possible anticancer, antiaging potentials, and microbiome modulation. Despite their fundamental health benefits, plant isoflavones reveal prospective therapeutic effects that worth further standardized analysis.

The Review of Anti-aging Mechanism of Polyphenols on Caenorhabditis elegans

Micronutrients extracted from natural plants or made by biological synthesis are widely used in anti-aging research and applications. Among more than 30 effective anti-aging substances, employing polyphenol organic compounds for modification or delaying of the aging process attracts great interest because of their distinct contribution in the prevention of degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. There is a profound potential for polyphenol extracts in the research of aging and the related diseases of the elderly. Previous studies have mainly focused on the properties of polyphenols implicated in free radical scavenging; however, the anti-oxidant effect cannot fully elaborate its biological functions, such as neuroprotection, Aβ protein production, ion channel coupling, and signal transduction pathways. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has been considered as an ideal model organism for exploring the mechanism of anti-aging research and is broadly utilized in screening for natural bioactive substances. In this review, we have described the molecular mechanisms and pathways responsible for the slowdown of aging processes exerted by polyphenols. We also have discussed the possible mechanisms for their anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties in C. elegans from the perspective of different classifications of the specific polyphenols, such as flavonols, anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols, hydroxybenzoic acid, hydroxycinnamic acid, and stilbenes.

Visualization Analysis of Glyceollin Production in Germinating Soybeans by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometric Imaging Technique

Apart from the physiological functions of soybean phytoalexins, the production sites in soybeans remain unknown. In this study, the dynamic production of phytoalexins, glyceollins, in germinating soybeans inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae was visually investigated using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) imaging. During a 3-day sensitization using a fungus, glyceollins I-III were produced in germinating soybeans (from 0.03 mg/g for glyceollin III to 0.96 mg/g for glyceollin I). Imaging analysis provided visual evidence that glyceollins were produced only in the regions of seed coat and germinated root of the soybeans, while no production was observed in other regions, including the cotyledons. In contrast, their precursor, isoflavone, was distributed throughout the soybean. The evidence that the inoculation of the inactivated fungi also caused glyceollin production at the seed coat led us to speculate that glyceollins could be produced in the region of soybean attached to the fungus body.

Current Perspectives on the Beneficial Effects of Soybean Isoflavones and Their Metabolites for Humans

Soybeans are rich in proteins and lipids and have become a staple part of the human diet. Besides their nutritional excellence, they have also been shown to contain various functional components, including isoflavones, and have consequently received increasing attention as a functional food item. Isoflavones are structurally similar to 17-β-estradiol and bind to estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ). The estrogenic activity of isoflavones ranges from a hundredth to a thousandth of that of estrogen itself. Isoflavones play a role in regulating the effects of estrogen in the human body, depending on the situation. Thus, when estrogen is insufficient, isoflavones perform the functions of estrogen, and when estrogen is excessive, isoflavones block the estrogen receptors to which estrogen binds, thus acting as an estrogen antagonist. In particular, estrogen antagonistic activity is important in the breast, endometrium, and prostate, and such antagonistic activity suppresses cancer occurrence. Genistein, an isoflavone, has cancer-suppressing effects on estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) cancers, including breast cancer. It suppresses the function of enzymes such as tyrosine protein kinase, mitogen-activated kinase, and DNA polymerase II, thus inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Genistein is the most biologically active and potent isoflavone candidate for cancer prevention. Furthermore, among the various physiological functions of isoflavones, they are best known for their antioxidant activities. S-Equol, a metabolite of genistein and daidzein, has strong antioxidative effects; however, the ability to metabolize daidzein into S-equol varies based on racial and individual differences. The antioxidant activity of isoflavones may be effective in preventing dementia by inhibiting the phosphorylation of Alzheimer's-related tau proteins. Genistein also reduces allergic responses by limiting the expression of mast cell IgE receptors, which are involved in allergic responses. In addition, they have been known to prevent and treat various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes, osteoporosis, diabetes, brain-related diseases, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and inflammation. Further, it also has positive effects on menstrual irregularity in non-menopausal women and relieving menopausal symptoms in middle-aged women. Recently, soybean consumption has shown steep increasing trend in Western countries where the intake was previously only 1/20-1/50 of that in Asian countries. In this review, I have dealt with the latest research trends that have shown substantial interest in the biological efficacy of isoflavones in humans and plants, and their related mechanisms.

