1
|
Godos J, Scazzina F, Paternò Castello C, Giampieri F, Quiles JL, Briones Urbano M, Battino M, Galvano F, Iacoviello L, de Gaetano G, Bonaccio M, Grosso G. Underrated aspects of a true Mediterranean diet: understanding traditional features for worldwide application of a "Planeterranean" diet. J Transl Med 2024; 22:294. [PMID: 38515140 PMCID: PMC10956348 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05095-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, the Mediterranean diet gained enormous scientific, social, and commercial attention due to proven positive effects on health and undeniable taste that facilitated a widespread popularity. Researchers have investigated the role of Mediterranean-type dietary patterns on human health all around the world, reporting consistent findings concerning its benefits. However, what does truly define the Mediterranean diet? The myriad of dietary scores synthesizes the nutritional content of a Mediterranean-type diet, but a variety of aspects are generally unexplored when studying the adherence to this dietary pattern. Among dietary factors, the main characteristics of the Mediterranean diet, such as consumption of fruit and vegetables, olive oil, and cereals should be accompanied by other underrated features, such as the following: (i) specific reference to whole-grain consumption; (ii) considering the consumption of legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices often untested when exploring the adherence to the Mediterranean diet; (iii) consumption of eggs and dairy products as common foods consumed in the Mediterranean region (irrespectively of the modern demonization of dietary fat intake). Another main feature of the Mediterranean diet includes (red) wine consumption, but more general patterns of alcohol intake are generally unmeasured, lacking specificity concerning the drinking occasion and intensity (i.e., alcohol drinking during meals). Among other underrated aspects, cooking methods are rather simple and yet extremely varied. Several underrated aspects are related to the quality of food consumed when the Mediterranean diet was first investigated: foods are locally produced, minimally processed, and preserved with more natural methods (i.e., fermentation), strongly connected with the territory with limited and controlled impact on the environment. Dietary habits are also associated with lifestyle behaviors, such as sleeping patterns, and social and cultural values, favoring commensality and frugality. In conclusion, it is rather reductive to consider the Mediterranean diet as just a pattern of food groups to be consumed decontextualized from the social and geographical background of Mediterranean culture. While the methodologies to study the Mediterranean diet have demonstrated to be useful up to date, a more holistic approach should be considered in future studies by considering the aforementioned underrated features and values to be potentially applied globally through the concept of a "Planeterranean" diet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Godos
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesca Giampieri
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
- Research Group on Food, Nutritional Biochemistry and Health, Universidad Europea del Atlántico, Isabel Torres 21, 39011, Santander, Spain
| | - José L Quiles
- Research Group on Food, Nutritional Biochemistry and Health, Universidad Europea del Atlántico, Isabel Torres 21, 39011, Santander, Spain
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology "José Mataix", Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Avda del Conocimiento S/N, Parque Tecnologico de La Salud, Armilla, 18016, Granada, Spain
- Research and Development Functional Food Centre (CIDAF), Health Science Technological Park, Avenida del Conocimiento 37, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Mercedes Briones Urbano
- Research Group on Food, Nutritional Biochemistry and Health, Universidad Europea del Atlántico, Isabel Torres 21, 39011, Santander, Spain
- Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana, Campeche, 24560, México
- Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana, Arecibo, PR, 00613, USA
| | - Maurizio Battino
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
- Research Group on Food, Nutritional Biochemistry and Health, Universidad Europea del Atlántico, Isabel Torres 21, 39011, Santander, Spain
- International Joint Research Laboratory of Intelligent Agriculture and Agri-Products Processing, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Fabio Galvano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Licia Iacoviello
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
- Libera Università Mediterranea (LUM) "Giuseppe Degennaro", Casamassima (Bari), Italy
| | | | | | - Giuseppe Grosso
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
- Center for Human Nutrition and Mediterranean Foods (NUTREA), University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Joshi S, Srivastava R. Tracing the pathways and mechanisms involved in medicinal uses of flaxseed with computational methods and bioinformatics tools. Front Chem 2024; 11:1276052. [PMID: 38283897 PMCID: PMC10811174 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1276052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Pharmacological drugs targeting specific pathways involved in various diseases have seen recent advancement with newer and more efficient emerging drug targets, but these drugs are limited in terms of their side effects and patient adherence. The potential of plant-based diets in the form of functional foods is increasingly being realized as an option to treat and/or prevent several diseases. In this work, we have selected flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum), also known as linseed, to study its pharmacological efficacy and proposed mechanisms of action for medicinal purposes. The target genes of linseed with Disease Specificity Index (DSI >0.6) are compared to the associated genes of diabetes mellitus, decrease in appetite, addictive behavior, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and the selected genes are further evaluated using in silico methods. The binding affinity of flaxseed to three common target proteins (CCDC28b, PDCD6IP, and USP34) is assessed by docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results show that linseed is safe to use for mutagenic toxicity and other cardiotoxicity measures, but linseed is unsafe for embryotoxicity, hERG toxicity, and cardiac failure. The analysis of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways indicates that flaxseed can be used as a medicinal herb for treatment of diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, IBDs, and PCOS.
