Health promotion by flavonoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, and other phenols: direct or indirect effects? Antioxidant or not?

Chickpea seed endophyte Enterobacter sp. mediated yield and nutritional enrichment of chickpea for improving human and livestock health

Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) are used as a good source of proteins and energy in the diets of various organisms including humans and animals. Chickpea straws can serve as an alternative option for forage for different ruminants. This research mainly focussed on screening the effects of adding beneficial chickpea seed endophytes on increasing the nutritional properties of the different edible parts of chickpea plants. Two efficient chickpea seed endophytes (Enterobacter sp. strain BHUJPCS-2 and BHUJPCS-8) were selected and applied to the chickpea seeds before sowing in the experiment conducted on clay pots. Chickpea seeds treated with both endophytes showed improved plant growth and biomass accumulation. Notably, improvements in the uptake of mineral nutrients were found in the foliage, pericarp, and seed of the chickpea plants. Additionally, nutritional properties such as total phenolics (0.47, 0.25, and 0.55 folds), total protein (0.04, 0.21, and 0.18 folds), carbohydrate content (0.31, 0.32, and 0.31 folds), and total flavonoid content (0.45, 027, and 0.8 folds) were increased in different parts (foliage, pericarp, and seed) of the chickpea plants compared to the control plants. The seed endophyte-treated plants showed a significant increase in mineral accumulation and improvement in nutrition in the different edible parts of chickpea plants. The results showed that the seed endophyte-mediated increase in dietary and nutrient value of the different parts (pericarp, foliage, and seeds) of chickpea are consumed by humans, whereas the other parts (pericarp and foliage) are used as alternative options for forage and chaff in livestock diets and may have direct effects on their nutritional conditions.

Evaluation of the mechanism of Gong Ying San activity on dairy cows mastitis by network pharmacology and metabolomics analysis

OBJECTIVES

The goal of this investigation was to identify the main compounds and the pharmacological mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine formulation, Gong Ying San (GYS), by infrared spectral absorption characteristics, metabolomics, network pharmacology, and molecular-docking analysis for mastitis. The antibacterial and antioxidant activities were determined in vitro.

METHODS

The chemical constituents of GYS were detected by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography Q-extractive mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE-MS). Related compounds were screened from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP, http://tcmspw.com/tcmsp.php) and the Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ETCM, http://www.tcmip.cn/ETCM/index.php/Home/) databases; genes associated with mastitis were identified in DisGENT. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was generated using STRING. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment screening was conducted using the R module. Molecular-docking analyses were performed with the AutoDockTools V1.5.6.

RESULTS

Fifty-four possible compounds in GYS with forty likely targets were found. The compound-target-network analysis showed that five of the ingredients, quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, beta-sitosterol, and stigmasterol, had degree values >41.6, and the genes TNF, IL-6, IL-1β, ICAM1, CXCL8, CRP, IFNG, TP53, IL-2, and TGFB1 were core targets in the network. Enrichment analysis revealed that pathways associated with cancer, lipids, atherosclerosis, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways may be critical in the pharmacology network. Molecular-docking data supported the hypothesis that quercetin and luteolin interacted well with TNF-α and IL-6.

CONCLUSIONS

An integrative investigation based on a bioinformatics-network topology provided new insights into the synergistic, multicomponent mechanisms of GYS's anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities. It revealed novel possibilities for developing new combination medications for reducing mastitis and its complications.

Dietary (poly)phenols and cardiometabolic health: from antioxidants to modulators of the gut microbiota

(Poly)phenols are plant secondary metabolites widely abundant in plant foods and beverages comprising a very large number of compounds with diverse structure and biological activities. Accumulating evidence indicates that these compounds exert beneficial effects against cardiometabolic diseases, and this review will provide a summary of current knowledge in this area. Epidemiological and clinical data collectively suggest that intake of flavonoids reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with the evidence being particularly strong for the flavan-3-ol subclass. However, to provide adequate dietary recommendations, a better understanding of their estimated content in foods and intake among the general public is needed. Regarding mechanisms of action, we now know that it is unlikely that (poly)phenols act as direct antioxidants in vivo, as it was hypothesised for decades with the popularity of in vitro antioxidant capacity assays. One of the reasons is that upon ingestion, (poly)phenols are extensively metabolised into a wide array of circulating metabolites with different bioactivities than their precursors. Well-conducted in vitro and in vivo studies and human nutrigenomic analysis have revealed new molecular targets that may be underlying the health benefits of (poly)phenols, such as the nitric oxide pathway. Recently, a bi-directional relationship was established between (poly)phenols and the gut microbiota, suggesting that individual gut microbial metabolising capacity may be a key factor explaining the variability in the cardiometabolic response to (poly)phenols. Future research is needed to elucidate which are the key factors affecting such capacity, and whether it can be modulated, along with the mechanisms of action.

Flavonoid quercetin and its glucuronide and sulfate conjugates bind to 67-kDa laminin receptor and prevent neuronal cell death induced by serum starvation

Quercetin, a dietary flavonoid, has been shown to protect against various neurodegenerative diseases with mechanisms largely unknown. After oral administration, quercetin is rapidly conjugated, and the aglycone is not detectable in the plasma and brain. However, its glucuronide and sulfate conjugates are present only at low nanomolar concentrations in the brain. Since quercetin and its conjugates have limited antioxidant capability at low nanomolar concentrations, it is crucial to determine whether they induce neuroprotection by binding to high-affinity receptors. Previously we found that (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol from green tea, induces neuroprotection by binding to the 67-kDa laminin receptor (67LR). Therefore, in this study, we determined whether quercetin and its conjugates bind 67LR to induce neuroprotection and compared their ability with EGCG. Based on the quenching of intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of peptide G (residues 161-180 in 67LR), we found quercetin, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, and quercetin-3-O-sulfate bind to this peptide with a high affinity comparable to EGCG. Molecular docking using the crystal structure of 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor supported the high-affinity binding of all these ligands to the site corresponding to peptide G. A pretreatment with quercetin (1-1000 nM) did not effectively protect Neuroscreen-1 cells from death induced by serum starvation. Contrarily, a pretreatment with low concentrations (1-10 nM) of quercetin conjugates better protected these cells than quercetin and EGCG. The 67LR-blocking antibody substantially prevented neuroprotection by all these agents, suggesting the role of 67LR in this process. Collectively, these studies reveal that quercetin induces neuroprotection primarily through its conjugates via high affinity binding to 67LR.

Discovery of novel flavonoid derivatives as potential dual inhibitors against α-glucosidase and α-amylase: virtual screening, synthesis, and biological evaluation

Diabetes mellitus is one of the top ten causes of death worldwide, accounting for 6.7 million deaths in 2021, and is one of the most rapidly growing global health emergencies of this century. Although several classes of therapeutic drugs have been invented and applied in clinical practice, diabetes continues to pose a serious and growing threat to public health and places a tremendous burden on those affected and their families. The strategy of reducing carbohydrate digestibility by inhibiting the activities of α-glucosidase and α-amylase is regarded as a promising preventative treatment for type 2 diabetes. In this study, we investigated the dual inhibitory effect against two polysaccharide hydrolytic enzymes of flavonoid derivatives from an in-house chemical database. By combining molecular docking and structure-activity relationship analysis, twelve compounds with docking energies less than or equal to - 8.0 kcal mol^-1 and containing required structural features for dual inhibition of the two enzymes were identified and subjected to chemical synthesis and in vitro evaluation. The obtained results showed that five compounds exhibited dual inhibitory effects on the target enzymes with better IC₅₀ values than the approved positive control acarbose. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to elucidate the binding of these flavonoids to the enzymes. The predicted pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties suggest that these compounds are viable for further development as type 2 diabetes drugs.

