Exploring the characteristics, digestion behaviors, and nutraceutical potential of the underutilized Chimonanthus praecox (L.) link kernel oil: A combined in vitro and in vivo study

Chimonanthus praecox (L.) Link kernel oil (LMO) has the potential to expand the variety of nutraceutical plant oils available and provide support for the application of functional food. This study aimed to assess the edible potential of LMO by examining its physicochemical characteristics, digestion behaviors, and nutraceutical properties. The results revealed that LMO has a high oil content of 40.84% and is particularly rich in linoleic acid (53.37-56.30%), oleic acid (22.04-25.08%) and triacylglycerol (TAG) of linoleic acid -palmitoleic acid- oleic acid (10.57-12.70%). The quality characteristics and phytochemical composition of LMO were found to be influenced by variety and extraction methods used. In simulated in vitro digestion tests, LMO showed a better lipid release rate and degree. Animal studies further demonstrated that LMO led to better TAG and cholesterol excretion compared to soybean oil and camellia oleifera oil. Overall, this study highlights the potential of LMO as a high-quality edible oil.

Distinct Gut Microbiota and Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in Obesity-Prone and Obesity-Resistant Mice with a High-Fat Diet

An imbalance of energy intake and expenditure is commonly considered as the fundamental cause of obesity. However, individual variations in susceptibility to obesity do indeed exist in both humans and animals, even among those with the same living environments and dietary intakes. To further explore the potential influencing factors of these individual variations, male C57BL/6J mice were used for the development of obesity-prone and obesity-resistant mice models and were fed high-fat diets for 16 weeks. Compared to the obesity-prone mice, the obesity-resistant group showed a lower body weight, liver weight, adipose accumulation and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. 16S rRNA sequencing, which was conducted for fecal microbiota analysis, found that the fecal microbiome's structural composition and biodiversity had changed in the two groups. The genera Allobaculumbiota, SMB53, Desulfovibrio and Clostridium increased in the obesity-prone mice, and the genera Streptococcus, Odoribacter and Leuconostoc were enriched in the obesity-resistant mice. Using widely targeted metabolomics analysis, 166 differential metabolites were found, especially those products involved in arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism, which were significantly reduced in the obesity-resistant mice. Moreover, KEGG pathway analysis exhibited that AA metabolism was the most enriched pathway. Significantly altered bacteria and obesity-related parameters, as well as AA metabolites, exhibited strong correlations. Overall, the phenotypes of the obesity-prone and obesity-resistant mice were linked to gut microbiota and AA metabolism, providing new insight for developing an in-depth understanding of the driving force of obesity resistance and a scientific reference for the targeted prevention and treatment of obesity.

GPSM1 in POMC neurons impairs brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and provokes diet-induced obesity

OBJECTIVE

G-protein-signaling modulator 1 (GPSM1) has been proved the potential role in brain tissues, however, whether GPSM1 in hypothalamic nuclei, especially in POMC neurons is essential for the proper regulation of whole-body energy balance remains unknown. The aim of our current study was to explore the role of GPSM1 in POMC neurons in metabolic homeostasis.

METHODS

We generated POMC neuron specific GPSM1 deficiency mice and subjected them to a High Fat Diet to monitor metabolic phenotypes in vivo. By using various molecular, biochemical, immunofluorescent, immunohistochemical analyses, and cell culture studies to reveal the pathophysiological role of GPSM1 in POMC neurons and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of GPSM1 regulating POMC neurons activity.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that mice lacking GPSM1 in POMC neurons were protected against diet-induced obesity, glucose dysregulation, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis. Mechanistically, GPSM1 deficiency in POMC neurons induced enhanced autophagy and improved leptin sensitivity through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, thereby increasing POMC expression and α-MSH production, and concurrently enhancing sympathetic innervation and activity, thus resulting in decreased food intake and increased brown adipose tissue thermogenesis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings identify a novel function of GPSM1 expressed in POMC neurons in the regulation of whole-body energy balance and metabolic homeostasis by regulating autophagy and leptin sensitivity, which suggests that GPSM1 in the POMC neurons could be a promising therapeutic target to combat obesity and obesity-related metabolic disorders.