Collapse
|
3
|
Noreen S, Tufail T, Ul Ain HB, Awuchi CG. Pharmacological, nutraceutical, and nutritional properties of flaxseed ( Linum usitatissimum): An insight into its functionality and disease mitigation. Food Sci Nutr 2023; 11:6820-6829. [PMID: 37970400 PMCID: PMC10630793 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is derived from the flax plant, an annual herb. The primary relevance of flaxseed is in the human nutrition sector, where it is emerging as a significant functional food component due to its high level of active chemicals, which have been linked to health benefits. Flaxseed may be consumed in numerous forms, including milled, oil, and bakery items. The phytochemicals that are present in flaxseed have greatly drawn interest as bioactive molecules beneficial for health. It is naturally enriched with alpha-linolenic acid, omega-3 fatty acid, lignin, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, and fiber which are physiologically active in the protection of some chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular stroke. Furthermore, the benefits of flaxseed eating have been demonstrated in the animal nutrition industry, resulting in healthier food from animal origin. In reality, the fatty acid profile of meat and fat in swine and poultry is directly impacted by the source of fat in the diet. Feeding omega-3-enriched diets with flaxseed will improve the omega-3 content in eggs and meat, enriching the products. The current study focuses on the latest evidence on the chemical makeup of flaxseed and its positive benefits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sana Noreen
- University Institute of Diet and Nutritional Sciences, The University of LahoreLahorePakistan
| | - Tabussam Tufail
- University Institute of Diet and Nutritional Sciences, The University of LahoreLahorePakistan
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu UniversityZhenjiangChina
| | - Huma Bader Ul Ain
- University Institute of Diet and Nutritional Sciences, The University of LahoreLahorePakistan
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Xia H, Wang Y, Shi X, Liao W, Wang S, Sui J, Sun G. Beneficial Effects of Dietary Flaxseed Oil through Inflammation Pathways and Gut Microbiota in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice. Foods 2023; 12:3229. [PMID: 37685162 PMCID: PMC10487211 DOI: 10.3390/foods12173229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Flaxseed oil (FO) has displayed potential anti-diabetes properties by providing a high content of α-linolenic acid. However, the effects and mechanisms of FO on type 1 diabetes are still unclear. The present study aims to explore the effects of different doses of FO feeding on hepatic inflammation and gut microbiota in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Forty-eight six-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were divided into a control group (CON), a diabetic group (MOD), a diabetes with 7.0% w/w FO feeding group (FO-L), and a diabetes with 10.5% w/w FO feeding group (FO-H) for six weeks. The 7.0% w/w and 10.5% w/w FO feeding groups exhibited potential recovery of the number and size of pancreas tissues. The fasting blood glucose level was significantly decreased only after 4 weeks of feeding with 10.5% w/w FO in diabetic mice. The 10.5% w/w FO feeding group significantly decreased the postprandial blood glucose level of mice in the OGTT test. Hepatic glycogen levels were dramatically upregulated in the mice fed with both 7.0% w/w and 10.5% w/w FO. FO feeding significantly attenuated hepatic LPS, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels. In addition, we observed that 7.0% w/w and 10.5% w/w FO feedings notably downregulated hepatic gene and protein expressions of TLR4, MyD88, and P65. Furthermore, only 10.5% FO regulated fecal microbiota by increasing the relative abundance of the Bacteroidetes phylum, Lactococcus family, and Muribaculaceae and Streptococcaceae family and genus in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Therefore, we conclude that FO feeding plays a role in anti-inflammation via the regulation of hepatic LPS/TLR4/MyD88 pathways and gut microbiota. In addition, different doses of FO supplementation may exhibit varying mechanisms in streptozotocin-induced mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xia
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.X.); (Y.W.); (X.S.); (W.L.); (S.W.); (J.S.)
| | - Ying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.X.); (Y.W.); (X.S.); (W.L.); (S.W.); (J.S.)
| | - Xiangling Shi
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.X.); (Y.W.); (X.S.); (W.L.); (S.W.); (J.S.)
| | - Wang Liao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.X.); (Y.W.); (X.S.); (W.L.); (S.W.); (J.S.)
| | - Shaokang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.X.); (Y.W.); (X.S.); (W.L.); (S.W.); (J.S.)
| | - Jing Sui
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.X.); (Y.W.); (X.S.); (W.L.); (S.W.); (J.S.)
