Roasting has a distinct effect on the antimutagenic activity of coffee varieties

Antioxidant Activity and Inhibition of Liver Cancer Cells' Growth of Extracts from 14 Marine Macroalgae Species of the Mediterranean Sea

Macroalgae exhibit beneficial bioactivities for human health. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the antioxidant and anticancer potential of 14 macroalgae species' extracts, namely, Gigartina pistillata, Gigartina teedei, Gracilaria gracilis, Gracilaria sp., Gracilaria bursa pastoris, Colpomenia sinuosa, Cystoseira amentacea, Cystoseira barbata, Cystoseira compressa, Sargassum vulgare, Padina pavonica, Codium fragile, Ulva intestinalis, and Ulva rigida, from the Aegean Sea, Greece. The antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH, ABTS^•+, ^•OH, and O₂^•- radicals' scavenging assays, reducing power (RP), and protection from ROO^•-induced DNA plasmid damage assays. Moreover, macroalgae extracts' total polyphenol contents (TPCs) were assessed. Extracts' inhibition against liver HepG2 cancer cell growth was assessed using the XTT assay. The results showed that G. teedei extract's IC₅₀ was the lowest in DPPH (0.31 ± 0.006 mg/mL), ABTS^•+ (0.02 ± 0.001 mg/mL), ^•OH (0.10 ± 0.007 mg/mL), O₂^•- (0.05 ± 0.003 mg/mL), and DNA plasmid breakage (0.038 ± 0.002 mg/mL) and exhibited the highest RP (RP_0.5AU 0.24 ± 0.019 mg/mL) and TPC (12.53 ± 0.88 mg GAE/g dw). There was also a significant correlation between antioxidant activity and TPC. P. pavonica (IC₅₀ 0.93 ± 0.006 mg/mL) exhibited the highest inhibition against HepG2 cell growth. Conclusively, some of the tested extracts exhibited significant chemopreventive properties, and so they may be used for food products.

The magical smell and taste: Can coffee be good to patients with cardiometabolic disease?

Coffee is a beverage consumed globally. Although few studies have indicated adverse effects, it is typically a beneficial health-promoting agent in a range of diseases, including depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Coffee is rich in caffeine, antioxidants, and phenolic compounds, which can modulate the composition of the gut microbiota and mitigate both inflammation and oxidative stress, common features of the burden of lifestyle diseases. This review will discuss the possible benefits of coffee on complications present in patients with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, outwith the social and emotional benefits attributed to caffeine consumption.

Health Effects of Coffee: Mechanism Unraveled?

The association of habitual coffee consumption with a lower risk of diseases, like type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic liver disease, certain cancer types, or with reduced all-cause mortality, has been confirmed in prospective cohort studies in many regions of the world. The molecular mechanism is still unresolved. The radical-scavenging and anti-inflammatory activity of coffee constituents is too weak to account for such effects. We argue here that coffee as a plant food has similar beneficial properties to many vegetables and fruits. Recent studies have identified a health promoting mechanism common to coffee, vegetables and fruits, i.e., the activation of an adaptive cellular response characterized by the upregulation of proteins involved in cell protection, notably antioxidant, detoxifying and repair enzymes. Key to this response is the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2) system by phenolic phytochemicals, which induces the expression of cell defense genes. Coffee plays a dominant role in that regard because it is the major dietary source of phenolic acids and polyphenols in the developed world. A possible supportive action may be the modulation of the gut microbiota by non-digested prebiotic constituents of coffee, but the available data are still scarce. We conclude that coffee employs similar pathways of promoting health as assumed for other vegetables and fruits. Coffee beans may be viewed as healthy vegetable food and a main supplier of dietary phenolic phytochemicals.