Anti-obesity Properties of Phytochemicals: Highlighting their Molecular Mechanisms against Obesity

Obesity is a complex, chronic and inflammatory disease that affects more than one-third of the world's population, leading to a higher incidence of diabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancer. Several phytochemicals are used as flavoring and aromatic compounds, also exerting many benefits for public health. This study aims to summarize and scrutinize the beneficial effects of the most important phytochemicals against obesity. Systematic research of the current international literature was carried out in the most accurate scientific databases, e.g., Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, using a set of critical and representative keywords, such as phytochemicals, obesity, metabolism, metabolic syndrome, etc. Several studies unraveled the potential positive effects of phytochemicals such as berberine, carvacrol, curcumin, quercetin, resveratrol, thymol, etc., against obesity and metabolic disorders. Mechanisms of action include inhibition of adipocyte differentiation, browning of the white adipose tissue, inhibition of enzymes such as lipase and amylase, suppression of inflammation, improvement of the gut microbiota, and downregulation of obesity-inducing genes. In conclusion, multiple bioactive compounds-phytochemicals exert many beneficial effects against obesity. Future molecular and clinical studies must be performed to unravel the multiple molecular mechanisms and anti-obesity activities of these naturally occurring bioactive compounds.

A Comprehensive Review of Phytonutrients as a Dietary Therapy for Obesity

Obesity is a complex medical condition mainly caused by eating habits, genetics, lifestyle, and medicine. The present study deals with traditional diets like the Mediterranean diet, Nordic diet, African Heritage diet, Asian diet, and DASH, as these are considered to be sustainable diets for curing obesity. However, the bioavailability of phytonutrients consumed in the diet may vary, depending on several factors such as digestion and absorption of phytonutrients, interaction with other substances, cooking processes, and individual differences. Hence, several phytochemicals, like polyphenols, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, etc., have been investigated to assess their efficiencies and safety in the prevention and treatment of obesity. These phytochemicals have anti-obesity effects, mediated via modulation of many pathways, such as decreased lipogenesis, lipid absorption, accelerated lipolysis, energy intake, expenditure, and preadipocyte differentiation and proliferation. Owing to these anti-obesity effects, new food formulations incorporating these phytonutrients were introduced that can be beneficial in reducing the prevalence of obesity and promoting public health.

Uncovering the Lipid Web: Discovering the Multifaceted Roles of Lipids in Human Diseases and Therapeutic Opportunities

Lipids, characterized by their hydrophobic nature, encompass a wide range of molecules with distinct properties and functions [...].

Bio-Assay-Guided Isolation of Fractions and Constituents with Antioxidant and Lipid-lowering Activity from Allium cepa

Active fractions and constituents with antioxidant and lipid-lowering activities were investigated using bio-assay-guided isolation and identification. The data showed that the antioxidant fraction of A. cepa was AC50%, the main constituents of which were quercetin and isoquercitrin, by way of both ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) and bio-assay-guided purification and elucidation. Similarly, the lipid-lowering active fraction of A. cepa was AC30% with the main constituents of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and quercetin 3,4'-O-diglucoside. Also, bio-assay-guided isolation led to the isolation and identification of five known compounds with a purity of more than 98%, and quercetin was both the best free radical scavenger and lipid-lowering constituent. Moreover, the mechanism of the lipid-lowering effect of AC30% might be its reduction in mRNA expression levels of sterol regulatory element binding protein 2 (SREBP2) and FAS gene in lipid synthesis. Otherwise, reducing the mRNA expression level of lipid synthesis genes, including SREBP1, SREBP2, fatty acid synthetase (FASN), β-Hydroxy β-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMGCR), stearoyl CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), and increasing the mRNA expression level of lipid decomposition gene, such as carnitine palmitoyl transferease-1 (CPT1), might be involved in the lipid-lowering activity of quercetin. This study suggested that Allium cepa might be used to prevent and treat oxidative stress and dislipidemia-related disorders, including NAFLD.