AGS Gastric Cells: Antioxidant Activity and Metabolic Effects of Phenolic Extracts from Different Monocultivar Virgin Olive Oils

The effects of the phenolic compounds of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on AGS cells have never been studied so far, which is the aim of this study. The profiles of the main phenolic components in EVOOs, mainly secoiridoid compounds derived from the transformation of oleuropein during the olive milling process, were evaluated and compared. Oils of different origins were evaluated aiming at verifying whether chemical differences in the phenolic composition of the dry extracts played a role in the metabolism and in maintaining the cellular redox state of AGS cells. The following key enzymes of some metabolic pathways were studied: lactate dehydrogenase, enolase, pyruvate kinase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, 3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase and hexokinase. As confirmed through PCA analysis, pretreatments with the dry extracts of EVOOs at different concentrations appeared to be able to counteract the enzymatic activity alterations due to oxidative stress induced by H₂O₂ 1 mM and 2 mM. The studied phytocomplexes showed the ability to protect AGS cells from oxidative damage and the secoiridoid derivatives from both oleuropein and ligstroside contributed to the observed effects. The results suggested that EVOOs with medium to high concentrations of phenols can exert this protection.

A DFT Study on the Kinetics of HOO•, CH3OO•, and O2•- Scavenging by Quercetin and Flavonoid Catecholic Metabolites

Reaction kinetics have been theoretically examined to ascertain the potency of quercetin (Q) and flavonoid catecholic metabolites 1-5 in the inactivation of HOO^•, CH₃OO^•, and O₂^•- under physiological conditions. In lipidic media, the koverallTST/Eck rate constants for the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) mechanism indicate the catecholic moiety of Q and 1-5 as the most important in HOO^• and CH₃OO^• scavenging. 5-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone (1) and alphitonin (5) are the most potent scavengers of HOO^• and CH₃OO^•, respectively. The koverallMf rate constants, representing actual behavior in aqueous media, reveal Q as more potent in the inactivation of HOO^• and CH₃OO^• via single electron transfer (SET). SET from 3-O^- phenoxide anion of Q, a structural motif absent in 1-5, represents the most contributing reaction path to overall activity. All studied polyphenolics have a potency of O₂^•- inactivation via a concerted two-proton-coupled electron transfer (2PCET) mechanism. The obtained results indicate that metabolites with notable radical scavenging potency, and more bioavailability than ingested flavonoids, may contribute to human health-promoting effects ascribed to parent molecules.

Virgin Olive Oil By-Products: Biological Activity of Phenolic Extract of Pâté on AGS Gastric Cells

Pâté is a by-product of olive oil production which represents an abundant source of phenolic compounds and can be used for food formulation, reducing its environmental impact and promoting a circular economy. In this context, the effects of a hydroalcoholic extract of pâté were evaluated for the first time in an AGS human cell line commonly used as model of gastric mucosa. Pâté was obtained from Tuscan olives; the total phenolic content was 16.6 mg/g dried extract, with verbascoside and secoiridoid derivatives as the most abundant phenols. The phenolic pâté extract did not alter viability, distribution of cell cycle phases or proliferation and migration of AGS cells at the tested concentrations. Seven enzymes were chosen to investigate the metabolic effect of the pâté extract in the context of oxidative stress. Pâté produced a statistically significant increase in the activity of key enzymes of some metabolic pathways: Lactate dehydrogenase, Enolase, Pyruvate kinase, Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, Citrate synthase, 3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase and Hexokinase. Pre-treatments with the extract of pâté at 100 µg/mL or 200 µg/mL, as observed through PCA analysis, appeared able to counteract the enzymatic activity alterations due to oxidative stress induced by H₂O₂ 1 mM and 2 mM. The results indicate that dried pâté, due to its phenolic components, can be proposed as a new functional food ingredient.

Review: Harmonised in vitro digestion and the Ussing chamber for investigating the effects of polyphenols on intestinal physiology in monogastrics and ruminants

Because of the relevant effects of plant-derived polyphenols (PPs) on monogastrics and ruminants' nutrition, emissions and performance, an increasing number of in vivo and in vitro studies are being performed to better understand the mechanisms of action of polyphenols at both the ruminal and intestinal levels. The biological properties of these phenolic compounds strongly depend on their degradation, absorption and metabolism. The harmonised in vitro digestion method (INFOGEST) is one of the most reliable in vitro methods used to assess the bioaccessibility and or antioxidant activity of PP contained in different matrixes, as well as the interactions of PP and their degradation products with other feed ingredients. The effects of PP released from their matrix after in vitro digestion on different intestinal physiological parameters, such as epithelium integrity, can be further evaluated by the use of ex vivo models such as the Ussing chamber. This review aims to describe the combination of the INFOGEST method, coupled with the Ussing chamber as a valuable model for the digestion and subsequent effects and absorption of phenolic compounds in monogastrics and potentially in ruminants. The advances, challenges and limits of this approach are also discussed.

Hydrogen Peroxide Produced from Selective Phenolic Acids in Cell Culture Underlies Caco-2 Changes in Cell Proliferation Parameters

The physicochemical property of phenolic acids to generate hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in cell culture media has been underreported when describing multiple biological effects in vitro. Our aim was to focus on examining the relative capacity of four common phenolic acids widely consumed in the Western diet for autoxidation potential to generate H₂O₂ during in vitro culture. Furthermore, quantifying H₂O₂ derived from different phenolic acids cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) was associated with changes in cell proliferation in non-differentiated human intestinal carcinoma cells. Results showed that the different percentage losses of phenolic acids, namely, caffeic (84.78 ± 1.51), chlorogenic (37.3 ± 0.38), ferulic (1.26 ± 0.78), and gallic (100%), paralleled a relative capacity to generate H₂O₂ when present in DMEM media for 24 h. The rate and total H₂O₂ generated was dependent on both phenolic acid type and concentration (p < 0.05). Gallic acid had the greatest capacity to generate H₂O₂ in culture without the presence of cells (p < 0.05). When cultured with non-differentiated Caco-2 cells, gallic acid evoked the greatest bioactivity that included cytotoxicity, anti-proliferation, apoptosis, and nuclear condensation, respectively (p < 0.05). Corresponding treatments with cells with phenolic acids in the presence of catalase confirmed that H₂O₂ generated from phenolic acid autoxidation was involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis.

