Bioactive compounds in legumes: Implications for sustainable nutrition and health in the elderly population

Elevating the significance of legume intake: A novel strategy to counter aging-related mitochondrial dysfunction and physical decline

Mitochondrial dysfunction increasingly becomes a target for promoting healthy aging and longevity. The dysfunction of mitochondria with age ultimately leads to a decline in physical functions. Among them, biogenesis dysfunction and the imbalances in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species and mitochondria as signaling organelles in the aging process have aroused our attention. Dietary intervention in mitochondrial dysfunction and physical decline during aging processes is essential, and greater attention should be directed toward healthful legume intake. Legumes are constantly under investigation for their nutritional and bioactive properties, and their consumption may yield antiaging and mitochondria-protecting benefits. This review summarizes mitochondrial dysfunction with age, discusses the benefits of legumes on mitochondrial function, and introduces the potential role of legumes in managing aging-related physical decline. Additionally, it reveals the benefits of legume intake for the elderly and offers a viable approach to developing legume-based functional food.

A Review of Bioactive Compound Effects from Primary Legume Protein Sources in Human and Animal Health

The global demand for sustainable and nutritious food sources has catalyzed interest in legumes, known for their rich repertoire of health-promoting compounds. This review delves into the diverse array of bioactive peptides, protein subunits, isoflavones, antinutritional factors, and saponins found in the primary legume protein sources-soybeans, peas, chickpeas, and mung beans. The current state of research on these compounds is critically evaluated, with an emphasis on the potential health benefits, ranging from antioxidant and anticancer properties to the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The extensively studied soybean is highlighted and the relatively unexplored potential of other legumes is also included, pointing to a significant, underutilized resource for developing health-enhancing foods. The review advocates for future interdisciplinary research to further unravel the mechanisms of action of these bioactive compounds and to explore their synergistic effects. The ultimate goal is to leverage the full spectrum of benefits offered by legumes, not only to advance human health but also to contribute to the sustainability of food systems. By providing a comprehensive overview of the nutraceutical potential of legumes, this manuscript sets a foundation for future investigations aimed at optimizing the use of legumes in the global pursuit of health and nutritional security.

A comprehensive review of ethnomedicinal approaches, phytochemical analysis, and pharmacological potential of Vitex trifolia L

Plants, renowned for their rich reservoir of metabolites, play a pivotal role in addressing health-related issues. The Verbenaceae family stands out, showcasing immense potential in preventing and treating chronic diseases. Vitex trifolia L. (V. trifolia), a shrub with a rich history in traditional medicine, particularly in Eastern Asia, has garnered attention for its diverse therapeutic applications. This comprehensive review aims to bridge traditional knowledge and contemporary insights by investigating ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and pharmacological effects of V. trifolia. The keyword "V. trifolia" and its synonyms were searched within the main scientific databases including PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Baidu Scholar (from 1974 to 2022, last search: 21.10.2023). Phytochemical analyses reveal a spectrum of secondary metabolites in V. trifolia, including terpenoids, flavonoids, lignans, phytosterols, anthraquinones, and fatty acids. Notably, terpenoids and flavonoids emerge as the main bioactive metabolites. Pharmacological studies validate its therapeutic potential, demonstrating significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anticancer, anti-amnesic, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-malaria, antispasmodic activities, and reported insecticidal effects. Despite existing literature exploring pharmacological attributes and secondary metabolites of related species, a conspicuous gap exists, specifically focusing on the pharmacological activities and novel methods of purification of pure metabolites from V. trifolia. This review aimed to fill this gap by delving into traditional medicinal applications, exploring secondary metabolites comprehensively, and providing an in-depth analysis of pharmacological effects of pure metabolites. Combining traditional uses with contemporary pharmacological insights, this article sought to serve as a crucial reference for future research and practical application of V. trifolia. This approach contributes substantially to understanding the plant, fostering scientific inquiry, and facilitating its broader application in healthcare.