The synergic effects and mechanism of KGM-DMY complex in the prevention of obesity and enhancement of fatigue resistance in mice

Dietary fibers (DFs) are normally consumed together with polyphenols. Further, both of them are two kinds of popular functional ingredients. However, studies have shown that the soluble DFs and polyphenols are antagonistic to their bioactivity due to the potential loss of the physical properties that drive their benefits. In this study, konjac glucomannan (KGM), dihydromyricetin (DMY), and KGM-DMY complex were fed to mice on normal chow diet (NCD) and high fat diet (HFD). The body fat content, serum lipid metabolites and time to exhaustion in swimming were compared. It was found that KGM-DMY had synergistic effects on the reduction of serum triglyceride, total glycerol content in HFD-fed mice, and extension of time to exhaustion in swimming in NCD-fed mice. The underlying mechanism was explored by antioxidant enzyme activity measurement, energy production quantification, and gut microbiota 16S rDNA profiling. KGM-DMY synergistically reduced the lactate dehydrogenase activity, malondialdehyde production, and alanine aminotransferase activities after swimming. Moreover, superoxide dismutase activities, glutathione peroxidase activities, glycogen and adenosine triphosphate contents were synergistically enhanced by KGM-DMY complex. In addition, according to gut microbiota gene expression analyses, KGM-DMY enhanced the ratio of Bacteroidota/Firmicutes and the abundance of Oscillospiraceae and Romboutsia. The abundance of Desulfobacterota was also reduced. To our knowledge, this was the first experiment that indicated that the complex of polyphenols and DF have synergistic effects in obesity prevention and fatigue resistance. The study provided a perspective for the formulation of obese preventive nutritional supplement in the food industry.

Intrinsic properties and extrinsic factors of food matrix system affecting the effectiveness of essential oils in foods: a comprehensive review

Essential oils (EOs) have been proved as natural food preservatives because of their effective and wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity. They have been extensively explored for potential applications in food industry, and substantial progresses have been achieved. However well EOs perform in antibacterial tests in vitro, it has generally been found that a higher level of EOs is needed to achieve the same effect in foods. Nevertheless, this unsimilar effect has not been clearly quantified and elaborated, as well as the underlying mechanisms. This review highlights the influence of intrinsic properties (e.g., oils and fats, carbohydrates, proteins, pH, physical structure, water, and salt) and extrinsic factors (e.g., temperature, bacteria characteristics, and packaging in vacuum/gas/air) of food matrix systems on EOs action. Controversy findings and possible mechanism hypotheses are also systematically discussed. Furthermore, the organoleptic aspects of EOs in foods and promising strategies to address this hurdle are reviewed. Finally, some considerations about the EOs safety are presented, as well as the future trends and research prospects of EOs applications in foods. The present review aims to fill the evidenced gap, providing a comprehensive overview about the influence of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors of food matrix systems to efficiently orientate EOs applications.

Association of body mass index and physical activity with fatigue, depression, and anxiety among Iranian patients with multiple sclerosis

Introduction

Depression, fatigue, and anxiety are three common clinical comorbidities of multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated the role of physical activity (PA) level and body mass index (BMI) as modifiable lifestyle factors in these three comorbidities.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the MS specialist clinic of Sina Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Demographic and clinical data were collected. BMI was categorized in accordance with the WHO's standard classification. Physical activity (PA) level and sitting time per day were obtained using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). Fatigue, anxiety, and depression scores were measured using the Persian version of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck's Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) questionnaires, respectively. The correlation between the metabolic equivalent of tasks (MET), BMI, and daily sitting hours with depression, anxiety, and fatigue were checked using the linear regression test. The normal BMI group was considered a reference, and the difference in quantitative variables between the reference and the other groups was assessed using an independent sample t-test. Physical activity was classified with tertiles, and the difference in depression, anxiety, and fatigue between the PA groups was evaluated by a one-way ANOVA test.

Results

In total, 85 MS patients were recruited for the study. The mean ± SD age of the participants was 39.07 ± 8.84 years, and 72.9% (n: 62) of them were female. The fatigue score was directly correlated with BMI (P: 0.03; r: 0.23) and sitting hours per day (P: 0.01; r: 0.26) and indirectly correlated with PA level (P < 0.01; r: -0.33). Higher depression scores were significantly correlated with elevated daily sitting hours (P: 0.01; r: 0.27). However, the correlation between depression with PA and BMI was not meaningful (p > 0.05). Higher anxiety scores were correlated with BMI (P: 0.01; r: 0.27) and lower PA (P: 0.01; r: -0.26). The correlation between anxiety and sitting hours per day was not significant (p > 0.05). Patients in the type I obesity group had significantly higher depression scores than the normal weight group (23.67 ± 2.30 vs. 14.05 ± 9.12; P: 0.001). Fatigue (32.61 ± 14.18 vs. 52.40 ± 12.42; P: <0.01) and anxiety (14.66 ± 9.68 vs. 27.80 ± 15.48; P: 0.01) scores were significantly greater among participants in the type II obesity group in comparison with the normal weight group. Fatigue (P: 0.01) and anxiety (P: 0.03) scores were significantly different in the three levels of PA, but no significant difference was found in the depression score (P: 0.17).