In Vitro Gastrointestinal Bioaccessibility, Bioactivities and Colonic Fermentation of Phenolic Compounds in Different Vigna Beans

Beans are widely consumed throughout the world, rich in non-nutrient phenolic compounds and other bioactive constituents, including alkaloids, lectins, and others. However, research about in vitro digestion impacts on the changes of bioactive compounds' release and related antioxidant potential in different Vigna beans is limited. This research aimed to assess the modifications that occur in the content and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds in four Vigna samples (adzuki bean, black urid whole, black eye bean, and mung bean), their antioxidant properties, and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production through static in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation. Adzuki bean exhibited relatively higher total phenolic content (TPC; 4.76 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant activities after in vitro digestion. The black eye beans' total flavonoid content (0.74 mg QE/g) and total condensed tannins (10.43 mg CE/g) displayed higher tendencies. For colonic fermentation, the greatest TPC value of entire samples was detected through a 2-h reaction. In most selected beans, phenolic compounds were comparably more bioaccessible during the oral phase. Acetic acid showed the highest level through SCFAs production, and the total SCFAs in adzuki beans was the greatest (0.021 mmol/L) after 16-h fermentation. Adzuki beans may be more beneficial to gut health and possess a stronger antioxidant potential after consumption.

Feeding tannins to dairy cows in different seasons improves the oxidative status of blood plasma and the antioxidant capacity of cheese

The aim of the present study was to assess the dietary supplementation of tannins to grazing dairy cows in 2 seasons characterized by a good quality pasture (spring) or a poor-quality pasture (summer). The effects of dietary tannins were assessed on plasma antioxidant status and cytokines profile and on the antioxidant properties of cheese and cheese in vitro digestates. Fourteen lactating dairy cows were divided into 2 homogeneous groups (n = 7): a control group (CON), and an experimental group (TAN) receiving 150 g/head per day of tannins supplementation. The experiment was performed twice, in spring and in summer. The animals were free to graze on spontaneous pasture (spring) or on dry stubble (summer). Blood was sampled at the beginning (d 0), at the midpoint (d 11), and at the end (d 22) of the trial. Individual cheese was produced before the beginning (d -1) and at the end (d 22) of the trial from the milk collected from each cow. On blood plasma, the reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM), biological antioxidant potential (BAP), nonesterified fatty acids quantification, and cytokines profile in terms of IL-10, IL-8, IL-1β, and IFN-γ were determined. Data on ROM demonstrated that tannins supplementation lowered oxidative stress both in spring and in summer. Accordingly, TAN diet increased BAP levels compared with the CON during summer trial. Thus, feeding tannins resulted in lower ratio between ROM and BAP (oxidative stress index) in both spring and summer. Cytokines' profile showed lower IL-1β values in TAN group at d 22 during spring season, with a concomitant higher IL-10 level, during summer season. Moreover, TAN group had a lower level of IFN-γ in plasma than CON group, both in spring and in summer. On cheese samples, the in vitro digestion was performed and on cheese and cheese digestates (gastric and intestinal digestate) the free radical scavenging antioxidant activity was evaluated. The intestinal digestate fraction registered the highest antioxidant activity compared with cheese and gastric digestate, in both spring and summer seasons. Furthermore, an improvement of the antioxidant property of cheese and cheese digestates was found. Present data demonstrated that tannins supplementation contributed to reduce the oxidative stress of lactating dairy cows and showed an increase of anti-inflammatory cytokines ratio.

The microbiota catabolites of quercetin glycosides concertedly enhance the resistance against acetaldehyde-induced oxidative stress

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (OPAC) are the predominant catabolites of quercetin glycosides, such as quercetin 4'-O-β-glucoside from the onion, produced by intestinal microbiota. Although each catabolite has been reported to protect the cells from acetaldehyde-induced cytotoxicity, the effect of their combination remains to be clarified. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the combination of DOPAC and OPAC enhances the resistance against the acetaldehyde-induced oxidative stress in the cultured hepatocytes. The pretreatment of the combination of DOPAC (5 μM) and OPAC (5 μM) showed significant protection against the acetaldehyde- and hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity, even though each compound at the same concentration did not. This combination also significantly inhibited the intracellular dichlorofluorescin diacetate-detectable reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, whereas the solo treatment did slightly, suggesting that reducing mechanisms of ROS or compounds that enhance ROS production are involved in the cytoprotective effect. The combinatory treatment significantly enhanced the gene expression of not only the aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs), but also glutamate-cysteine ligase, catalytic subunit, the first rate-limiting enzyme of glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Accordingly, both the intracellular GSH level and the total ALDH activity were enhanced by DOPAC plus OPAC. Involvement of GSH in the cytoprotection as well as ALDH up-regulation by the combination was confirmed by the experiments using a GSH biosynthesis inhibitor, buthionine sulfoximine. Taken together, the present results suggested that the quercetin microbiota catabolites concertedly protect the cells from acetaldehyde through a pre-enhanced resistance against oxidative stress by the GSH-dependent up-regulation of ALDHs.

Green Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO Nanoparticles Using Pelargonium odoratissimum (L.) Aqueous Leaf Extract and Their Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Anti-inflammatory Activities

Nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit distinct features compared to traditional physico-chemical synthesis and they have many applications in a wide range of fields of life sciences such as surface coating agents, catalysts, food packaging, corrosion protection, environmental remediation, electronics, biomedical and antimicrobial. Green-synthesized metal NPs, mainly from plant sources, have gained a lot of attention due to their intrinsic characteristics like eco-friendliness, rapidity and cost-effectiveness. In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs have been synthesized employing an aqueous leaf extract of Pelargonium odoratissimum (L.) as a reducing agent; subsequently, the biosynthesized ZnO NPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). Moreover, aqueous plant leaf extract was subjected to both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Antioxidant activity of ZnO NPs was assessed by DPPH assay, with varying concentrations of ZnO NPs, which revealed scavenging activity with IC₅₀ = 28.11 μg mL⁻¹. Furthermore, the anti-bacterial efficacy of the green synthesized ZnO NPs against four foodborne pathogenic bacterial strains was examined using the disk diffusion assay, and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 8095), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC10662) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) were found to be the most sensitive against biosynthesized ZnO NPs, whereas the least sensitivity was shown by Bacillus cereus (ATCC 13753). The anti-inflammatory effect was also evaluated for both ZnO NPs and the aqueous leaf extract of P. odoratissimum through the human red blood cells (HRBC) membrane stabilization method (MSM) in vitro models which includes hypotonicity-induced hemolysis. A maximum membrane stabilization of ZnO NPs was found to be 95.6% at a dose of 1000 μg mL⁻¹ compared with the standard indomethacin. The results demonstrated that leaf extract of P. odoratissimum is suitable for synthesizing ZnO NPs, with antioxidant, antibacterial as well as superior anti-inflammatory activity by improving the membrane stability of lysosome cells, which have physiological properties similar to erythrocyte membrane cells and have no hemolytic activity. Overall, this study provides biosynthesized ZnO NPs that can be used as a safe alternative to synthetic substances as well as a potential candidate for antioxidants, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory uses in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries.