Remodeling the Epigenetic Landscape of Cancer-Application Potential of Flavonoids in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer

Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNA regulation, are physiological regulatory changes that affect gene expression without modifying the DNA sequence. Although epigenetic disorders are considered a sign of cell carcinogenesis and malignant events that affect tumor progression and drug resistance, in view of the reversible nature of epigenetic modifications, clinicians believe that associated mechanisms can be a key target for cancer prevention and treatment. In contrast, epidemiological and preclinical studies indicated that the epigenome is constantly reprogrammed by intake of natural organic compounds and the environment, suggesting the possibility of utilizing natural compounds to influence epigenetics in cancer therapy. Flavonoids, although not synthesized in the human body, can be consumed daily and are common in medicinal plants, vegetables, fruits, and tea. Recently, numerous reports provided evidence for the regulation of cancer epigenetics by flavonoids. Considering their origin in natural and food sources, few side effects, and remarkable biological activity, the epigenetic antitumor effects of flavonoids warrant further investigation. In this article, we summarized and analyzed the multi-dimensional epigenetic effects of all 6 subtypes of flavonoids (including flavonols, flavones, isoflavones, flavanones, flavanols, and anthocyanidin) in different cancer types. Additionally, our report also provides new insights and a promising direction for future research and development of flavonoids in tumor prevention and treatment via epigenetic modification, in order to realize their potential as cancer therapeutic agents.

Phytoestrogens for the Management of Endometriosis: Findings and Issues

Endometriosis, a chronic disease characterized by recurrent pelvic pain and infertility, severely impacts the health and life quality of many women worldwide. Since phytoestrogens are commonly found in a variety of foods, and estrogen is a major pathological factor for the pathogenesis of endometriosis, their possible involvement cannot be ignored. This review summarizes data on the relationship between phytoestrogen intake and endometriosis risk, and analyzes the findings from in vitro experiments, rodent endometriotic models, and human intervention trials. While favorable results were often obtained from endometrial primary cultures and animal models for resveratrol, isoflavones and puerarin, only resveratrol showed promising results in human intervention trials. Critical issues concerning the current study efforts are discussed: the possible reasons beneath the discrepant observations of estrogenic/anti-estrogenic effects by phytoestrogens; the complicated interplays between phytoestrogens and endogenous estrogens; the shortage of currently used animal models; the necessity to apply reasonable doses of phytoestrogens in experiments. It is expected that the analyses would help to more properly assess the phytoestrogens' effects on the endometriosis pathogenesis and their potential values for preventive or therapeutic applications.

Flavonoids: A Myth or a Reality for Cancer Therapy?

Nutraceuticals are biologically active molecules present in foods; they can have beneficial effects on health, but they are not available in large enough quantities to perform this function. Plant metabolites, such as polyphenols, are widely diffused in the plant kingdom, where they play fundamental roles in plant development and interactions with the environment. Among these, flavonoids are of particular interest as they have significant effects on human health. In vitro and/or in vivo studies described flavonoids as essential nutrients for preventing several diseases. They display broad and promising bioactivities to fight cancer, inflammation, bacterial infections, as well as to reduce the severity of neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases or diabetes. Therefore, it is not surprising that interest in flavonoids has sharply increased in recent years. More than 23,000 scientific publications on flavonoids have described the potential anticancer activity of these natural molecules in the last decade. Studies, in vitro and in vivo, show that flavonoids exhibit anticancer properties, and many epidemiological studies confirm that dietary intake of flavonoids leads to a reduced risk of cancer. This review provides a glimpse of the mechanisms of action of flavonoids on cancer cells.

Supplementation with soy isoflavones alleviates depression-like behaviour via reshaping the gut microbiota structure

Soy isoflavones (SI) are known for their beneficial effects in alleviating neurodegenerative diseases, while the mechanism of alleviation of depression-like behaviour by SI remains unclear. In this study, a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression rat model was used to determine the effect of SI in alleviating depression-like behaviour and its possible mechanisms. SI supplements significantly improved the CUMS-induced depression-like behaviour by increasing the monoamine neurotransmitter levels. A specific SI dose significantly modulated the composition of the gut microbiota, which in turn improved the maximum biotransformation ability of SI. Spearman's correlation analysis illustrated that some of the gut microbiota genera were strongly correlated with monoamine neurotransmitters. Moreover, more attention should be paid to gender differences, which may be related to changes in the gut microbiota. These results suggest that SI might affect monoamine neurotransmitters of CUMS rats by reshaping the structure of the gut microbiota, thereby alleviating depression-like behaviour.