Bioactive anti-aging agents and the identification of new anti-oxidant soybean peptides

Targeting the gut-skin axis by food-derived active peptides ameliorates skin photoaging: a comprehensive review

Food-derived active peptides (FDAPs) are a class of peptides that exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and other effects. In recent years, active peptides from natural foods have been reported to improve skin photoaging, but their mechanisms have not been summarized to date. In this review, we focused on the preparation of FDAPs, their mechanisms of photoaging, and their function against photoaging through the gastrointestinal barrier. Furthermore, the latest progress on FDAPs in the prevention and treatment of skin photoaging via the gut-skin axis is summarized and discussed. FDAPs can be directly absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract and enter skin tissues to exert anti-photoaging effects; they can also regulate the gut microbiota, leading to changes in metabolites to ameliorate light-induced skin aging. Future work needs to focus on the delivery system and clinical validation of anti-photoaging peptides to provide solutions or suggestions for improving photoaging.

Impact of Soybean Bioactive Peptides on Growth, Lipid Metabolism, Antioxidant Ability, Molecular Responses, and Gut Microbiota of Oriental River Prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense) Fed with a Low-Fishmeal Diet

The substitution of fishmeal with high-level soybean meal in the diet of crustaceans usually induces lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in the hepatopancreas. Therefore, it is essential to alleviate these adverse effects. In the present study, SBPs were used to alleviate the negative effects of a fishmeal decrease on the growth performance, lipid metabolism, antioxidant capacity, and gut microbiota of oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense) in an 8-week feeding trial. Three isonitrogenic and isolipidic diets were prepared as follows: R (reference diet with 32% fishmeal), CT (control diet with 22% fishmeal), and SBP (22% fishmeal with 1.25 g/kg soybean bioactive peptides). The prawns (initial biomass per tank 17 g) were randomly divided into three groups with four replicates. The results showed that the low-fishmeal diet induced the following: (1) the inhibition of growth performance and survival of prawns; (2) an increase in triglyceride content in the hepatopancreas and hemolymph and downregulation of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (cpt1) gene expression; (3) a reduction in antioxidant enzymes' activities and their genes expression levels and an increase malondialdehyde (MDA) content; and (4) an increase in the abundance of the conditional pathogen Pseudomonas in the gut. SBPs supplementation in the CT diet effectively alleviated most of the above adverse effects. SBPs enhanced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity to synthesize nitric oxide (NO) by activating the imd-relish pathway. Most importantly, SBPs increased the potential probiotic Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group abundance and decreased the abundance of the conditional pathogen Pseudomonas in the gut. In conclusion, SBPs supplementation can improve low-fishmeal-diet-induced growth inhibition by regulating the gut microbiota composition to ameliorate lipid deposition and oxidative stress and strengthen immune status in oriental river prawn.

Extraction, purification, structural identification, and anti-senescent activity of novel pearl peptides on human dermal fibroblasts

The purpose of the present study was to prepare novel anti-senescent peptides from pearls, characterize their primary sequence and secondary structure, and investigate their protective effects and molecular mechanisms towards D-galactose (D-gal)-induced senescence on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). Novel pearl peptides with a purity of 96.58 % and maximum yield of 3.29 % were obtained using ultrasonic-assisted acetic acid extraction strategy under the optimal extraction conditions (ultrasonic power 200 W, ultrasonic time 70 min, and the ratio of pearl powder to acetic acid 1:20). It is sequenced mainly as five novel anti-senescent peptides with molecular weight < 2000 Da, and consisted of β-sheet (43.2 %), random coil (32.1 %), β-turn (21.2 %) and α-helix (3.5 %) analyzed by LC-MS/MS, FT-IR and CD spectroscopy. Further anti-senescent experiments showed that pearl peptides can increase cell viability, restore DNA damage, and suppress the accumulation of ROS as well as senescence-associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal). The molecular mechanism may be that pearl peptides down-regulate the gene and protein expressions of senescence-associated proteins p53, p21, and p16. Therefore, novel pearl peptides could be developed as functional foods or nutritional supplements for the prevention of skin aging.