Eucalyptus globulus and Salvia officinalis Extracts Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Application as an Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Agent

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized using plant extracts as reducing and capping agents show multiple possibilities for solving various biological problems. The aim of this study was to expand the boundaries of AgNPs using a novel low toxicity and production cost phytochemical method for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles from Eucalyptus globulus and Salvia officinalis aqueous leaf extracts. Biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized by various methods (ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy with horizontal attenuated total reflectance (HART), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS)). The determined antioxidative and antimicrobial activity of plant extracts was compared with the activity of the AgNPs. The UV-vis spectral analysis demonstrated the absorption peaks at 408 and 438 nm, which confirmed the synthesis of stable AgNPs from E. globulus and S. officinalis, respectively. FTIR-HART results suggested strong capping of phytochemicals on AgNPs. TEM results show mainly spherical-shaped AgNPs, whose size distribution depends on the plant leaf extract type; the smaller AgNPs were obtained with E. globulus extract (with size range of 17.5 ± 5.89 nm compared to 34.3 ± 7.76 nm from S. officinalis AgNPs). The in vitro antioxidant activity evaluated by radical scavenging assays and the reduction activity method clearly demonstrated that both the plant extracts and AgNPs showed prominent antioxidant properties. In addition, AgNPs show much stronger antimicrobial activity against broad spectrum of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria strains than the plant extracts used for their synthesis.

Oxidative stress in obesity and insulin resistance

Since obesity is one of the main factors in the development of insulin resistance (IR) and is also associated with increased oxidative stress (OxS) rate, this study aims to review the published literature to collate and provide a comprehensive summary of the studies related to the status of the OxS in the pathogenesis of obesity and related IR. OxS represents an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and the capacity of the antioxidant defense system (AOS) to neutralize RONS. A steady-state of RONS level is maintained through endogenous enzymatic and non-enzymatic AOS components. Three crucial enzymes, which suppress the formation of free radicals, are superoxide dismutases, catalases, and glutathione peroxidases. The second line of AOS includes non-enzymatic components such as vitamins C and E, coenzyme Q, and glutathione which neutralizes free radicals by donating electrons to RONS. Emerging evidence suggests that high RONS levels contribute to the progression of OxS in obesity by activating inflammatory pathways and thus leading to the development of pathological states, including IR. In addition, decreased level of AOS components in obesity increases the susceptibility to oxidative tissue damage and further progression of its comorbidities. Increased OxS in accumulated adipose tissue should be an imperative target for developing new therapies in obesity-related IR.

Viruses Infecting Trees and Herbs That Produce Edible Fleshy Fruits with a Prominent Value in the Global Market: An Evolutionary Perspective

Trees and herbs that produce fruits represent the most valuable agricultural food commodities in the world. However, the yield of these crops is not fully achieved due to biotic factors such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Viruses are capable of causing alterations in plant growth and development, thereby impacting the yield of their hosts significantly. In this work, we first compiled the world's most comprehensive list of known edible fruits that fits our definition. Then, plant viruses infecting those trees and herbs that produce fruits with commercial importance in the global market were identified. The identified plant viruses belong to 30 families, most of them containing single-stranded RNA genomes. Importantly, we show the overall picture of the host range for some virus families following an evolutionary approach. Further, the current knowledge about plant-virus interactions, focusing on the main disorders they cause, as well as yield losses, is summarized. Additionally, since accurate diagnosis methods are of pivotal importance for viral diseases control, the current and emerging technologies for the detection of these plant pathogens are described. Finally, the most promising strategies employed to control viral diseases in the field are presented, focusing on solutions that are long-lasting.

XENOHORMESIS UNDERLYES THE ANTI-AGING AND HEALTHY PROPERTIES OF OLIVE POLYPHENOLS

The paper provides a comprehensive and foundational mechanistic framework of hormesis that establishes its centrality in medicine and public health. This hormetic framework is applied to the assessment of olive polyphenols with respect to their capacity to slow the onset and reduce the magnitude of a wide range of age-related disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. It is proposed that olive polyphenol-induced anti-inflammatory protective effects are mediated in large part via the activation of AMPK and the upregulation of Nrf2 pathway. Consistently, herein we also review the importance of the modulation of Nrf2-related stress responsive vitagenes by olive polyphenols, which at low concentration according to the hormesis theory activates this neuroprotective cascade to preserve brain health and its potential use in the prevention and therapy against aging and age-related cognitive disorders in humans.

Neuroinflammation as a Therapeutic Target in Retinitis Pigmentosa and Quercetin as Its Potential Modulator

The retina is a multilayer neuronal tissue located in the back of the eye that transduces the environmental light into a neural impulse. Many eye diseases caused by endogenous or exogenous harm lead to retina degeneration with neuroinflammation being a major hallmark of these pathologies. One of the most prevalent retinopathies is retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a clinically and genetically heterogeneous hereditary disorder that causes a decline in vision and eventually blindness. Most RP cases are related to mutations in the rod visual receptor, rhodopsin. The mutant protein triggers inflammatory reactions resulting in the activation of microglia to clear degenerating photoreceptor cells. However, sustained insult caused by the abnormal genetic background exacerbates the inflammatory response and increases oxidative stress in the retina, leading to a decline in rod photoreceptors followed by cone photoreceptors. Thus, inhibition of inflammation in RP has received attention and has been explored as a potential therapeutic strategy. However, pharmacological modulation of the retinal inflammatory response in combination with rhodopsin small molecule chaperones would likely be a more advantageous therapeutic approach to combat RP. Flavonoids, which exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and modulate the stability and folding of rod opsin, could be a valid option in developing treatment strategies against RP.

Condensed Tannins as Antioxidants in Ruminants-Effectiveness and Action Mechanisms to Improve Animal Antioxidant Status and Oxidative Stability of Products

Condensed tannins (CTs) are widely distributed in plants, and due to their recognized antioxidant activity are considered as possible natural antioxidants for application in ruminant diets. A wide range of CT-rich sources has been tested in ruminant diets, and their effects on animal antioxidant status and oxidative stability of their products are reviewed in the present work. Possible mechanisms underlying the CT antioxidant effects in ruminants are also discussed, and the CT chemical structure is briefly presented. Utilization of CT-rich sources in ruminant feeding can improve the animals' antioxidant status and oxidative stability of their products. However, the results are still inconsistent. Although poorly understood, the evidence suggests that CTs can induce an antioxidant effect in living animals and in their products through direct and indirect mechanisms, which can occur by an integrated and synergic way involving: (i) absorption of CTs with low molecular weight or metabolites, despite CTs' poor bioavailability; (ii) antioxidant action on the gastrointestinal tract; and (iii) interaction with other antioxidant agents. Condensed tannins are alternative dietary antioxidants for ruminants, but further studies should be carried out to elucidate the mechanism underlying the antioxidant activity of each CT source to design effective antioxidant strategies based on the use of CTs in ruminant diets.

Effects of the consumption of guarana on human health: A narrative review

Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a plant from the Amazon region with cultural importance. Despite its early ancestral use by indigenous tribes, the first reports regarding the benefits of guarana consumption for human health were published in the 19th century. Since then, the use of guarana seed in powder and extract forms has been studied for its diverse effects on human health, such as stimulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, hypocholesterolemic, and anti-obesity effects. These effects are attributed to the high content of bioactive compounds found in guarana seeds, especially methylxanthines and flavonoids. In fact, the Brazilian Food Supplement Law has officially acknowledged guarana as a source of bioactive compounds. The number and diversity of studies focused on guarana and human health are increasing; thus, organizing and describing the available evidence on guarana and its applications is necessary to provide a framework for future studies. In this narrative review, we have organized the available information regarding guarana and its potential effects on human health. Guarana produces unique fruits with great potential for human health applications. However, the available evidence lacks human studies and mechanistic investigations. Future studies should be designed considering its applicability to human health, including intake levels and toxicity studies.