Conclusion

Our data suggest that a physically active lifestyle and being in the normal weight category are possible factors that lead to lower depression, fatigue, and anxiety in patients with MS.

Health-promoting properties of barley: A review of nutrient and nutraceutical composition, functionality, bioprocessing, and health benefits

Barley is one of the world's oldest cereal crops forming an important component of many traditional diets. Barley is rich in a variety of bioactive phytochemicals with potentially health-promoting effects. However, its beneficial nutritional attributes are not being fully realized because of the limited number of foods it is currently utilized in. It is therefore crucial for the food industry to produce novel barley-based foods that are healthy and cater to customers' tastes. This article reviews the nutritional and functional characteristics of barley, with an emphasis on its ability to improve glucose/lipid metabolism. Then, recent trends in barley product development are discussed. Finally, current limitations and future research directions in glucolipid modulation mechanisms and barley bioprocessing are discussed.

FTO gene expression in diet-induced obesity is downregulated by Solanum fruit supplementation

The Fat Mass and Obesity-associated (FTO) gene has been shown to play an important role in developing obesity, manifesting in traits such as increased body mass index, increased waist-to-hip ratio, and the distribution of adipose tissues, which increases the susceptibility to various metabolic syndromes. In this study, we evaluated the impact of fruit-based diets of Solanum melongena (SMF) and Solanum aethiopicum fruits (SAF) on the FTO gene expression levels in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese animals. Our results showed that the mRNA level of the FTO gene was downregulated in the hypothalamus, and white and brown adipose tissue following three and six weeks of treatment with SMF- and SAF-based diets in the HFD-induced obese animals. Additionally, the Solanum fruit supplementation exhibited a curative effect on obesity-associated abrasions on the white adipose tissue (WAT), hypothalamus, and liver. Our findings collectively suggest the anti-obesity potential of SMF and SAF via the downregulation of the FTO gene.

An intelligent probe with dual-emission in water and oil for lipid droplet specific imaging in human fibrocalcific aortic valvular leaflet

Lipid droplets (LDs) have been regarded as potential marker for study the pathologic processes and diagnosis of valvular heart disease. While conventional imaging strategy fail to precisely locate LDs in pathological tissues. Herein, a LDs specific probe ECPID with special feature of single-excitation but dual-emission in oil (520 nm) and water (628 nm) was prepared for LDs imaging. ECPID exhibited good biocompatibility, great performance in intracellular and tissular LDs imaging, which would help to reveal the pathologic process of human fibrocalcific aortic valvular leaflet. Our work offers a novel approach for accurate imaging LDs in situ and paves a way to study the pathologic processes of valvular disease.

Characterization and Effect of Refining on the Oil Extracted from Durum Wheat By-Products

Durum wheat is one of the most important cereal grains worldwide, used mostly for pasta making and bakery products. The by-products derived for the milling process, although very abundant, have only limited use. The aim of this work was to characterize the oils extracted from the by-products of debranning (DP) and milling processes (MP) of durum wheat and to follow the changes due to the refining process on the minor components. The results showed that DP had significantly higher oil content than MP, but it was characterized by a significantly lower amount of tocols. Polyunsaturated fatty acids content was similar (around 62% of total fatty acids). Consequently, a mixture of DP/MP (60/40 w/w) was chosen as a basis for further studies concerning the refining process. During refining, carotenoids almost disappeared while tocols were reduced by 24% on average. Free fatty acids, peroxide value, and oxidized triacylglycerols were significantly reduced by refining, while triacylglycerol oligopolymers were significantly higher than the crude oil. Durum wheat oil had an outstanding content of phytosterols and policosanols. Overall, the edible oil obtained from durum wheat after refining could be considered a good source of phytochemicals and could represent a valuable strategy to valorize the by-products from durum wheat mills.