- Research Institute for Environment and Health, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 211544, China
| | - Guiju Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (H.X.); (Y.W.); (X.S.); (W.L.); (S.W.); (J.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Xi H, Zhou W, Sohaib M, Niu Y, Zhu R, Guo Y, Wang S, Mao J, Wang X, Guo L. Flaxseed supplementation significantly reduces hemoglobin A1c in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Res 2023; 110:23-32. [PMID: 36640581 DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Flaxseed is a functional food because of its high content of alpha-linolenic acid, lignans, and dietary fiber. We hypothesized that flaxseed supplementation would improve cardiometabolic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, clinical trials have shown conflicting results. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the impact of flaxseed supplementation in patients with T2DM. Randomized controlled trials were systematically searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Embase until 25 March 2022. A total of 13 studies were included, and the results showed that flaxseed supplementation significantly reduced hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in participants with T2DM compared with the control group. In contrast, it had no effects on body weight, body mass index, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, and lipid parameters. In the subgroup analyses, FBG was significantly reduced with supplementation of flaxseed in participants with baseline FBG ≥8.0 mmol/L or baseline HbA1c ≥7.0%. And a significant decrease in HbA1c in participants with baseline HbA1c ≥7.0% after flaxseed supplementation. In addition, subgroup analyses indicated that whole flaxseed supplementation significantly increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and reduced total cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in participants with T2DM. In conclusion, flaxseed supplementation significantly reduced HbA1c in participants with T2DM, especially those with poorly controlled blood sugar levels. However, larger scale studies with better designs are needed to confirm insignificant and/or ambiguous findings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huihui Xi
- School of Nursing, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China, 130021
| | - Wei Zhou
- The First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China, 130021
| | | | - Yirou Niu
- School of Nursing, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China, 130021
| | - Ruiting Zhu
- School of Nursing, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China, 130021
| | - Yingze Guo
- School of Nursing, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China, 130021
| | - Saikun Wang
- School of Nursing, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China, 130021
| | - Jing Mao
- School of Nursing, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China, 130021
| | - Xingyu Wang
- School of Nursing, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China, 130021
| | - Lirong Guo
- School of Nursing, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China, 130021.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
An Exploratory Study of the Safety and Efficacy of a Trigonella foenum-graecum Seed Extract in Early Glucose Dysregulation: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14112453. [PMID: 36432644 PMCID: PMC9698270 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: This was an exploratory study to assess the safety and efficacy of a specialized Trigonella foenum-graceum L. seed extract for supporting healthy blood glucose metabolism in a pre-diabetic cohort. Methods: Fifty-four participants were randomised to receive 500 mg/day of T. foenum-graecum seed extract or matching placebo daily for 12 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), post-prandial glucose (PPBG), HbA1c, fasting insulin (FI), post-prandial insulin (PPI) and C-peptide were assessed at baseline, week 6 and week 12. Lipid levels, liver enzymes and C-reactive protein (CRP), along with safety markers and tolerability were also assessed at baseline and week 12. Results: By week 12 there was a significant difference in FBG (p < 0.001), PPBG (p = 0.007) and triglycerides (p = 0.030) between treatment groups, with no changes in HbA1c (p = 0.41), FI (p = 0.12), PPI (p = 0.50) or C-peptide (p = 0.80). There was no difference in total cholesterol (p = 0.99), high-density lipoprotein (p = 0.35), low density lipoprotein (p = 0.60) or CRP (p = 0.79). There was no change in safety markers and the treatment was well tolerated. Conclusions: The results of the study indicated that T. foenum-graecum seed extract may influence blood glucose metabolism and larger studies are warranted to evaluate efficacy and potential mechanisms of action.
Collapse
|
7
|
Elsherbiny NM, Said E. Editorial: Insights in renal endocrinology: 2021. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1003683. [PMID: 36204106 PMCID: PMC9530823 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1003683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nehal M. Elsherbiny
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
- *Correspondence: Nehal M. Elsherbiny,
| | - Eman Said
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
- Faculty of Pharmacy, New Mansoura University, New Mansoura, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|