Effect of Nutrition Education on Health Science University Students to Improve Cardiometabolic Profile and Inflammatory Status

The inadequate lifestyle associated with university life may have a negative impact on various cardiometabolic factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a one-year nutrition education course on cardiometabolic parameters in undergraduate health science students. During the 2021-22 academic year, 1.30 h nutrition sessions were conducted twice a week. Capillary blood samples were collected and centrifuged to measure cardiometabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in serum. The sample studied consisted of 49 students: 20.4% male and 79.6% female. The nutritional intervention resulted in changes in dietary patterns, with increased consumption of vegetables, nuts and legumes. After the course, females showed an increase in HDL-cholesterol levels (p = 0.007) and no change in LDL-cholesterol levels (p = 0.189). On the other hand, males showed significant changes in HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.043) levels. The atherogenic index was also significantly reduced (p < 0.001) in both males (p = 0.009) and females (p = 0.002). Differences were also observed in the increase in vitamin D levels in both males and females, although the magnitude of the increase was greater in the men (Δ = 7.94, p = 0.016 in men vs. Δ = 4.96, p = 0.001 in women). The monocyte-to-HDL ratio (MHR) showed a significant reduction, although these differences were only significant in males. Students with low vitamin D levels had higher LDL-cholesterol values (p = 0.01) and atherogenic index (p = 0.029). Adjusted linear regression analysis showed a significant association between post-course vitamin D MHR (β = -0.42, IC: -0.29, -0.06, p < 0.01). These findings suggest the importance of including nutrition education programs during the university stage for the prevention of long-term health problems.

Vigna unguiculata L. Walp. Leaves as a Source of Phytochemicals of Dietary Interest: Optimization of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction and Assessment of Traditional Consumer Habits

Vigna unguiculata L. Walp. is an African crop spread worldwide mainly for pulses production. Despite being a neglected and under-utilized food, cowpea leaves are a rich source of phytochemicals and micronutrients. The aim of the work is to characterize the phytochemical composition of cowpea leaves by an optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) and to compare raw and boiled leaves. A three-level factorial design (Box-Behnken) was employed for the optimization of the USAE considering three different parameters (% ethanol, drug-to-solvent ratio, and number of cycles). The optimized extracts were characterized by LC/MS/MS. Finally, leaves were boiled at 100 °C for 30 min to simulate traditional cooking procedures and compared to raw leaves. The best extraction condition was EtOH/H2 O 1 : 2 v/v, drug to solvent ratio 1 : 47 w/v, and 3 extraction cycles. The phytochemicals identified mainly belong to the family of phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and alkaloids. Boiled leaves revealed a significant loss of most phytochemicals and a net decrease of their antioxidant activity compared to the raw ones. The results highlight the potential nutraceutical value of cowpea leaves whilst the impoverishment triggered by traditional consumer habits pushes the need to evaluate alternative cooking procedures helpful in the maintenance of their phytochemical properties.

Protective Effects of White Kidney Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) against Diet-Induced Hepatic Steatosis in Mice Are Linked to Modification of Gut Microbiota and Its Metabolites

Disturbances in the gut microbiota and its derived metabolites are closely related to the occurrence and development of hepatic steatosis. The white kidney bean (WKB), as an excellent source of protein, dietary fiber, and phytochemicals, has recently received widespread attention and might exhibit beneficial effects on a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis via targeting gut microbiota and its metabolites. The results indicated that HFD, when supplemented with WKB for 12 weeks, could potently reduce obesity symptoms, serum lipid profiles, and glucose, as well as improve the insulin resistance and liver function markers in mice, thereby alleviating hepatic steatosis. An integrated fecal microbiome and metabolomics analysis further demonstrated that WKB was able to normalize HFD-induced gut dysbiosis in mice, thereby mediating the alterations of a wide range of metabolites. Particularly, WKB remarkably increased the relative abundance of probiotics (Akkermansiaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, and norank_f_Muribaculaceae) and inhibited the growth of hazardous bacteria (Mucispirillum, Enterorhabdus, and Dubosiella) in diet-induced hepatic steatosis mice. Moreover, the significant differential metabolites altered by WKB were annotated in lipid metabolism, which could ameliorate hepatic steatosis via regulating glycerophospholipid metabolism. This study elucidated the role of WKB from the perspective of microbiome and metabolomics in preventing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which provides new insights for its application in functional foods.

