Grape Polyphenols in the Treatment of Human Skeletal Muscle Damage Due to Inflammation and Oxidative Stress during Obesity and Aging: Early Outcomes and Promises

Alcohol consumption and frailty risk: a dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS

While previous studies suggest that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the frailty risk, the dose-response relationship is still under question. To address the knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies to examine the association of alcohol consumption with the risk of both prefrailty and frailty in adults.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed and Scopus to identify relevant cohort studies published before 8 May 2024. The dose-response meta-analysis was performed to investigate the associations between alcohol drinking and the risk of developing pre-frailty and frailty. We used random-effects models to calculate pooled relative risks (RR) with 95% CIs.

RESULTS

We included nine cohort studies with 64 769 participants and 15 075 cases, of which eight studies were rated to have a serious risk of bias as assessed by the ROBINS tool. Based on our analysis, each 12 g increase in alcohol intake did not appear to be associated with risks of prefrailty (RR: 1.08, 95% CI 0.89, 1.31; I2 = 91%, n = 3; GRADE = very low) and frailty (RR: 0.94, 95% CI 0.88, 1.00; I2 = 63%, n = 9; GRADE = low). The nonlinear dose-response meta-analysis indicates a slight inverse association with frailty risk up to an alcohol intake of 20 grams per day, beyond which an upward trend is observed.

CONCLUSION

The inverse association found between moderate alcohol consumption and frailty risk appears to be stronger among older adults, which might be due to the lower and less popular alcohol consumption among older people than the general population. However, because this finding is based on low-quality evidence, more research is needed to develop specific dietary recommendations for alcohol consumption, particularly among young people.

Polyphenols and Lactation: Molecular Evidence to Support the Use of Botanical Galactagogues

Botanicals and herbal supplements contain a diverse array of polyphenols that may affect mammary gland function and promote galactagogue activity. This scoping review is conducted to identify scientific literature elucidating how polyphenols affect mammary gland biology and cellular mechanisms critical for lactation. A literature search of PubMed and Medline reviews relevant studies in dairy animals, rodent models, and cultured mammary epithelial cells that are published from January 2010 until July 2023, to ascertain effects of polyphenols on mechanisms regulating milk production and composition. The PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Review) strategy is applied and 80 studies on polyphenols and their implications on milk production and composition are included in this review. Limited information delineating effects of polyphenols on the molecular pathways that affect lactation are found, although available information suggests modulation of Stat5 signaling/differentiation, Stat3 signaling/remodeling, mTOR and insulin signaling/energy production, and nuclear factor kappa beta (NFκβ) signaling/oxidative stress and inflammation may play roles. A profound lack of mechanistic information underscores the critical need for further research to understand the impact of botanical supplements and polyphenols on milk production and composition in humans to establish maternal nutritional guidelines to support lactation and breastfeeding goals.

Therapeutic targets and potential delivery systems of melatonin in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent age-related musculoskeletal disorder that typically results in chronic pain and disability. OA is a multifactorial disease, with increased oxidative stress, dysregulated inflammatory response, and impaired matrix metabolism contributing to its onset and progression. The neurohormone melatonin, primarily synthesized by the pineal gland, has emerged as a promising therapeutic agent for OA due to its potential to alleviate inflammation, oxidative stress, and chondrocyte death with minimal adverse effects. The present review provides a comprehensive summary of the current understanding regarding melatonin as a promising pharmaceutical agent for the treatment of OA, along with an exploration of various delivery systems that can be utilized for melatonin administration. These findings may provide novel therapeutic strategies and targets for inhibiting the advancement of OA.

Pharmacological bioactivity of Ceratonia siliqua pulp extract: in vitro screening and molecular docking analysis, implication of Keap-1/Nrf2/NF-ĸB pathway

Inflammation is interfaced with various metabolic disorders. Ceratonia siliqua (CS) has a higher pharmaceutical purpose. The research aimed to investigate the biofunction of CS pulp aqueous extract (CS-PAE) with an emphasis on its integrated computational approaches as opposed to different specific receptors contributing to inflammation. The extract was assessed for its chemical and phenolic components via GC-MS, LC-MS, HPLC, and total phenolic and flavonoid content. In vitro, bioactivities and molecular docking were analyzed. Findings indicate that CS-PAE demonstrated higher scavenging activities of nitric oxide, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical, superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and anti-lipid peroxidation (IC₅₀ values were 5.29, 3.04, 0.63, 7.35 and 9.6 mg/dl, respectively). The extract revealed potent inhibition of RBCs hemolysis, acetylcholine esterase, monoamine oxidase-B, and α-glucosidase enzymes (IC₅₀ was 13.44, 9.31, 2.45, and 1.5 mg/dl, respectively). The extract exhibited a cytotoxic effect against prostate cancer Pc3, liver cancer HepG2, colon cancer Caco2, and lung cancer A549 cell lines. Moreover, CS-PAE owned higher antiviral activity against virus A and some bacteria. When contrasting data from molecular docking, it was reported that both apigenin-7-glucoside and rutin in CS-PAE have a good affinity toward the Keap-1/Nrf2/ NF-ĸB pathway. In conclusion, CS-PAE showed promise in therapeutic activity in metabolic conditions.

Oxidative stress: roles in skeletal muscle atrophy

Oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced protein synthesis, and increased proteolysis are all critical factors in the process of muscle atrophy. In particular, oxidative stress is the key factor that triggers skeletal muscle atrophy. It is activated in the early stages of muscle atrophy and can be regulated by various factors. The mechanisms of oxidative stress in the development of muscle atrophy have not been completely elucidated. This review provides an overview of the sources of oxidative stress in skeletal muscle and the correlation of oxidative stress with inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy, protein synthesis, proteolysis, and muscle regeneration in muscle atrophy. Additionally, the role of oxidative stress in skeletal muscle atrophy caused by several pathological conditions, including denervation, unloading, chronic inflammatory diseases (diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, chronic heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), sarcopenia, hereditary neuromuscular diseases (spinal muscular atrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy), and cancer cachexia, have been discussed. Finally, this review proposes the alleviation oxidative stress using antioxidants, Chinese herbal extracts, stem cell and extracellular vesicles as a promising therapeutic strategy for muscle atrophy. This review will aid in the development of novel therapeutic strategies and drugs for muscle atrophy.

Antioxidants and Sports Performance

The role of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant response in training adaptations and sports performance has been a large issue investigated in the last few years. The present review aims to analyze the role of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant response in sports performance. For this aim, the production of reactive oxygen species in physical activities, the effect of reactive oxygen species on sports performance, the relationship between reactive oxygen species and training adaptations, inflammation, and the microbiota, the effect of antioxidants on recovery and sports performance, and strategies to use antioxidants supplementations will be discussed. Finally, practical applications derived from this information are discussed. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during physical activity greatly influences sports performance. This review concludes that ROS play a critical role in the processes of training adaptation induced by resistance training through a reduction in inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress, as well as appropriate molecular signaling. Additionally, it has been established that micronutrients play an important role in counteracting free radicals, such as reactive oxygen species, which cause oxidative stress, and the effects of antioxidants on recovery, sports performance, and strategies for using antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, resveratrol, coenzyme Q10, selenium, and curcumin to enhance physical and mental well-being.