Effect of superfine grinding on physical properties, bioaccessibility, and anti-obesity activities of bitter melon powders

Momordica charantia Bioactive Components: Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Benefits Through Gut Health Modulation

Momordica charantia (MC), a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is well known for its pharmacological activities that exhibit hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties. These properties are largely because of its abundant bioactive compounds and phytochemicals. Over the years, numerous studies have confirmed the regulatory effects of MC extract on glycolipid metabolism. However, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews on newly discovered MC-related components, such as insulin receptor-binding protein-19, adMc1, and MC protein-30 and triterpenoids 3β,7β,25-trihydroxycucurbita-5,23(E)-dien-19-al, and the role of MC in gut microbiota and bitter taste receptors. This review offers an up-to-date overview of the recently reported chemical compositions of MC, including polysaccharides, saponins, polyphenolics, peptides, and their beneficial effects. It also provides the latest updates on the role of MC in the regulation of gut microbiota and bitter taste receptor signaling pathways. As a result, this review will serve as a theoretical basis for potential applications in the creation or modification of MC-based nutrient supplements.

Dendrobium huoshanense in the treatment of ulcerative colitis: Network pharmacology and experimental validation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Dendrobium huoshanense C. Z. Tang et S. J. Cheng (DH) is a traditional medicinal herb with a long history of medicinal use. DH has been recorded as protecting the gastrointestinal function. Modern pharmacology research shows that DH regulates intestinal flora, intestinal mucosal immunity, gastrointestinal peristalsis and secretion of digestive juices. At the same time, some studies have shown that DH has a good therapeutic effect on ulcerative colitis, but its mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated.

AIMS OF THIS STUDY

To investigate the mechanism and effect of Dendrobium huoshanense C. Z. Tang et S. J. Cheng (DH) in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) by combining network pharmacology and in vivo experimental validation.

METHODS

A network pharmacology approach was used to perform component screening, target prediction, PPI network interaction analysis, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis to initially predict the mechanism of DH treatment for UC. Then, the mechanism was validated with the UC mouse model induced by 3% DSS.

RESULTS

Based on the network pharmacological analysis, a comprehensive of 101 active components were identified, with 19 of them potentially serving as the crucial elements in DH's effectiveness against UC treatment. Additionally, the study revealed 314 potential core therapeutic targets along with the top 5 key targets: SRC, STAT3, AKT1, HSP90AA1, and PIK3CA. In experiments conducted on live mice with UC, DH was found to decrease the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the blood, while increasing the levels of IL-10 and TGF-β. This led to notable improvements in colon length, injury severity, and an up-regulation of SRC, STAT3, HSP90AA1, PIK3CA, p-AKT1 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway expression in the colon tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the active components and main targets of DH for UC treatment were initially forecasted, and the potential mechanism was investigated through network pharmacology. These findings offer an experimental foundation for the clinical utilization of DH.

Physicochemical properties of superfine grinding-microwave modified artichoke soluble dietary fiber and their alleviation of alcoholic fatty liver in mice

The effects of superfine grinding (SG) and microwave treatment (MT) on the structure and physicochemical properties of artichoke soluble dietary fiber (ASDF) and its protective effects on mice with alcoholic fatty liver (AFL) were studied. We compared the changes in structural characteristics and physicochemical properties of ASDF, SG-ASDF (ASDF treated by SG), MT-ASDF (ASDF treated by MT), and CM-ASDF (ASDF treated by SG and MT). Moreover, we evaluated the effects of the obtained ASDF on the growth characteristics, blood lipid levels, and liver of mice with AFL. Our results of the study showed that CM-ASDF had a more concentrated and uniform particle size, a higher extraction rate of ASDF and significantly improved water-holding capacity (WHC), oil-holding capacity (OHC) and water swelling capacity (WSC) of ASDF (p < 0.05). After the ASDF intervention, mice with AFL exhibited a significant improvement in body lipid levels and reduce liver inflammation. Specifically, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malonaldehyde (MDA), Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) were significantly decreased, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) were significantly increased (p < 0.05). And the hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining results showed significant improvement of hepatic steatosis in mice with AFL. In summary, our study found that both SG and MT could improve the structure and physicochemical properties of ASDF, with CM-ASDF being the most effective. Additionally, CM-ASDF was selected to continue the investigation and demonstrated an excellent protective effect on mice with AFL, with the high dose group (H-ASDF) showing the greatest benefit. These findings provided some new insights for future comprehensive utilization of ASDF and drug development for the treatment of AFL.

Superfine Marigold Powder Improves the Quality of Sponge Cake: Lutein Fortification, Texture, and Sensory Properties

This study aimed to investigate and optimize the quality and sensory properties of baked products with lutein-enriched marigold flower powder (MP). Lutein-enriched marigold flowers produced via hydroponic methods using LED lights were used as a functional material in sponge cakes to increase lutein content. MP particles were divided into coarse (Dv₅₀ = 315 μm), fine (Dv₅₀ = 119 μm), and superfine MP (Dv₅₀ = 10 μm) fractions and added to the sponge cake after being designated to control (sponge cake prepared without MP), coarse MPS (sponge cake prepared with coarse MP), fine MPS (sponge cake prepared with fine MP), and superfine MPS (sponge cake prepared with superfine MP) groups. The sizes and surface properties of superfine MP particles were more homogeneous and smoother than the other samples. As the particle size decreased, the specific volume increased, whereas baking loss, hardness, and chewiness of the sponge cake decreased. Superfine MP and superfine MPS had the highest lutein content. The flavor of marigold and the overall acceptability of sponge cake with superfine MP were 7.90 ± 0.97 and 7.55 ± 0.76, which represents the highest values among the samples. The results of this study have shown that jet milling can contribute to improvements in texture, lutein content, and sensory qualities for baked products with MP.