Global distribution, traditional and modern detection, diagnostic, and management approaches of Rhizoctonia solani associated with legume crops

Sustainable development relies heavily on a food system that is both safe and secure. Several approaches may lead to sustainability and food safety. An increase in the cultivation of legume crops is one of the approaches for enhancing agricultural viability and ensuring adequate food supply. Legumes may increase daily intake of fiber, folate, and protein as substitutes for meat and dairy. They are also crucial in various intercropping systems worldwide. However, legume production has been hampered by Rhizoctonia solani due to its destructive lifestyle. R. solani causes blights, damping off, and rotting diseases in legume crops. Our knowledge of the global distribution of R. solani associated with legume crops (alfalfa, soybean, chickpea, pea, lentil, common bean, and peanut), detection, diagnosis, and management of legume crops diseases caused by R. solani is limited. Traditional approaches rely on the incubation of R. solani, visual examination of symptoms on host legume crops, and microscopy identification. However, these approaches are time-consuming, require technical expertise, fail to detect a minimal amount of inoculum, and are unreliable. Biochemical and molecular-based approaches have been used with great success recently because of their excellent sensitivity and specificity. Along with conventional PCR, nested PCR, multiplex PCR, real-time PCR, magnetic-capture hybridization PCR, and loop-mediated isothermal amplification have been widely used to detect and diagnose R. solani. In the future, Next-generation sequencing will likely be used to a greater extent to detect R. solani. This review outlines global distribution, survival, infection and disease cycle, traditional, biochemical, molecular, and next-generation sequencing detection and diagnostic approaches, and an overview of the resistant resources and other management strategies to cope with R. solani.

Antioxidant and Chemopreventive Activity of Protein Hydrolysates from Raw and Germinated Flour of Legumes with Commercial Interest in Colorectal Cancer

Legumes are a highly nutritious source of plant protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins. However, they also contain several bioactive compounds with significant potential benefits for human health. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the antioxidant, antitumor and chemopreventive activity of functional extracts from legumes using raw and germinated flours of six legume species of commercial interest. The methodology carried out consisted on the development of protein hydrolysates, assessment of their antioxidant capacity and in vitro tests on T84, HCT15 and SW480 colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. Our results showed a high antitumor activity of protein hydrolysate from M. sativa. Likewise, when combined with 5-Fluorouracile (5-Fu), there was a synergistic effect using extract concentrations from 50 to 175 µg/mL and 5-Fu concentrations from 1.5 to 5 µM. Similarly, the induction effect on detoxifying enzymes by the extracts of M. sativa, germinated V. faba Baraca × LVzt1 and V. narbonensis, which produced a higher induction rate than the positive control sulforaphane (10 µM), should be highlighted. Therefore, incorporating these enzymes into the diet could provide nutritional effects, as well as play an effective role in cancer chemoprevention and therapy.

Physical, Nutritional, and Bioactive Properties of Mandacaru Cladode Flour (Cereus jamacaru DC.): An Unconventional Food Plant from the Semi-Arid Brazilian Northeast

In this study, we evaluated the physical, nutritional, and bioactive properties of mandacaru cladode flour (Cereus jamacaru DC.). The granulometric profile revealed particles with non-uniform geometry, flakiness, a rectangular tendency, and a non-homogeneous surface, with particle sizes ranging from 20 to 60 µm. The flour presented low water activity (0.423), a moisture content of 8.24 g/100 g, high ash (2.82 g/100 g), protein (5.18 g/100 g), and total carbohydrate contents (74.48 g/100 g), and low lipid contents (1.88 g/100 g). Mandacaru flour is an excellent source of insoluble dietary fiber (48.08 g/100 g), calcium (76.33%), magnesium (15.21%), and potassium (5.94%). Notably, ¹H NMR analysis revealed the presence of N-methyltyramine. Using HPLC chromatography, glucose was identified as the predominant sugar (1.33 g/100 g), followed by four organic acids, especially malic acid (9.41 g/100 g) and citric acid (3.96 g/100 g). Eighteen phenolic compounds were detected, with relevant amounts of kaempferol (99.40 mg/100 g), myricetin (72.30 mg/100 g), and resveratrol (17.84 mg/100 g). The total phenolic compounds and flavonoids were 1285.47 mg GAE/100 g and 15.19 mg CE/100 g, respectively. The mean in vitro antioxidant activity values were higher using the FRAP method (249.45 µmol Trolox TEAC/100 g) compared to the ABTS^•+ method (0.39 µmol Trolox TEAC/g). Finally, the ascorbic acid had a content of 35.22 mg/100 g. The results demonstrate the value of mandacaru as a little-explored species and an excellent matrix for the development of flours presenting good nutritional value and bioactive constituents with excellent antioxidant potential.