Identification of Peptides from Edible Pleurotus eryngii Mushroom Feet and the Effect of Delaying D-Galactose-Induced Senescence of PC12 Cells Through TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK Signaling Pathways

Pleurotus eryngii mushroom has been proven to have anti-aging bioactivities. However, few studies have focused on edible Pleurotus eryngii mushroom feet peptides (PEMFPeps). In this paper, the effects of delaying the senescence of D-Galactose-induced PC12 cells were evaluated, and the mechanisms were also investigated. PEMFPeps were prepared by alkaline protease enzymolysis of edible Pleurotus eryngii mushroom feet protein (PEMFP), which mainly consisted of a molecular weight of less than 1000 Da peptides, primarily occupying 89.15% of the total. Simulated digestion in vitro of Pleurotus eryngii mushroom feet peptides (SID-PEMFPeps) was obtained in order to further evaluate the bioactivity after digestion. The peptide sequences of PEMFPeps and SID-PEMFPeps were detected by LC-MS/MS subsequently. Five new peptides of PEMFPeps and one new peptide of SID-PEMFPeps were identified. The effects of PEMFP, PEMFPeps, and SID-PEMFPeps on D-Galactose-induced senescence of PC12 cells were evaluated. PEMFP, PEMFPeps, and SID-PEMFPeps could all enhance antioxidant enzyme activities significantly, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT); decrease the intracellular levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS); and inhibit the senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity, among which SID-PEMFPeps showed the best effects. Western blotting analysis confirmed that SID-PEMFPeps significantly regulated the expressions of key proteins such as TLR4, IKKα, IκBα, p65, ERK, and JNK1/2/3, which indicated that SID-PEMFPeps could delay D-Gal-induced senescence of PC12 cells through TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathways. This is the first time to investigate PEMFPeps and SID-PEMFPeps protective effects and mechanisms. Our study could lay a solid foundation for PEMFPeps to be used as nutritional supplementation to reduce aging-related damage. And the application of PEMFPeps could also provide optional solutions in exploring more edible protein resources for human beings.

Impact of Peptide Transport and Memory Function in the Brain

Recent studies have reported the benefits of food-derived peptides for memory dysfunction. Beyond the physiological effects of peptides, their bioavailability to the brain still remains unclear since the blood-brain barrier (BBB) strictly controls the transportation of compounds to the brain. Here, updated transportation studies on BBB transportable peptides are introduced and evaluated using in vitro BBB models, in situ perfusion, and in vivo mouse experiments. Additionally, the mechanisms of action of brain health peptides in relation to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease, are discussed. This discussion follows a summary of bioactive peptides with neuroprotective effects that can improve cognitive decline through various mechanisms, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-amyloid β aggregation, and neurotransmitter regulation.

Anti-aging effect of peptides on Caenorhabditis elegans: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recently, peptides have been studied in Caenorhabditis elegans for anti-aging research. Due to the lack of sufficient evidence, we conducted this meta-analysis focusing on the anti-aging effect of peptides in C. elegans to provide more convincing evidence.

RESULTS

A literature search in PubMed, SCOUPUS, and Web of Science databases yielded 2879 articles. After removing duplicates and based on inclusion criteria and STAIR checklist quality assessment, nine articles were selected. Data extraction and analysis showed that, compared to the control group without peptide intervention, peptide supplementation significantly reduced nematode mortality risk [hazard ratio = 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.47, 0.62; P < 0.05], significantly increased the pharyngeal pumping rate [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.64, 95% CI = 0.87, 2.41; P < 0.05], bending frequency (SMD = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.16, 2.18; P < 0.05), and significantly decreased the accumulation of lipofuscin levels within nematodes (SMD = -4.48, 95% CI = -6.85, -2.12; P < 0.05). Additionally, subgroup analysis showed that doses ranging from 0.1 to 1 mg/mL (HR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.38, 0.65; P < 0.05) displayed better anti-aging effects compared to other dose ranges.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that peptides can significantly extend the lifespan of C. elegans under normal circumstances and improve three indicators of healthy life. More importantly, subgroup analysis revealed that a dosage of 0.1-1 mg/mL demonstrated superior anti-aging effects. This meta-analysis provides more convincing evidence that peptides can play an anti-aging role in C. elegans. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Soy Peptide Supplementation Mitigates Undernutrition through Reprogramming Hepatic Metabolism in a Novel Undernourished Non-Human Primate Model