Fecal metabolomic profiles: A comparative study of patients with colorectal cancer vs adenomatous polyps

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC), the third most common cause of death in both males and females worldwide, shows a positive response to therapy and usually a better prognosis when detected at an early stage. However, the survival rate declines when the diagnosis is late and the tumor spreads to other organs. Currently, the measures widely used in the clinic are fecal occult blood test and evaluation of serum tumor markers, but the lack of sensitivity and specificity of these markers restricts their use for CRC diagnosis. Due to its high sensitivity and precision, colonoscopy is currently the gold-standard screening technique for CRC, but it is a costly and invasive procedure. Therefore, the implementation of custom-made methodologies including those with minimal invasiveness, protection, and reproducibility is highly desirable. With regard to other screening methods, the screening of fecal samples has several benefits, and metabolomics is a successful method to classify the metabolite shift in living systems as a reaction to pathophysiological influences, genetic modifications, and environmental factors.

AIM

To characterize the variation groups and potentially recognize some diagnostic markers, we compared with healthy controls (HCs) the fecal nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomic profiles of patients with CRC or adenomatous polyposis (AP).

METHODS

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used in combination with multivariate and univariate statistical approaches, to define the fecal metabolic profiles of 32 CRC patients, 16 AP patients, and 38 HCs well matched in age, sex, and body mass index.

RESULTS

NMR metabolomic analyses revealed that fecal sample profiles differed among CRC patients, AP patients, and HCs, and some discriminatory metabolites including acetate, butyrate, propionate, 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, valine, tyrosine and leucine were identified.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we are confident that our data can be a forerunner for future studies on CRC management, especially the diagnosis and evaluation of the effectiveness of treatments.

Effect of feeding pigs with bergamot by-product on fatty acid composition and oxidative stability of meat and salami

This work investigated the effects of feeding ensiled bergamot pulp to pigs on meat and salami quality. Eighteen pigs were assigned to two experimental treatments and fed a cereal-based concentrate diet (control) or the same diet in which ensiled bergamot pulp replaced 15% dry matter of the diet fed (BP). The BP treatment increased α-linolenic acid (+250%; P < 0.05), docosapentaenoic acid (+62%; P < 0.05), docosahexaenoic acid (+43%; P < 0.05) and consequently n-3 PUFA (+15%; P < 0.01) in meat. In salami, the content of α-linolenic acid, total PUFA and n-3 PUFA increased (+320%, +25% and + 258%, respectively) by feeding the BP diet (P < 0.001). The inclusion of bergamot pulp in the diet did not alter the oxidative stability in raw and cooked meat and colour descriptors. In salami, TBARS values were lower after 5 days of storage (P < 0.001) in BP group (1.54 vs 2.96). Finally, dietary supplementation with ensiled bergamot pulp to pigs improved the nutritional value of meat and meat products.

Theoretical Study of Radical Inactivation, LOX Inhibition, and Iron Chelation: The Role of Ferulic Acid in Skin Protection against UVA Induced Oxidative Stress

Ferulic acid (FA) is used in skin formulations for protection against the damaging actions of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by UVA radiation. Possible underlying protective mechanisms are not fully elucidated. By considering the kinetics of proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) and radical-radical coupling (RRC) mechanisms, it appears that direct scavenging could be operative, providing that a high local concentration of FA is present at the place of ^•OH generation. The resulting FA phenoxyl radical, after the scavenging of a second ^•OH and keto-enol tautomerization of the intermediate, produces 5-hydroxyferulic acid (5OHFA). Inhibition of the lipoxygenase (LOX) enzyme, one of the enzymes that catalyse free radical production, by FA and 5OHFA were analysed. Results of molecular docking calculations indicate favourable binding interactions of FA and 5OHFA with the LOX active site. The exergonicity of chelation reactions of the catalytic Fe²⁺ ion with FA and 5OHFA indicate the potency of these chelators to prevent the formation of ^•OH radicals via Fenton-like reactions. The inhibition of the prooxidant LOX enzyme could be more relevant mechanism of skin protection against UVA induced oxidative stress than iron chelation and assumed direct scavenging of ROS.

Fast Antioxidant Reaction of Polyphenols and Their Metabolites

The negative correlation between diets rich in fruits and vegetables and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, atherosclerosis, cognitive impairment and other deleterious conditions is well established, with flavonoids and other polyphenols held to be partly responsible for the beneficial effects. Initially, these effects were explained by their antioxidant ability, but the low concentrations of polyphenols in tissues and relatively slow reaction with free radicals suggested that, instead, they act by regulating cell signalling pathways. Here we summarise results demonstrating that the abandonment of an antioxidant role for food polyphenols is based on incomplete knowledge of the mechanism of the polyphenol-free radical reaction. New kinetic measurements show that the reaction is up to 1000 times faster than previously reported and lowers the damaging potential of the radicals. The results also show that the antioxidant action does not require phenolic groups, but only a carbon-centred free radical and an aromatic molecule. Thus, not only food polyphenols but also many of their metabolites are effective antioxidants, significantly increasing the antioxidant protection of cells and tissues. By restoring an important antioxidant role for food polyphenols, the new findings provide experimental support for the advocacy of diets rich in plant-derived food.

Improvement in quality and storage ability of rabbit semen by using black or thyme seed as dietary supplementation

The quality of incubated or chilled rabbit semen is quickly lowered with time due to high-rate production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Black seed (BS) and thyme (THY) are rich sources of natural antioxidants, which may be able to control ROS production and improve semen quality for use in artificial insemination. In this study, V-line rabbit bucks, seven months old, were fed diets supplemented with 50 or 100 g of BS or THY for 60 days. Semen was collected twice weekly. The quality of fresh sperm was measured, and diluted sperm was incubated for up to 12 h. Chilled, diluted sperm, stored at 4℃ for up to 3 days, was evaluated. The results indicated that BS and THY increased rabbit libido, decreased abnormal sperm and non-viable sperm percentages and significantly lowered total bacteria counts of diluted sperm. In conclusion, bucks fed a diet supplemented with BS or THY had enhanced semen quality and storage life, because of the antioxidant properties of BS and THY. The best incubation results were obtained with the THY100 treatment, whereas the best-chilled results were obtained with the BS100 group.