Effects of Sitagliptin as Monotherapy and Add-On to Metformin on Weight Loss among Overweight and Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Sitagliptin is known as an antidiabetic agent inhibiting the dipeptidyl peptidase-4. Although sitagliptin may influence weight, controversial results have been reported, and there is no general agreement on this issue. Therefore, this study assessed the effect of sitagliptin as monotherapy and add-on therapy to metformin on weight reduction in overweight or obese cases with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

We reviewed the following databases to identify all relevant papers published until 1st April 2021: Web of Science, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. The research included all clinical trials investigating the effect of sitagliptin in obese or overweight adult patients with type 2 diabetes without any language restriction.

RESULTS

In total, eighteen randomized controlled trials with 2009 participants were included in our meta-analysis. Results showed supplementation of sitagliptin has led to weight loss for sitagliptin treated (MD  -0.99; 95% CI; (-1.87, -0.12); p=0.026)) and sitagliptin+metformin treated groups (MD  -1.09; 95% CI; (-1.69, -0.49); p<0.001)). Also, the intervention has influenced body mass index in sitagliptin treated (MD  -0.23; 95% CI; (-0.45, 0.02); p=0.033)) and sitagliptin+metformin treated groups (MD -0.52; 95% CI; (-0.96, 0.08); p=0.020)) comparing to placebo.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrated that sitagliptin administration with or without metformin might reduce the body weight and body mass index if these drugs are taken for more than 6 months.

Ethylene-regulated immature fruit abscission is associated with higher expression of CoACO genes in Camellia oleifera

Immature fruit abscission is a key limiting factor in Camellia oleifera Abel. (C. oleifera) yield. Ethylene is considered to be an important phytohormone in regulating fruit abscission. However, the molecular mechanism of ethylene in regulating fruit abscission in C. oleifera has not yet been studied. Here, we found that the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) content was significantly increased in the abscission zones (AZs) of abnormal fruits (AF) which were about to abscise when compared with normal fruits (NF) in C. oleifera 'Huashuo'. Furthermore, exogenous ethephon treatment stimulated fruit abscission. The cumulative rates of fruit abscission in ethephon-treated fruits (ETH-F) on the 4th (35.0%), 8th (48.7%) and 16th (57.7%) days after treatment (DAT) were significantly higher than the control. The ACC content and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (ACO) activity in AZs of ETH-F were also significantly increased when compared with NF on the 4th and 8th DAT. CoACO1 and CoACO2 were isolated in C. oleifera for the first time. The expressions of CoACO1 and CoACO2 were considerably upregulated in AZs of AF and ETH-F. This study suggested that ethylene played an important role in immature fruit abscission of C. oleifera and the two CoACOs were the critical genes involved in ethylene's regulatory role.

Physical Stability, Oxidative Stability, and Bioactivity of Nanoemulsion Delivery Systems Incorporating Lipophilic Ingredients: Impact of Oil Saturation Degree

There is great interest in the application of a lipid-based delivery system (like nanoemulsion) to improve the bioavailability of lipophilic components. Although emulsion characteristics are believed to be influenced by oil types, there is still a lack of systematic research concentrating on the effect of oil saturation degree on the nanoemulsion quality, especially for evaluation of the bioactivity. Here, we aimed to test the effect of oil saturation degree on the physical stability, oxidative stability, and bioactivity of the designed nanoemulision system. Our findings suggest that the oxidative stability and bioactivity of a nanoemulsion incorporating tocopherol and sesamol highly depend on the oil saturation. A nanoemulsion with an oil with a high degree of unsaturation was more susceptible to oxidation, and addition of tocopherol and sesamol could retard the lipid oxidation. Sesamol exhibited better bioactivity during the experiment compared with tocopherol in the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model. The lipid-lowering effect of tocopherol and sesamol increased with lower saturation oil groups. The antioxidant activity of tocopherol and sesamol was higher in the high saturation oil groups. Overall, the obtained data is meaningful for applications using the designed systems to deliver lipophilic ingredients.