Coffee C21 and protection of DNA from strand breaks: evaluation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

Following an application from Tchibo GmbH submitted for authorisation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of Germany, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to Coffee C21 and protection of DNA from strand breaks. The scope of the application was proposed to fall under a health claim based on newly developed scientific evidence. The food proposed by the applicant as the subject of the health claim is Coffee C21. The Panel considers that Coffee C21, a coffee standardised by its concentration of caffeoylquinic acids (CQA), trigonelline and N-methylpyridinium (NMP), is sufficiently characterised in relation to the claimed effect. The Panel considers that the claimed effect, protection of DNA from strand breaks, is a beneficial physiological effect. Out of the two human intervention studies from which conclusion could be drawn, one study provides some evidence that daily consumption of Coffee C21 (750 mL/day) for 4 weeks decreases DNA strand breaks in habitual coffee drinkers after coffee withdrawal over the previous four weeks. However, the results of this study were not replicated in another study conducted under similar conditions in the same study centre. No studies performed in a different setting, from which conclusions could be drawn, were available. No evidence has been provided for a mechanism by which coffee (including Coffee C21) would reduce DNA damage in human cells by reducing DNA strand breaks. The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of Coffee C21 and protection of DNA from strand breaks.

Genotoxic properties of Betonica officinalis, Gratiola officinalis, Vincetoxicum luteum and Vincetoxicum hirundinaria extracts

Genotoxicity of B. officinalis, G. officinalis, V. luteum and V. hirundinaria extracts, which demonstrated strong antioxidant capacity, was tested using chromosome aberration, sister chromatid exchange (SCE), cytokinesis-block micronucleus and alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assays in human lymphocytes in vitro and Ames Salmonella/microsome test. All tested extracts were not mutagenic in S. typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100 with and without metabolic activation and did not induce chromosome aberrations in human lymphocytes in vitro. Extract from G. officinalis was the only one, which induced significant increase in micronuclei, indicating possible aneugenic effect. All investigated plant extracts induced DNA damage evaluated by the comet assay, while B. officinalis and V. luteum extracts induced slight increase in SCE values. The determined variation in response might be due to the plant extract tested and donor susceptibility.

Occurrence of Ochratoxin A in Coffee: Threads and Solutions—A Mini-Review

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a widespread bioactive extrolite from secondary metabolism of fungi which presence in foods like coffee is of public health concern, particularly for heavy drinkers. Coffee is one of the most consumed and appreciated non-alcoholic beverage in the world. Its production from the plantation to the coffee cup involves several steps that would determine the final concentration of OTA in the beverage. This review gives an overview of OTA contamination in roasted coffee beans in different countries and mitigation strategies for OTA reduction.

Extracts from the Mediterranean Food Plants Carthamus lanatus, Cichorium intybus, and Cichorium spinosum Enhanced GSH Levels and Increased Nrf2 Expression in Human Endothelial Cells

The Mediterranean diet is considered to prevent several diseases. In the present study, the antioxidant properties of six extracts from Mediterranean plant foods were assessed. The extracts' chemical composition analysis showed that the total polyphenolic content ranged from 56 to 408 GAE mg/g dw of extract. The major polyphenols identified in the extracts were quercetin, luteolin, caftaric acid, caffeoylquinic acid isomers, and cichoric acid. The extracts showed in vitro high scavenging potency against ABTS•+ and O2 •- radicals and reducing power activity. Also, the extracts inhibited peroxyl radical-induced cleavage of DNA plasmids. The three most potent extracts, Cichorium intybus, Carthamus lanatus, and Cichorium spinosum, inhibited OH•-induced mutations in Salmonella typhimurium TA102 cells. Moreover, C. intybus, C. lanatus, and C. spinosum extracts increased the antioxidant molecule glutathione (GSH) by 33.4, 21.5, and 10.5% at 50 μg/ml, respectively, in human endothelial EA.hy926 cells. C. intybus extract was also shown to induce in endothelial cells the transcriptional expression of Nrf2 (the major transcription factor of antioxidant genes), as well as of antioxidant genes GCLC, GSR, NQO1, and HMOX1. In conclusion, the results suggested that extracts from edible plants may prevent diseases associated especially with endothelium damage.