Metabolic and Epigenetics Action Mechanisms of Antiobesity Medicinal Plants and Phytochemicals

Ever-growing research efforts are demonstrating the potential of medicinal plants and their phytochemicals to prevent and manage obesity, either individually or synergistically. Multiple combinations of phytochemicals can result in a synergistic activity that increases their beneficial effects at molecular, cellular, metabolic, and temporal levels, offering advantages over chemically synthesized drug-based treatments. Herbs and their derived compounds have the potential for controlling appetite, inhibiting pancreatic lipase activity, stimulating thermogenesis and lipid metabolism, increasing satiety, promoting lipolysis, regulating adipogenesis, and inducing apoptosis in adipocytes. Furthermore, targeting adipocyte life cycle using various dietary bioactives that affect different stages of adipocyte life cycle represents also an important target in the development of new antiobesity drugs. In this regard, different stages of adipocyte development that are targeted by antiobesity drugs can include preadipocytes, maturing preadipocytes, and mature adipocytes. Various herbal-derived active compounds, such as capsaicin, genistein, apigenin, luteolin, kaempferol, myricetin, quercetin, docosahexaenoic acid, quercetin, resveratrol, and ajoene, affect adipocytes during specific stages of development, resulting in either inhibition of adipogenesis or induction of apoptosis. Although numerous molecular targets that can be used for both treatment and prevention of obesity have been identified, targeted single cellular receptor or pathway has resulted in limited success. In this review, we discuss the state-of-the-art knowledge about antiobesity medicinal plants and their active compounds and their effects on several cellular, molecular, and metabolic pathways simultaneously with multiple phytochemicals through synergistic functioning which might be an appropriate approach to better management of obesity. In addition, epigenetic mechanisms (acetylation, methylation, miRNAs, ubiquitylation, phosphorylation, and chromatin packaging) of phytochemicals and their preventive and therapeutic perspective are explored in this review.

Mechanistic Insight into Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Potential of Jasminum Species: A Herbal Approach for Disease Management

Drug resistance among microbial pathogens and oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species are two of the most challenging global issues. Firstly, drug-resistant pathogens cause several fatalities every year. Secondly aging and a variety of diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, are associated with free radical generated oxidative stress. The treatments currently available are limited, ineffective, or less efficient, so there is an immediate need to tackle these issues by looking for new therapies to resolve resistance and neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals. In the 21st century, the best way to save humans from them could be by using plants as well as their bioactive constituents. In this specific context, Jasminum is a major plant genus that is used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine to treat a variety of ailments. The information in this review was gathered from a variety of sources, including books, websites, and databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar. In this review, a total of 14 species of Jasminum have been found to be efficient and effective against a wide variety of microbial pathogens. In addition, 14 species were found to be active free radical scavengers. The review is also focused on the disorders related to oxidative stress, and it was concluded that Jasminum grandiflorum and J. sambac normalized various parameters that were elevated by free radical generation. Alkaloids, flavonoids (rutoside), terpenes, phenols, and iridoid glucosides are among the main phytoconstituents found in various Jasminum species. Furthermore, this review also provides insight into the mechanistic basis of drug resistance, the generation of free radicals, and the role of Jasminum plants in combating resistance and neutralizing free radicals.

Phytochemical Characterization and Screening of Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Properties of Allium × cornutum Clementi and Two Varieties of Allium cepa L. Peel Extracts

Onions are one of the most widely grown vegetable crops. As production increases, so does the generation of waste from various parts of the onion, raising the need for efficient ecological disposal and use of such waste products. However, onion waste products are a rich source of antioxidants with a range of biological properties, therefore, they could potentially be used in food and pharmaceutical industries. In the present study, we identified the main flavonols and anthocyanins in peel extracts of Allium × cornutum Clement ex Visiani, 1842, and two varieties of Allium cepa L. and tested their antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiproliferative properties. Quercetin 3,4′-diglucolside, quercetin 4′-monoglucoside and quercetin are the most abundant flavonols in all onion extracts detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The composition of anthocyanins varied in all extracts. 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays showed that the triploid onion A. × cornutum had the highest antioxidant power. Evaluation of antimicrobial activity by broth microdilution assay also showed that A. × cornutum had higher antimicrobial activity compared to the red and yellow onion varieties. Comparable antiproliferative activity was confirmed for all onion extracts tested on three cancer cell lines: Hela (cervical cancer cell line), HCT116 (human colon cancer cell line) and U2OS (human osteosarcoma cell line). The most abundant onion flavonols (quercetin 3,4′-diglucoside and quercetin 4′-monoglucoside) showed weaker antimicrobial as well as antiproliferative properties compared to the extracts, leading to the conclusion that other phytochemicals besides flavonols contribute to the biological activity of onion peel extracts. The results demonstrate the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of onion peels, which have promising potential as cancer cell proliferation inhibitors.

The effect of Salaciareticulata, Syzygiumcumini, Artocarpusheterophyllus, and Cassiaauriculata on controlling the rapid formation of advanced glycation end-products

BACKGROUND

The excessive formation of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs) by non-enzymatic glycation mediates many health complications in the human body and the formation of AGEs largely accelerated under the hyperglycaemic condition.

OBJECTIVE

The prospect of the study to assess the strength of inhibiting the rapid AGE formations in four Ayurvedic medicinal plants, namely; Salacia reticulata (stems), Syzygium cumini (barks), Artocarpus heterophyllus (mature leaves) and, Cassia auriculata (flowers).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Herbal decoctions of four medicinal plant materials were prepared by simmering with hot water as prescribed by the Ayurvedic medicine. The effectiveness of the decoctions was analyzed in vitro based on their Anti-AGE formation activity, glycation reversing, and anti-oxidant potentials.

RESULTS

According to the results, the decoctions of S. reticulata, A. heterophyllus and C. auriculata indicated the strong Anti-AGE forming (IC₅₀: 23.01 ± 2.70, 32.01 ± 2.09, 43.66 ± 2.11 mg/mL, respectively), glycation reversing (EC₅₀: 183.15 ± 7.67, 91.85 ± 1.93, 252.35 ± 4.03 mg/mL, respectively) and antioxidant potentials in terms of total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ferric ion reducing power (FRAP), ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities. However, the decoction of S. cumini reported the significantly high (p < 0.05) Anti-AGE forming, (IC₅₀: 9.75 ± 0.32 mg/mL), glycation reversing (EC₅₀: 66.45 ± 4.51 mg/mL), and antioxidant potentials against the decoctions of the other three plant materials.

CONCLUSION

S. cumini bark extract was identified as the best source in controlling the formation of AGEs excessively. Further, the other three plant extracts can also be effectively used as potential therapeutic agents to control the pathological conditions associated with AGEs-mediated health complications.

Phytobiotics to improve health and production of broiler chickens: functions beyond the antioxidant activity

Phytobiotics, also known as phytochemicals or phytogenics, have a wide variety of biological activities and have recently emerged as alternatives to synthetic antibiotic growth promoters. Numerous studies have reported the growth-promoting effects of phytobiotics in chickens, but their precise mechanism of action is yet to be elucidated. Phytobiotics are traditionally known for their antioxidant activity. However, extensive investigations have shown that these compounds also have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and transcription-modulating effects. Phytobiotics are non-nutritive constituents, and their bioavailability is low. Nonetheless, their beneficial effects have been observed in several tissues or organs. The health benefits of the ingestion of phytobiotics are attributed to their antioxidant activity. However, several studies have revealed that not all these benefits could be explained by the antioxidant effects alone. In this review, I focused on the bioavailability of phytobiotics and the possible mechanisms underlying their overall effects on intestinal barrier functions, inflammatory status, gut microbiota, systemic inflammation, and metabolism, rather than the specific effects of each compound. I also discuss the possible mechanisms by which phytobiotics contribute to growth promotion in chickens.