In spite of recent advances in the field of undernutrition, current dietary therapy relying on the supply of high protein high calorie formulas is still plagued with transient recovery of impaired organs resulting in significant relapse of cases. This is partly attributed to the inadequacy of current research models in recapitulating clinical undernutrition for mechanistic exploration. Using 1636 Macaca fascicularis monkeys, a human-relevant criterion for determining undernutrition weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), with a cutoff point of ≤ -1.83 is established as the benchmark for identifying undernourished nonhuman primates (U-NHPs). In U-NHPs, pathological anomalies in multi-organs are revealed. In particular, severe dysregulation of hepatic lipid metabolism characterized by impaired fatty acid oxidation due to mitochondria dysfunction, but unlikely peroxisome disorder, is identified as the anchor metabolic aberration in U-NHPs. Mitochondria dysfunction is typified by reduced mito-number, accumulated long-chain fatty acids, and disruption of OXPHOS complexes. Soy peptide-treated U-NHPs increase in WAZ scores, in addition to attenuated mitochondria dysfunction and restored OXPHOS complex levels. Herein, innovative criteria for identifying U-NHPs are developed, and unknown molecular mechanisms of undernutrition are revealed hitherto, and it is further proved that soypeptide supplementation reprogramed mitochondrial function to re-establish lipid metabolism balance and mitigated undernutrition.

Anti-aging activity of Syn-Ake peptide by in silico approaches and in vitro tests

The increase in the aging population worldwide has led scientists to turn to research to prevent the aging process. In this context, synthetic peptides emerge as candidate molecules for developing new anti-aging products. This study aims to investigate the possible interactions of Syn-Ake, a synthetic peptide, with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), which are the targets of anti-aging activities with in silico approaches, and to determine the antioxidant activity, and safety profile of the peptide by in vitro methods such as cytotoxicity (MTT) and genotoxicity (Ames) tests. The molecular docking study showed that the docking score energy of MMP receptors was in the order of MMP-13 < MMP-8 < MMP-1. Syn-Ake peptide provided the lowest and the most stable binding to the SIRT1 receptor at -9.32 kcal/mol. Binding interaction and protein-ligand stability of Syn-Ake with MMPs and SIRT1 in a dynamic system were predicted by 50 ns molecular dynamic (MD) simulation studies. The MD results showed that the Syn-Ake peptide remained stable in the active site of MMP-13 and SIRT1 receptors during 50 ns simulations. In addition, the antioxidant activity of Syn-Ake was investigated using diphenyl-2-picril-hydrazine (DPPH) method since it is crucial to remove free radicals that are effective in skin aging. The results revealed the concentration-dependent increased DPPH radical scavenging activity of the peptide. Finally, the safety of the Syn-Ake was investigated, and the safe dose of the peptide was determined. In conclusion, in silico and in vitro analyses show that the Syn-Ake peptide may hold promise in anti-aging formulations with its high efficacy and safety profile.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Food-derived Peptides as Promising Neuroprotective Agents: Mechanism and Therapeutic Potential

Many food-derived peptides have the potential to improve brain health and slow down neurodegeneration. Peptides are produced by the enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins from different food sources. These peptides have been shown to be involved in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, neuro-transmission modulation, and gene expression regulation. Although few peptides directly affect chromatin remodeling and histone alterations, others indirectly affect the neuroprotection process by interfering with epigenetic changes. Fish-derived peptides have shown neuroprotective properties that reduce oxidative stress and improve motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease models. Peptides from milk and eggs have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation and improve cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease models. These peptides are potential therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, but more study is required to assess their efficacy and the underlying neuroprotective benefits. Consequently, this review concentrated on each mechanism of action used by food-derived peptides that have neuroprotective advantages and applications in treating neurodegenerative diseases. This article highlights various pathways, such as inflammatory pathways, major oxidant pathways, apoptotic pathways, neurotransmitter modulation, and gene regulation through which food-derived peptides interact at the cellular level.