Effects of Exercise Interventions on Weight, Body Mass Index, Lean Body Mass and Accumulated Visceral Fat in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

(1) Background: Exercise interventions for overweight and obese individuals help reduce accumulated visceral fat, which is an indicator of cardiometabolic risk, but the effectiveness of these interventions is controversial. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effectiveness of exercise interventions in overweight and obese individuals in order to reduce weight, body mass index (BMI), and accumulated visceral fat, and increase lean body mass. (2) Methods: Databases were used to select eligible studies for this meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials with control and experimental groups were included. The degrees of effectiveness of the exercise interventions were computed to assess the benefits on reducing weight, BMI, and accumulated visceral fat, and increasing lean body mass. (3) Results: Sixteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. Participation in exercise interventions reduced weight (d = −0.58 (95% confidence interval (CI), −0.84–−0.31; p < 0.001; k = 9)), BMI (d = −0.50 (95% CI, −0.78–−0.21; p < 0.001; k = 7)), and accumulated visceral fat (d = −1.08 (95% CI, −1.60–−0.57; p < 0.001; k = 5)), but did not significantly increase lean body mass (d = 0.26 (95% CI, −0.11–0.63; p = 0.17; k = 6)). The average exercise intervention for overweight and obese individuals was of moderate to vigorous intensity, 4 times per week, 50 min per session, and 22 weeks duration. (4) Conclusions: Participating in exercise interventions has favorable effects on weight, BMI, and accumulated visceral fat. Further studies considering different modalities, intensities, durations, and measurements of fatness need to be conducted.

Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1 fermented barley extraction activates white adipocyte browning in high-fat diet-induced obese rats

High-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity is caused by the imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Here, we studied the inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts of fermented barley with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1 (LFBE) and beta-glucan (BGL) on the obesity induced by HFD. Both LFBE and BGL significantly decreased body weight, suppressed visceral lipid accumulation, improved blood lipid profile, and glucose tolerance in HFD rats. BGL showed no thermogenic capacity, while LFBE enhanced the expression of Uncoupling Protein 1 (UCP1), and brown-specific mRNA (PRDM16, PGC1-α, and CIDEA) levels in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissues (WAT) of HFD rats. In addition, LFBE increased the expression of key genes involved in mitochondria biosynthesis and the mitochondrial respiration function. Further, we demonstrated that proteins extracted from LFBE (LFBE-P) were responsible for triggering brown markers to some extent. In conclusion, LFBE alleviates HFD-induced obesity by activating thermogenic fat bioenergetics and mitochondria biosynthesis. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Barley is one of the most productive crops with pretty low utilization. Our group committed to exploring the application and nutritional value of barley. This work aimed to explore improvements in nutritional function of barley after fermentation by Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1. Our study found that oral administration of LFBE help turning white adipose tissue into a thermogenesis state and activate heat generation function of brown adipose tissue. Its characteristics mentioned above significantly inhibited the body weight and blood lipid of high-fat diet rats. Further, we evidenced that LFBE-P were responsible for triggering brown markers in 3T3-L1 cells. We believe our research plays a great part to relieving high-fat diet-induced obesity and type 2 diabetes with functional diet supplementation.

New perspective toward nutritional support for malnourished cancer patients: Role of lipids

To improve the difficulties related to malnutrition, nutritional support has become an essential part of multidisciplinary comprehensive treatment for cancer. Lipids are essential nutrient source for the human body, and nowadays in clinical practices, it has a positive interventional effect on patients suffering from cancer. However, contribution of lipids in nutritional support of cancer patients is still poorly understood. Moreover, the sensory and physicochemical properties of lipids can severely restrict their applications in lipid-rich formula foods. In this review article, for the first time, we have presented a summary of the existing studies which were related to the associations between different lipids and improved malnutrition in cancer patients and discussed possible mechanisms. Subsequently, we discussed the challenges and effective solutions during processing of lipids into formula foods. Further, by considering existing problems in current lipid nutritional support, we proposed a novel method for the treatment of malnutrition, including developing individualized lipid nutrition for different patients depending on the individual's genotype and enterotype. Nonetheless, this review study provides a new direction for future research on nutritional support and the development of lipid-rich formula foods for cancer patients, and probably will help to improve the efficacy of lipids in the treatment of cancer malnutrition.

Western Diet: Implications for Brain Function and Behavior

The Western diet (WD) pattern characterized by high daily intake of saturated fats and refined carbohydrates often leads to obesity and overweight, and it has been linked to cognitive impairment and emotional disorders in both animal models and humans. This dietary pattern alters the composition of gut microbiota, influencing brain function by different mechanisms involving the gut-brain axis. In addition, long-term exposure to highly palatable foods typical of WD could induce addictive-like eating behaviors and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation associated with chronic stress, anxiety, and depression. In turn, chronic stress modulates eating behavior, and it could have detrimental effects on different brain regions such as the hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and several cortical regions. Moreover, obesity and overweight induce neuroinflammation, causing neuronal dysfunction. In this review, we summarize the current scientific evidence about the mechanisms and factors relating WD consumption with altered brain function and behavior. Possible therapeutic interventions and limitations are also discussed, aiming to tackle and prevent this current pandemic.