Polyphenols, Saponins and Phytosterols in Lentils and Their Health Benefits: An Overview

The lentil (Lens culinaris L.) is one of the most important legumes (family, Fabaceae). It is a natural functional food rich in many bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, saponins and phytosterols. Several studies have demonstrated that the consumption of lentils is potentially important in reducing the incidence of a number of chronic diseases, due to their bioactive compounds. The most common polyphenols in lentils include phenolic acids, flavan-3-ol, flavonols, anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidins or condensed tannins, and anthocyanins, which play an important role in the prevention of several degenerative diseases in humans, due to their antioxidant activity. Furthermore, lentil polyphenols are reported to have antidiabetic, cardioprotective and anticancer activities. Lentil saponins are triterpene glycosides, mainly soyasaponins I and βg. These saponins have a plasma cholesterol-lowering effect in humans and are important in reducing the risk of many chronic diseases. Moreover, high levels of phytosterols have been reported in lentils, especially in the seed coat, and β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol are the most abundant. Beyond their hypocholesterolemic effect, phytosterols in lentils are known for their anti-inflammatory activity. In this review, the current information on the nutritional composition, bioactive compounds including polyphenols, saponins and phytosterols, and their associated health-promoting effects are discussed.

Phenolic Acids and Flavonoids from Pithecellobium dulce (Robx.) Benth Leaves Exhibit Ovicidal Activity against Haemonchus contortus

Pithecellobium dulce (Robx.) Benth is an arboreal legume used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several ailments, including a number of intestinal disorders, and as a natural deworming. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ovicidal activity of a hydroalcoholic extract (HA-E) and its fractions (aqueous, Aq-F and organic, EtOAc-F) from P. dulce leaves, as well as subfractions (C1F1–C17) obtained from EtOAc-F against Haemonchus contortus eggs. The HA-E, Aq-F, and EtOAc-F were assessed at 0.03–5.00 mg/mL and subfractions (C1F1–C17) were assessed at 0.06–1.00 mg/mL. The HA-E and Aq-F showed an ovicidal activity close to 100% at 2.5 mg/mL, and EtOAc-F displayed the highest anthelmintic effect (100% at 0.25 mg/mL). Meanwhile, the sub-fractions with the highest ovicidal effect were C1F6, C1F9, C1F10, C1F11, and CIF13. The main compounds identified in the most active fractions (C1F9, C1F11, and C1F13) were kaempferol (1), quercetin (2), coumaric acid (3), ferulic acid (4), luteolin 7-O-rhamnoside (5), quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside (6), and a caffeoyl derivate (NI). The results indicate that P. dulce leaves exhibit a potent anthelmintic activity and contain bioactive compounds able to inhibit egg hatching in H. contortus. Therefore, this plant could be used for the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in small ruminants.

Legume Proteins and Peptides as Compounds in Nutraceuticals: A Structural Basis for Dietary Health Effects

In the current climate of food security, quality aspects of legume crops have primary market economic and health impact. Legume proteins and peptides have been discovered to have a role far beyond supplying amino acids for growth and maintenance of body tissues. Several proteins (enzymatic inhibitors, lectins, storage globulins) and peptides derived from them (lunasin, hydrophobic peptides) have shown anticarcinogenic, hypocholesterolemic, glucose-lowering, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunostimulant properties. Further understanding of how structural features of legume proteins affect in vivo digestion and production of bioactive sequences represents a key step in the valorization of nutraceutical potentiality of legume proteins and peptides derived from them. In this work, the relationship between structure and bioavailability of protein and peptides are reviewed and discussed.

Future foods: Alternative proteins, food architecture, sustainable packaging, and precision nutrition

There are numerous challenges facing the modern food and agriculture industry that urgently need to be addressed, including feeding a growing global population, mitigating and adapting to climate change, decreasing pollution, waste, and biodiversity loss, and ensuring that people remain healthy. At the same time, foods should be safe, affordable, convenient, and delicious. The latest developments in science and technology are being deployed to address these issues. Some of the most important elements within this modern food design approach are encapsulated by the MATCHING model: Meat-reduced; Automation; Technology-driven; Consumer-centric; Healthy; Intelligent; Novel; and Globalization. In this review article, we focus on four key aspects that will be important for the creation of a new generation of healthier and more sustainable foods: emerging raw materials; structural design principles for creating innovative products; developments in eco-friendly packaging; and precision nutrition and customized production of foods. We also highlight some of the most important new developments in science and technology that are being used to create future foods, including food architecture, synthetic biology, nanoscience, and sensory perception.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2022.2033683.