Dual Action of Reduced Allergenicity and Improved Memory of Instant Soybean Powder Hydrolysates

Soy allergens are susceptible to inducing allergic reactions in infants and young animals, which have an impact on the effective daily utilization of proteins. In this study, we used Alcalase-hydrolyzed instant soybean powder (ISP) to clarify the sensitization changes of instant soybean powder hydrolysates (ISPH), and we explored the assisted memory-enhancing effects. BALB/c mice in the ISPH group showed significant improvement in the allergy symptoms, with their allergy symptom scores decreasing to (1.57 ± 0.53) and their specific serum IgE and IgG1 binding capacity decreasing by 28.00 and 25.73% (P < 0.05), which suppressed the mast cell degranulation rate. Meanwhile, the plasma HIS and IL-4 levels decreased by 12.59 and 25.32%, and the plasma INF-γ and IL- 10 levels increased by 30.64 and 27.79%, which obviously regulated the imbalance of Th1/Th2 cells and attenuated the tissue damage (P < 0.05). Furthermore, ISPH improved behavioral characteristics, increased cholinergic system activity, reduced neuronal cell damage or apoptosis, and increased the number of Nissl bodies to help improve memory in Kunming mice (P < 0.05). In general, alcalase-hydrolyzed ISP had the dual effects of reducing allergenicity and aiding in memory improvement.

Soybean‐derived peptide protects against an E. coli‐induced sepsis in cynomolgus monkeys

Sepsis is a life‐threatening condition that requires urgent medical attention. In this study, we investigated the potential of soybean‐derived peptides (soy peptides) as an anti‐inflammatory supplement for patients with sepsis. Cynomolgus monkeys were induced with sepsis by intravenous administration of three different concentrations of Escherichia coli (6.3 × 103, 6.3 × 105, and 6.3 × 107 CFU/kg). Changes in body weight and inflammatory markers were analyzed, and the high dose of 6.3 × 107 CFU/kg was found to be the most appropriate for sepsis modeling. Controlled enzymatic hydrolysis was then used to release bioactive soy peptides from soy protein isolate, which were administered to monkeys with sepsis. The results showed that soy peptide supplementation significantly suppressed inflammatory responses and improved coagulation abnormalities in the monkeys. Our findings suggest that soy peptides could be an effective clinical nutritional supplement for patients with sepsis, with potential benefits for reducing inflammation and improving coagulation. These results provide a foundation for further research into the development of novel nutritional supplements for patients with sepsis.

Soypeptide supplementation attenuates weight loss and improves quality of life among brain cancer patients in a pilot study

Inability to meet nutrition needs resulting from multiple diseases‐related, and individual factors contribute significantly to malnutrition and poor disease outcome among cancer patients. Strategies capable of delivering metabolically efficient nutrients with less digestive and metabolic stress without adding bulk to the diet of patients may be suitable for dealing with cancer‐related malnutrition and quality of life (QoL). We sought to test the hypothesis that peptide supplementation could attenuate weight loss and improve QoL among brain cancer patients compared to conventionally treated controls. In a non‐blind pilot study, brain cancer patients received 9 g soybean peptide supplementation twice per day (peptide group, n = 9) and compared with conventional treatment (control group, n = 10) over two chemotherapy cycles of 42 days. Compared to the controls, soypeptide supplementation attenuated weight loss with 5.4% increase in weight. Moreover, QoL, assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ‐C30, revealed that physical (8.1 ± 15.6, p < .047) and emotional (7.5 ± 3.5, p < .033) functioning as well as summary scores (7.1 ± 2.4, p < .048) improved, whereas others remain stable. Molecular docking simulation suggested that the peptides could induce body weight through the inhibition of angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) upon digestion. Daily soypeptide supplementation could enhance weight gain and improve QoL among brain cancer patients possibly by inhibiting ACE activity. However, a follow‐up study with a larger sample size in a double‐blind randomized trial is required to validate these preliminary findings.

Auricularia auricula Peptides Nutritional Supplementation Delays H2O2-Induced Senescence of HepG2 Cells by Modulation of MAPK/NF-κB Signaling Pathways