Identification and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of different forms of phenolic compounds in Camellia oleifera oil

Camellia oleifera (C. oleifera) oil is known as "oriental olive oil". We previously reported the anti-inflammatory activity of C. oleifera oil was mainly attributed to the phenolic compounds, but the specific compounds remain uncovered. In this study, phenolic compounds in the form of free (11.92 μg GAE/g), esterified (37.57 μg GAE/g), glycosylated (128.71 μg GAE/g), and insoluble (47.53 μg GAE/g) were prepared from C. oleifera oil. Their anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated by lipopolysaccharide induced RAW 264.7 macrophage. Glycosylated fraction showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity as indicated by the low production of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Subsequently, 13 different glycosylated polyphenols were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS, and the major compounds were purified for anti-inflammatory re-evaluation. Lower anti-inflammatory activities of compound 3 and compound 6 were observed when compared to kaempferol. Overall, these results would promote the utilization of phenolic compounds in C. oleifera oil.

Dietary Total Antioxidant Capacity and Risk of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

Dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC) has been proposed as a tool for assessing the intake of antioxidants. This study aimed to assess whether a relationship exists between dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the odds of NAFLD.

STUDY DESIGN

A case-control study.

METHODS

In this age-and sex-matched case-control study in 2019, patients with NAFLD and healthy controls were recruited from a hospital clinic. All participants completed a validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire, the results of which were subsequently used to generate dietary TAC. Oxygen radical absorbance capacity values were used to calculate dietary TAC.

RESULTS

Altogether, 225 patients with NAFLD and 450 healthy controls were enrolled. Participants with NAFLD had a higher mean weight, BMI, energy (P<0.050), and lower physical activity and DTAC scores (P<0.050) than the control group. In an adjusted model, participants who were in the highest quartile of dietary TAC had a lower risk of NAFLD (odds ratio 0.78, 95% CI: 0.67, 0.91).

CONCLUSION

A high DTAC was related to a decreased risk of NAFLD. Suggest the intake of a diet with high antioxidant capacity is significant at preventing NAFLD. Increasingly itemized investigations in design of randomized control trials require to reveal more insight into these results.

Effects and mechanisms of edible and medicinal plants on obesity: an updated review

In recent years, obesity has become a global public health issue. It is closely associated with the occurrence of several chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Some edible and medicinal plants show anti-obesity activity, such as fruits, vegetables, spices, legumes, edible flowers, mushrooms, and medicinal plants. Numerous studies have indicated that these plants are potential candidates for the prevention and management of obesity. The major anti-obesity mechanisms of plants include suppressing appetite, reducing the absorption of lipids and carbohydrates, inhibiting adipogenesis and lipogenesis, regulating lipid metabolism, increasing energy expenditure, regulating gut microbiota, and improving obesity-related inflammation. In this review, the anti-obesity activity of edible and medicinal plants was summarized based on epidemiological, experimental, and clinical studies, with related mechanisms discussed, which provided the basis for the research and development of slimming products. Further studies should focus on the exploration of safer plants with anti-obesity activity and the identification of specific anti-obesity mechanisms.

Diet, Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Diseases: Linking Pathophysiology to Cardioprotective Effects of Natural Bioactive Compounds

Heart and blood vessels disorders comprise one of the main causes of death worldwide. Pharmacologically active natural compounds have been used as a complementary therapy in cardiovascular disease around the world in a traditional way. Dietary, natural bioactive compounds, as well as healthy lifestyles, are considered to prevent coronary artery diseases. Pre-clinical and clinical studies reported that consumption of plant-food bioactive derivatives including polyphenolic compounds, peptides, oligosaccharides, vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids possess protective effects on cardiovascular diseases. This review aims to summarize the cardiovascular risk factors, pre-clinical studies and clinical trials related to cardioprotective properties of the plant-food-derived bioactive compounds. Molecular mechanisms by the natural bioactive compounds exert their cardiovascular protective properties have also been highlighted.

Effect of sea-buckthorn pulp and flaxseed residues on quality and shelf life of bread

Sea-buckthorn and flaxseed residues are high-value materials with potential application in bread-baking.