Molecules and Mechanisms to Overcome Oxidative Stress Inducing Cardiovascular Disease in Cancer Patients

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are molecules involved in signal transduction pathways with both beneficial and detrimental effects on human cells. ROS are generated by many cellular processes including mitochondrial respiration, metabolism and enzymatic activities. In physiological conditions, ROS levels are well-balanced by antioxidative detoxification systems. In contrast, in pathological conditions such as cardiovascular, neurological and cancer diseases, ROS production exceeds the antioxidative detoxification capacity of cells, leading to cellular damages and death. In this review, we will first describe the biology and mechanisms of ROS mediated oxidative stress in cardiovascular disease. Second, we will review the role of oxidative stress mediated by oncological treatments in inducing cardiovascular disease. Lastly, we will discuss the strategies that potentially counteract the oxidative stress in order to fight the onset and progression of cardiovascular disease, including that induced by oncological treatments.

Effects of electrotactic exercise and antioxidant EUK-134 on oxidative stress relief in Caenorhabditis elegans

Antioxidant uptake and regular exercise are two well-acknowledged measures used for rejuvenation and oxidative stress elimination. Previous studies have revealed that moderate exercise mildly increases intracellular signaling oxidant levels and strengthens the ability of an organism to deal with escalating oxidative stress by upregulating antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase. Antioxidant supplementation directly scavenges intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) to reduce oxidative stress. However, research to understand the impacts of these enzymes on mitigating oxidative stress from the perspective of simple animals is limited. Herein, we show that exercise combined with antioxidant supplementation ameliorates the physiological phenotypes and markers of aging in wild-type and SOD/CAT-deficient Caenorhabditis elegans. We discovered that treated wild-type and gene-deficient worms show better survivorship, reproduction, and motility compared with their control counterparts. Assays of biochemical indices revealed that variations in sod-3 expression under different stress levels imply an inducible enzyme response resulting from exercise training and antioxidant supplementation. In addition, induced ROS resistance obtained from any type of treatment could persist for several days even after treatment cessation, thus suggesting a potential long-term antioxidative stress effect. Our findings confirm that exercise, antioxidant supplementation, and their combination could significantly improve the ability of C. elegans to withstand adverse stress. Our observations provide promising insights into future therapies of anti-oxidative stress in higher animals.

Bioprocessed Wheat Ingredients: Characterization, Bioaccessibility of Phenolic Compounds, and Bioactivity During in vitro Digestion

To enlarge the applications of whole wheat grain (WWG) and wheat bran (WB) as functional ingredients in foodstuffs that can promote human health, researchers have explored bioprocessing approaches to improve the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds from these food matrices and, subsequently, their biological effects. The objective of this study was to compare the composition in nutrients, anti-nutrients, and bioactive compounds of WWG and WB, and their respective bioprocessed products: sprouted wheat (GERM) and WB hydrolysate (stabilized by spray-drying [SPD] and microencapsulated [MEC]). In addition, to evaluate the functional properties of these ingredients, the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and their potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were monitored in different digestion steps. GERM had increased amounts of insoluble dietary fiber, higher diversity of oligosaccharides, and higher concentration of monosaccharides, free phosphorous, and phenolic compounds than WWG. SPD had improved content of soluble dietary fiber, oligosaccharides, monosaccharides, free phosphorous, and phenolic compounds (vs. WB), whereas MEC was mainly composed of protein and had nearly 2-fold lower content of SPD components. All the ingredients showed lower amounts of phytic acid as compared with raw materials. In all samples, hydroxycinnamic acids were the most representative polyphenols followed by minor amounts of hydroxybenzoic acids and flavonoids. Gastrointestinal digestion of GERM, SPD, and MEC revealed high stability of total phenolic compounds in both gastric and intestinal phases. Hydroxycinnamic acids were the most bioaccessible compounds during digestion among the three bioprocessed wheat ingredients studied, although their bioaccessibility varied across ingredients. In this sense, the bioaccessibility of ferulic acid (FA) derivatives increased in GERM with progression of the digestion, while it was reduced in SPD and MEC up to the end of the intestinal phase. Microencapsulation of SPD with pea protein led to generally to lower bioaccessible amounts of phenolic acids. Comparison analysis of biological effects highlighted SPD for its most potent antioxidant effects in the gastrointestinal tract (3 out 4 antioxidant parameters with highest values), while no clear differences were observed with regard to in vitro anti-inflammatory activity. Overall, these results support the potential application of GERM, SPD, and MEC as functional and nutraceutical ingredients.

Protection of Polyphenols against Glyco-Oxidative Stress: Involvement of Glyoxalase Pathway

Chronic high glucose (HG) exposure increases methylglyoxal (MGO)-derived advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and is involved in the onset of pathological conditions, such as diabetes, atherosclerosis and chronic-degenerative diseases. Under physiologic conditions the harmful effects of MGO are contrasted by glyoxalase system that is implicated in the detoxification of Reactive Carbonyl Species (RCS) and maintain the homeostasis of the redox environment of the cell. Polyphenols are the most abundant antioxidants in the diet and present various health benefits. Aims of the study were to investigate the effects of HG-chronic exposure on glyco-oxidation and glyoxalase system in intestinal cells, using CaCo-2 cells. Moreover, we studied the effect of apple polyphenols on glyco-oxidative stress. Our data demonstrated that HG-treatment triggers glyco-oxidation stress with a significant increase in intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, AGEs, and increase of Glyoxalase I (GlxI) activity. On the contrary, Glyoxalase II (GlxII) activity was lower in HG-treated cells. We demonstrate that apple polyphenols exert a protective effect against oxidative stress and dicarbonyl stress. The increase of total antioxidant capacity and glutathione (GSH) levels in HG-treated cells in the presence of apple polyphenols was associated with a decrease of GlxI activity.

Gut/Oral Bacteria Variability May Explain the High Efficacy of Green Tea in Rodent Tumor Inhibition and Its Absence in Humans

Consumption of green tea (GT) and GT polyphenols has prevented a range of cancers in rodents but has had mixed results in humans. Human subjects who drank GT for weeks showed changes in oral microbiome. However, GT-induced changes in RNA in oral epithelium were subject-specific, suggesting GT-induced changes of the oral epithelium occurred but differed across individuals. In contrast, studies in rodents consuming GT polyphenols revealed obvious changes in epithelial gene expression. GT polyphenols are poorly absorbed by digestive tract epithelium. Their metabolism by gut/oral microbial enzymes occurs and can alter absorption and function of these molecules and thus their bioactivity. This might explain the overall lack of consistency in oral epithelium RNA expression changes seen in human subjects who consumed GT. Each human has different gut/oral microbiomes, so they may have different levels of polyphenol-metabolizing bacteria. We speculate the similar gut/oral microbiomes in, for example, mice housed together are responsible for the minimal variance observed in tissue GT responses within a study. The consistency of the tissue response to GT within a rodent study eases the selection of a dose level that affects tumor rates. This leads to the theory that determination of optimal GT doses in a human requires knowledge about the gut/oral microbiome in that human.