Auricularia auricula is a traditional medicinal and edible mushroom with anti-aging effects. Many studies focused on polysaccharides and melanin. However, the anti-aging effects and mechanism of the nutritional supplementation of Auricularia auricula peptides (AAPs) were not elucidated. In this study, AAPs were prepared by enzymolysis of flavor protease and the protective effects on H2O2-induced senescence of HepG2 cells were explored for the first time. The potential mechanism was also investigated. AAPs were mostly composed of low molecular weights with less than 1000 Da accounting for about 79.17%, and contained comprehensive amino acids nutritionally, including seven essential amino acids, aromatic, acidic, and basic amino acids. AAPs nutritional supplementation could significantly decrease the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and increase the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px). In addition, the senescence-associated-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity was restrained, and the expression levels of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, and CXCL2) were also decreased. Ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-Seq) was carried out to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between different groups. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the mechanism was related to the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis and Western blot were carried out to verify the key genes and proteins in the pathways, respectively. AAPs nutritional supplementation resulted a significant down-regulation in key the genes c-fos and c-jun and up-regulation in DUSP1 of the MAPK signaling pathway, and down-regulation in the key genes CXCL2 and IL-8 of the NF-κB signaling pathway. The results of Western blot demonstrate that AAPs nutritional supplementation could inhibit MAPK/NF-κB pathways by reducing the expression levels of IKK, IκB, P65, and phosphorylation of ERK, thus decreasing the inflammatory reaction and delaying cell senescence. It is the first time that AAPs nutritional supplementation was proved to have protective effects on H2O2-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells. These results implicate that dietary AAPs could be used as nutrients to reduce the development or severity of aging.

Neuroprotective Effects of a Novel Tetrapeptide SGGY from Walnut against H2O2-Stimulated Oxidative Stress in SH-SY5Y Cells: Possible Involved JNK, p38 and Nrf2 Signaling Pathways

SGGY, an antioxidant tetrapeptide identified from walnut protein hydrolysate in our previous study, has been suggested to possess the potential to alleviate oxidative stress in cells. In this paper, the neuroprotective effects of SGGY on H2O2-stimulated oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y cells and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. Results showed that SGGY alleviated H2O2-induced oxidative stress by decreasing the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and altering the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), thereby inhibiting apoptosis and increasing cell viability. SGGY significantly restored antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content accordingly. Moreover, SGGY promoted the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and suppressed the H2O2-induced activation of JNK and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Taken together, these results suggested that SGGY protected SH-SY5Y cells from H2O2-provoked oxidative stress by enhancing the ability of cellular antioxidant defense, and the possible mechanism involved MAPKs and Nrf2 signaling pathways.

Mapping the effect of plant‐based extracts on immune and tumor cells from a bioactive compound standpoint

Instead of traditional regimen of “one molecule, one target, one disease,” natural plant extracts, as a multi‐component system, show great potential in alleviate disease with complex etiology and pathophysiological factors, such as cancer. In this study, we evaluated the chemical characteristic as well as bioactive activities profiles of 15 species of plant‐based extracts, which corresponding to polysaccharide, protein, polyphenol content, and effects on MC38, LLC, RAW264.7 cell viability, respectively. Person correlation analysis and multi‐criteria decision analysis method was proposed to evaluate dose‐effect relationship and the comprehensive activities of each extract. A significant positive correlation was found between polyphenol value and immune cell activity, which means that it was considered to perform well on antitumor and immunomodulatory effects when compared to the studied substances. The subsequent measurement by a MC38‐N4/OT‐I coculture model verified the results, showing an excellent effect of Grifola frondosa on enhancing the antigen‐specific killing of tumor cells. Here we give a general view of the chemical composition and the bioactive activities of 15 plant‐based extracts and provide a feasible strategy to estimate the complex effect of phytochemicals. That would help us to better understand the effect of phytochemical combination and lay a good foundation for further in vivo studies.

Microbiology, flavor formation, and bioactivity of fermented soybean curd (furu): A review

Soybeans are an important plant-based food but its beany flavor and anti-nutritional factors limit its consumption. Fermentation is an effective way to improve its flavor and nutrition. Furu is a popular fermented soybean curd and mainly manufactured in Asia, which has been consumed for thousands of years as an appetizer because of its attractive flavors. This review first classifies furu products on the basis of various factors; then, the microorganisms involved in its fermentation and their various functions are discussed. The mechanisms for the formation of aroma and taste compounds during fermentation are also discussed; and the microbial metabolites and their bioactivities are analyzed. Finally, future prospects and challenges are introduced and further research is proposed. This information is needed to protect the regional characteristics of furu and to regulate its consistent quality. The current information suggests that more in vivo experiments and further clinical trials are needed to confirm its safety and the microbial community needs to be optimized and standardized for each type of furu to improve the production process.