Widening the Perspectives for Legume Consumption: The Case of Bioactive Non-nutrients

Legume grains have provided essential nutrients in human diets for centuries, being excellent sources of proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and fibers. They also contain several non-nutrients that historically have been connotated as toxic but that in recent years have been shown to have interesting bioactive properties. The discussion on the role of bioactive non-nutrients is becoming more important due to increasing science-based evidence on their potential antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and anticarcinogenic properties. At a time when legume-based products consumption is being strongly promoted by national governments and health authorities, there is a need to clearly define the recommended levels of such non-nutrients in human diets. However, there is insufficient data determining the ideal amount of non-nutrients in legume grains, which will exert the most positive health benefits. This is aligned with insufficient studies that clearly demonstrate if the positive health effects are due to the presence of specific non-nutrients or a result of a dietary balance. In fact, rather than looking directly at the individual food components, most nutritional epidemiology studies relate disease risk with the food and dietary patterns. The purpose of this perspective paper is to explore different types of non-nutrients present in legume grains, discuss the current evidence on their health benefits, and provide awareness for the need for more studies to define a recommended amount of each compound to identify the best approaches, either to enhance or reduce their levels.

Bioactive Compounds and Nanodelivery Perspectives for Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

Bioactive compounds are comprised of small quantities of extra nutritional constituents providing both health benefits and enhanced nutritional value, based on their ability to modulate one or more metabolic processes. Plant-based diets are being thoroughly researched for their cardiovascular properties and effectiveness against cancer. Flavonoids, phytoestrogens, phenolic compounds, and carotenoids are some of the bioactive compounds that aim to work in prevention and treating the cardiovascular disease in a systemic manner, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart failure. Their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are the most important characteristics that make them favorable candidates for CVDs treatment. However, their low water solubility and stability results in low bioavailability, limited accessibility, and poor absorption. The oral delivery of bioactive compounds is constrained due to physiological barriers such as the pH, mucus layer, gastrointestinal enzymes, epithelium, etc. The present review aims to revise the main bioactive compounds with a significant role in CVDs in terms of preventive, diagnostic, and treatment measures. The advantages of nanoformulations and novel multifunctional nanomaterials development are described in order to overcome multiple obstacles, including the physiological ones, by summarizing the most recent preclinical data and clinical trials reported in the literature. Nanotechnologies will open a new window in the area of CVDs with the opportunity to achieve effective treatment, better prognosis, and less adverse effects on non-target tissues.

Whey Protein Isolate-Xylose Maillard-Based Conjugates with Tailored Microencapsulation Capacity of Flavonoids from Yellow Onions Skins

The objective of this study is to encapsulate flavonoids from yellow onion skins in whey protein isolates (WPI) and xylose (X), by Maillard-based conjugates, as an approach to improve the ability to entrap flavonoids and to develop powders with enhanced antioxidant activity. WPI (0.6%, w/v) was conjugated to X (0.3%, w/v) through the Maillard reaction at 90 °C for 120 min, in the presence of a flavonoid-enriched extract. Two variants of powders were obtained by freeze-drying. The glycation of WPI allowed a better encapsulation efficiency, up to 90.53 ± 0.29%, corresponding to a grafting degree of 30.38 ± 1.55%. The molecular modelling approach was used to assess the impact of X interactions with α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin on the ability of these proteins to bind the main flavonoids from the yellow onion skins. The results showed that X might compete with quercetin glucosides to bind with α-lactalbumin. No interference was found in the case of β-lactoglobulin. The microstructural appearance of the powders revealed finer spherosomes in powder with WPI-X conjugates via the Maillard reaction. The powders were added to nachos, followed by a phytochemical characterization, in order to test their potential added value. An increase in antioxidant activity was observed, with no significant changes during storage.

Perspective: Practical Approach to Preventing Subclinical B12 Deficiency in Elderly Population

Vitamin B12 (also known as cobalamin) is an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays a pivotal role for several physiologic functions during one's lifespan. Only certain microorganisms are able to synthetize B12, thus humans obtain cobalamin exclusively from their diet, specifically from animal-derived foods. Specific sub-group populations are at risk of vitamin B12 subclinical deficiency due to different factors including poor intake of animal source foods and age-dependent decrease in the capacity of intestinal B12 uptake. Consumption of animal products produces some negative health issues and negatively impacts sustainability while a plant-based diet increases the risk of B12 deficiency. Taking a cue from the aforementioned considerations, this narrative review aims to summarize facts about B12 deficiency and the burden of inadequate dietary intake in elderly population, as well as to discuss sustainable approaches to vitamin B12 deficiency in aging population.