Effect of resveratrol and quercetin on the susceptibility of Escherichia coli to antibiotics

Activities of plant polyphenols (PPs), resveratrol and quercetin, alone or in combination with four conventional antibiotics against Escherichia coli have been investigated. In medium without antibiotics, both polyphenols caused a dose-dependent growth inhibition. However, pretreatment with resveratrol (40 and 100 μg ml^-1) and quercetin (40 μg ml^-1) reduced the bacteriostatic effect of kanamycin, streptomycin, cefotaxime and partially of ciprofloxacin. With few exceptions, both PPs also reduced the bactericidal effect of tested antibiotics. Paradoxically, low doses of PPs enhanced the bactericidal effect of kanamycin and partially ciprofloxacin. Compared to quercetin, resveratrol showed a weaker effect on the induction of antioxidant genes and the resistance of E. coli to the oxidative stress generated by hydrogen peroxide treatment. Both polyphenols at high doses reduced membrane potential. Altogether, these findings suggest that the decrease in the bactericidal effect of antibiotics by high doses of polyphenols is mostly due to bacteriostatic action of the latter. In the case of quercetin, the contribution of its antioxidant activity for antibiotic protection may be significant. There is a growing interest in the use of plant-derived compounds to enhance the toxicity of traditional antibiotics. This and other studies show that, under certain conditions, the use of polyphenols as adjuvants may not exert the expected therapeutic effect, but rather to decrease antimicrobial activity of antibiotics.

Natural Flavones and Flavonols: Relationships among Antioxidant Activity, Glycation, and Metalloproteinase Inhibition

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species as well as advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a key role in the development and progression of degenerative processes of body tissues, including skin. Natural antioxidant flavonoids could be beneficial in inhibiting AGEs’ formation and MMPs’ expression. In this study, the antioxidant activity of flavones (luteolin, apigenin, and chrysin) and flavonols (mirycetin, quercetin, and kaempferol) was compared with their inhibitory effects on both metalloproteinases’ (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-13) and AGEs’ formation. Comparisons were performed taking into account the hydroxyl group arrangement and the physico-chemical parameters the binding dissociation enthalpy (BDE), ionization potential (IP), partition coefficient (log P), and topological polar surface area (TPSA). Increasing the number of hydroxyl groups led to a proportional enhancement of antioxidant activity while an inverse relationship was observed plotting the antioxidant activity vs. BDE and IP values. All flavonoids acted as AGEs, MMP-1, and MMP-13 inhibitors, but they were less effective against MMP-2 and MMP-9. The inhibition of MMP-1 seemed to be related to the TPSA values while high TPSA and low log P values seemed important conditions for inhibiting MMP-13. Overall, our data suggest that an estimation of flavonoid activity could be anticipated based on their physico-chemical parameters.

Anthocyanins: From the Field to the Antioxidants in the Body

Anthocyanins are biologically active water-soluble plant pigments that are responsible for blue, purple, and red colors in various plant parts-especially in fruits and blooms. Anthocyanins have attracted attention as natural food colorants to be used in yogurts, juices, marmalades, and bakery products. Numerous studies have also indicated the beneficial health effects of anthocyanins and their metabolites on human or animal organisms, including free-radical scavenging and antioxidant activity. Thus, our aim was to review the current knowledge about anthocyanin occurrence in plants, their stability during processing, and also the bioavailability and protective effects related to the antioxidant activity of anthocyanins in human and animal brains, hearts, livers, and kidneys.

SIRT1 Activation by Natural Phytochemicals: An Overview

Sirtuins are class III histone deacetylases, whose enzymatic activity is dependent on NAD⁺ as a cofactor. Sirtuins are reported to modulate numerous activities by controlling gene expression, DNA repair, metabolism, oxidative stress response, mitochondrial function, and biogenesis. Deregulation of their expression and/or action may lead to tissue-specific degenerative events involved in the development of several human pathologies, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular disease. The most studied member of this class of enzymes is sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), whose expression is associated with increasing insulin sensitivity. SIRT1 has been implicated in both tumorigenic and anticancer processes, and is reported to regulate essential metabolic pathways, suggesting that its activation might be beneficial against disorders of the metabolism. Via regulation of p53 deacetylation and modulation of autophagy, SIRT1 is implicated in cellular response to caloric restriction and lifespan extension. In recent years, scientific interest focusing on the identification of SIRT1 modulators has led to the discovery of novel small molecules targeting SIRT1 activity. This review will examine compounds of natural origin recently found to upregulate SIRT1 activity, such as polyphenolic products in fruits, vegetables, and plants including resveratrol, fisetin, quercetin, and curcumin. We will also discuss the potential therapeutic effects of these natural compounds in the prevention and treatment of human disorders, with particular emphasis on their metabolic impact.

Effect of Quercetin on Dexamethasone-Induced C2C12 Skeletal Muscle Cell Injury

Glucocorticoids are widely used anti-inflammatory drugs in clinical settings. However, they can induce skeletal muscle atrophy by reducing fiber cross-sectional area and myofibrillar protein content. Studies have proven that antioxidants can improve glucocorticoid-induced skeletal muscle atrophy. Quercetin is a potent antioxidant flavonoid widely distributed in fruits and vegetables and has shown protective effects against dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle atrophy. In this study, we demonstrated that dexamethasone significantly inhibited cell growth and induced cell apoptosis by stimulating hydroxyl free radical production in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Our results evidenced that quercetin increased C2C12 skeletal cell viability and exerted antiapoptotic effects on dexamethasone-treated C2C12 cells by regulating mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and reducing oxidative species. Quercetin can protect against dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy by regulating the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio at the protein level and abnormal ΔΨm, which leads to the suppression of apoptosis.

Bacterial Autoimmune Drug Metabolism Transforms an Immunomodulator into Structurally and Functionally Divergent Antibiotics

Tapinarof is a stilbene drug that is used to treat psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, and is thought to function through regulation of the AhR and Nrf2 signaling pathways, which have also been linked to inflammatory bowel diseases. It is produced by the gammaproteobacterial Photorhabdus genus, which thus represents a model to probe tapinarof structural and functional transformations. We show that Photorhabdus transforms tapinarof into novel drug metabolism products that kill inflammatory bacteria, and that a cupin enzyme contributes to the conversion of tapinarof and related dietary stilbenes into novel dimers. One dimer has activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE), and another undergoes spontaneous cyclizations to a cyclopropane-bridge-containing hexacyclic framework that exhibits activity against Mycobacterium. These dimers lack efficacy in a colitis mouse model, whereas the monomer reduces disease symptoms.

Antioxidant Potential Overviews of Secondary Metabolites (Polyphenols) in Fruits

The rise in consumption of energy-dense foods has resulted in the displacement of several essential dietary gaps, causing numerous long-lasting diseases, including obesity, stroke, hypertension, and several forms of cancer. Epidemiological studies encourage more fruit consumption to prevent these diseases. The defensive mechanisms provided by these fruits against illness are due to the existence of several antioxidants. Recent studies proved that (poly) phenolic compounds are ideally the core phytochemicals with both functional and health-promoting properties found in the plant's kingdom, and low intake could result in the risk of certain diseases. Phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants that can modify metabolic activation and detoxification of carcinogens. The ideal motive of this review is to provide an overview as well as illuminate the polyphenolic merits of fruits in general. Fruits have several merits, including weight maintenance, proper health development, and satiety. There are many analytical methods for determining and measuring the phenolic content of different products. Phenolic compounds are of nutritional interest since they aid in the retardation and inhibition of lipids by acting as scavengers that prevent and protect the proliferation of oxidative chains. Future studies are required to help identify the physiological metabolic activities as well as to improve human health.