The SWGEDWGEIW from Soybean Peptides Reduce Oxidative Damage-Mediated Apoptosis in PC-12 Cells by Activating SIRT3/FOXO3a Signaling Pathway

The goal of the investigation was to study the protective effects of the SWGEDWGEIW (the single peptide, TSP) from soybean peptides (SBP) on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced apoptosis together with mitochondrial dysfunction in PC-12 cells and their possible implications to protection mechanism. Meanwhile, the SBP was used as a control experiment. The results suggested that SBP and TSP significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited cellular oxidative damage and ROS-mediated apoptosis. In addition, SBP and TSP also enhanced multiple mitochondrial biological activities, decreased mitochondrial ROS levels, amplified mitochondrial respiration, increased cellular maximal respiration, spare respiration capacity, and ATP production. In addition, SBP and TSP significantly (p < 0.05) raised the SIRT3 protein expression and the downstream functional gene FOXO3a. In the above activity tests, the activity of TSP was slightly higher than that of SBP. Taken together, our findings suggested that SBP and TSP can be used as promising nutrients for oxidative damage reduction in neurons, and TSP is more effective than SBP. Therefore, TSP has the potential to replace SBP and reduce neuronal oxidative damage.

Production of Bioactive Peptides from Sea Cucumber and Its Potential Health Benefits: A Comprehensive Review

Bioactive peptides from food have been widely studied due to their potential applications as functional foods and pharmaceuticals. Sea cucumber, a traditional tonic food, is characterized by high protein and low fat, thereby substrates are being studied to release sea cucumber peptides (SCPs). Although recent studies have shown that SCPs have various bioactive functions, there is no literature reviewing the development status of SCPs. In this review, we summarized the production of SCPs, including their purification and identification, then mainly focused on the comprehensive potential health benefits of SCP in vivo and in vitro, and finally discussed the challenge facing the development of SCPs. We found that SCPs have well-documented health benefits due to their antioxidation, anti-diabetes, ACE inhibitory, immunomodulatory, anti-cancer, anti-fatigue, anti-aging, neuroprotection, micromineral-chelating, etc. However, the structure-activity relationships of SCPs and the functional molecular mechanisms underlying their regulation in vivo need further investigation. Research on the safety of SCP and its potential regulation mechanism will contribute to transferring these findings into commercial applications. Hopefully, this review could promote the development and application of SCPs in further investigation and commercialization.

An updated review of functional properties, debittering methods, and applications of soybean functional peptides

Soybean functional peptides (SFPs) are obtained via the hydrolysis of soybean protein into polypeptides, oligopeptides, and a small amount of amino acids. They have nutritional value and a variety of functional properties, including regulating blood lipids, lowering blood pressure, anti-diabetes, anti-oxidant, preventing COVID-19, etc. SFPs have potential application prospects in food processing, functional food development, clinical medicine, infant milk powder, special medical formulations, among others. However, bitter peptides containing relatively more hydrophobic amino acids can be formed during the production of SFPs, seriously restricting the application of SFPs. High-quality confirmatory human trials are needed to determine effective doses, potential risks, and mechanisms of action, especially as dietary supplements and special medical formulations. Therefore, the physiological activities and potential risks of soybean polypeptides are summarized, and the existing debitterness technologies and their applicability are reviewed. The technical challenges and research areas to be addressed in optimizing debittering process parameters and improving the applicability of SFPs are discussed, including integrating various technologies to obtain higher quality functional peptides, which will facilitate further exploration of physiological mechanism, metabolic pathway, tolerance, bioavailability, and potential hazards of SFPs. This review can help promote the value of SFPs and the development of the soybean industry.

Vegetables and Their Bioactive Compounds as Anti-Aging Drugs

Aging is a continuous process over time that is mainly related to natural alterations in mechanical–biological processes. This phenomenon is due to several factors, including the time and energy of biological processes. Aging can be attributed to biological factors such as oxidative stress, cell longevity, and stem cell senescence. Currently, aging is associated with several diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and other diseases related to oxidative stress. In addition, certain natural molecules, including those derived from vegetables, have shown the ability to delay the aging process. Their effects are linked to different mechanisms of action, such as tissue regeneration and the activation of longevity and anti-senescence genes. The present work discusses the impact of vegetables, and bioactive compounds isolated from vegetables, against the physiological and pathological aging process and accompanying human diseases.

Xanthine oxidase targeted model setup and its application for antihyperuricemic compounds prediction by <i>in silico</i> methods

To achieve potential alternatives for hyperuricemia therapeutics, a novel structure-docking energy relationship model was established for high-throughput screening inhibitors of xanthine oxidase (XO). Molecular docking was performed between XO and 311 natural compounds from 6 traditional Chinese herbs. Then, structure-docking energy relationship model was simulated between molecular docking energy and 63 molecular descriptors by multiple linear regressions (MLR), principal component regression (PCR), and artificial neural network (ANN), respectively. The results showed that the ANN model was the best model to predict the docking energy of XO with the coefficient of determination (R2) and mean squared error (MSE) at 0.8746 and 0.9414, respectively. The data of XO inhibitory activity were consistent with the prediction in vitro, which was also further confirmed by hyperuricemia cell model. The results suggested that the structure-docking energy relationship model provides a paradigm framework for the screening of XO inhibitors.

The Whitening, Moisturizing, Anti-aging Activities, and Skincare Evaluation of Selenium-Enriched Mung Bean Fermentation Broth

Selenium-enriched mung bean (Se-MB) is a combination of mung bean (MB) and selenium (Se), which have a variety of potential biological activities. However, little is known about the skincare activity of Se-MB. The chemical composition of Se-MB fermentation broth (Se-MBFB) was analyzed to investigate the whitening, moisturizing, and anti-aging activities of Se-MBFB. The tyrosinase inhibition, anti-melanogenic in melanocytes (B16F10 cells), and moisturizing effect in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) were analyzed. Besides, the free radical scavenging activity of Se-MBFB was assessed in vitro. To verify the in vivo effects and the potential of practical applications of Se-MBFB, a clinical trial was conducted on the participants: 31 Chinese women aged 25–60 years, with no pigmentation disorder, no illness, no history of hypersensitivity reaction, and no use of skincare product on the face. The participants used an Se-MBFB masque for 15-20 min after cleaning the face. The measurement points were Week 0, 2, and 4 (W0, W2, and W4) after using the masque, and target sites were cheek and canthus. The following parameters were recorded on the target sites at each visit: melanin index, skin color, cuticle moisture content, transepidermal water loss, and crow's feet. The results demonstrated that Se-MBFB was rich in polyphenols, peptides, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), displayed significant free radical scavenging and tyrosinase inhibiting activities, decreased the synthesis of melanin, and upregulated the aquaporin-3 (AQP3) expression. The test of the Se-MBFB mask showed that after 4 weeks of using the Se-MBFB facemask, the faces of the participants became whiter with reduced wrinkles and increased moisture content. Se-MB possessed the excellent whitening, moisturizing, and antioxidant efficacy, which could lay a scientific foundation for utilization and development of skincare products of Se-MB and its related industrial cosmetics products.

HPLC/DAD, Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Plectranthus Species (Lamiaceae) Combined with the Chemometric Calculations

The increase in antibiotic resistance and the emergence of new bacterial infections have intensified the research for natural products from plants with associated therapy. This study aimed to verify the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of crude extracts of the genus Plectranthus species, being the first report on the modulation of aminoglycosides antibiotic activity by Plectranthus amboinicus extracts. The chemical composition was obtained by chemical prospecting and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with diode arrangement detector (HPLC/DAD). The antibacterial activities of the extracts alone or in association with aminoglycosides were analyzed using the microdilution test. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging. The phytochemical prospection allowed the flavonoids, saponins, tannins and triterpenoids to be identified. Quercetin, rutin, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, kaempferol, glycosylated kaempferol, quercitrin, and isoquercitrin were identified and quantified. The principal component analysis (PCA) observed the influence of flavonoids and phenolic acids from Plectranthus species on studied activities. Phytochemical tests with the extracts indicated, especially, the presence of flavonoids, confirmed by quantitative analysis by HPLC. The results revealed antibacterial activities, and synergistic effects combined with aminoglycosides, as well as antioxidant potential, especially for P. ornatus species, with IC₅₀ of 32.21 µg/mL. Multivariate analyzes show that the inclusion of data from the antioxidant and antibacterial activity suggests that the antioxidant effect of these species presents a significant contribution to the synergistic effect of phytoconstituents, especially based on the flavonoid contents. The results of this study suggest the antibacterial activity of Plectranthus extracts, as well as their potential in modifying the resistance of the analyzed aminoglycosides.