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Todorova V, Ivanova S, Chakarov D, Kraev K, Ivanov K. Ecdysterone and Turkesterone-Compounds with Prominent Potential in Sport and Healthy Nutrition. Nutrients 2024; 16:1382. [PMID: 38732627 PMCID: PMC11085066 DOI: 10.3390/nu16091382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The naturally occurring compounds ecdysterone and turkesterone, which are present in plants, including Rhaponticum carthamoides Willd. (Iljin), Spinacia oleracea L., Chenopodium quinoa Willd., and Ajuga turkestanica (Regel) Briq, are widely recognized due to their possible advantages for both general health and athletic performance. The current review investigates the beneficial biological effects of ecdysterone and turkesterone in nutrition, highlighting their roles not only in enhancing athletic performance but also in the management of various health problems. Plant-based diets, associated with various health benefits and environmental sustainability, often include sources rich in phytoecdysteroids. However, the therapeutic potential of phytoecdysteroid-rich extracts extends beyond sports nutrition, with promising applications in treating chronic fatigue, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Velislava Todorova
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Research Institute, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Stanislava Ivanova
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Research Institute, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Dzhevdet Chakarov
- Department of Propedeutics of Surgical Diseases, Section of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Krasimir Kraev
- Department of Propedeutics of Internal Diseases, Medical Faculty, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Kalin Ivanov
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Research Institute, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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Wang D, Li Z, Wang Q. Ecological restoration reduces mercury in corn kernel and the distinction of mercury in corn plants in rural China - A case in Wuchuan mercury mining area. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 271:115964. [PMID: 38232525 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.115964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Corn is a crucial crop in China and is widely cultivated in the mercury (Hg) mining region of Guizhou. This study analyzed the Hg content in soil and corn plant samples from the Wuchuan Hg mining area (WCMA) and the surrounding non-Hg mining regions (SNMR). The findings suggest that ongoing ecological rehabilitation and environmental conservation measures in the WCMA have significantly decreased the Hg content in corn kernels. The Hg concentration in different parts of the corn plant varied, being higher in the roots, tassels, and leaves and lower in kernels and stalks. Hg stored in corn plant growing in the WCMA primarily originates from the soil (55.4%), while in the SNMR, it mainly comes from the atmosphere (74.9%). Despite counted only about 7% of the total plant mass, corn roots play a crucial role in soil Hg pollution remediation when corn is used for remediation. Household corn residues burning release about 58.5% and 66.9% of the stored Hg in corn plants growing in the WCMA and the SNMR, respectively, into the atmosphere. Our findings indicate that corn cultivation acts as a reservoir for both soil and atmospheric Hg in the SNMR, while in the WCMA, it serves as a source of atmospheric Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wang
- Department of Resources and Environment, Zunyi Normal College, Zunyi 563006, China
| | - Zhonggen Li
- Department of Resources and Environment, Zunyi Normal College, Zunyi 563006, China
| | - Qingfeng Wang
- Department of Resources and Environment, Zunyi Normal College, Zunyi 563006, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, China.
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Skrzypiec M, Osmala-Kurpiewska W. Superfood consumers' exposure to selected heavy metals. Nutr Health 2023:2601060231206307. [PMID: 37812435 DOI: 10.1177/02601060231206307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Background: Superfood products are important components of the human diet, which may contain toxic heavy metals that have no beneficial function in the human body (e.g., cadmium, arsenic, mercury). Therefore, due to the high demand for these foods, maintaining their safety is a significant public health concern, resulting in an increasing number of studies in the field of health risk assessment due to population exposure to heavy metals. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of selected heavy metals in individual superfood products. Methods: The research material consisted of 48 samples of selected superfood products such as flaxseed, chia seed, black cumin, goji berries, buckwheat, millet, almonds, quinoa and green tea. The collected samples were subjected to the mineralization process. In addition, an exposure assessment was performed by calculating the hazard quotient (HQ). Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica software for cadmium and arsenic. Results: The highest level of cadmium was observed in a sample of flaxseed (ground)-0.35 mg/kg. Again, the highest concentration of arsenic was found in green tea bags (21.94 mg/kg). The exposure assessment showed that the risk of adverse health effects is likely to occur with the consumption of flaxseed, almonds, quinoa and green tea at both the assumed average and maximum arsenic concentrations (HQ > 1). Conclusions: There are many foods on the market that contain heavy metals. The accumulation of various heavy metals in agricultural soils and edible crops should be regularly assessed to minimize public health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Skrzypiec
- Scientific Circle at the Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Weronika Osmala-Kurpiewska
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
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Lee E, Seo HD, Kim D, Park SH, Kim SR, Hyun C, Hahm JH, Ha TY, Ahn J, Jung CH. Millet seed oil activates β-catenin signaling and promotes hair growth. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1172084. [PMID: 37229245 PMCID: PMC10203242 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1172084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Alopecia, regardless of gender, exacerbates psychological stress in those affected. The rising prevalence of alopecia has fueled a research interest in preventing hair loss. This study investigates the potential of millet seed oil (MSO) in promoting the proliferation of hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPC) and stimulating hair growth in animals with testosterone-dependent hair growth inhibition as part of a study on dietary treatments to improve hair growth. MSO-treated HFDPC significantly increased cell proliferation and phosphorylation of AKT, S6K1, and GSK3β proteins. This induces β-catenin, a downstream transcription factor, to translocate to the nucleus and increase the expression of factors related to cell growth. In a C57BL/6 mice model in which hair growth was inhibited by subcutaneous testosterone injection after shaving the dorsal skin, oral administration of MSO stimulated hair growth in the subject mice by increasing the size and number of hair follicles. These results suggest that MSO is a potent agent that may help prevent or treat androgenetic alopecia by promoting hair growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunyoung Lee
- Aging and Metabolism Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Deok Seo
- Aging and Metabolism Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
| | - Daedong Kim
- Aging and Metabolism Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
- Department of Food Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
| | - So-Hyun Park
- Aging and Metabolism Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
- Department of Food Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Ro Kim
- Suheung Research Center, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Jeong-Hoon Hahm
- Aging and Metabolism Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Youl Ha
- Aging and Metabolism Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
- Department of Food Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiyun Ahn
- Aging and Metabolism Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
- Department of Food Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Hwa Jung
- Aging and Metabolism Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
- Department of Food Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology, Wanju-Gun, Republic of Korea
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Wang Y, Cao D, Qin J, Zhao S, Lin J, Zhang X, Wang J, Zhu M. Deterministic and Probabilistic Health Risk Assessment of Toxic Metals in the Daily Diets of Residents in Industrial Regions of Northern Ningxia, China. Biol Trace Elem Res 2023:10.1007/s12011-022-03538-3. [PMID: 36622522 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03538-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the toxic metal (aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)) concentrations in drinking water and different foodstuffs meat (pork, beef, and mutton), cereals (rice, flour, corn, millet), beans (cowpeas, tofu), potatoes (potato, sweet potato), solanaceous fruits (pepper, eggplant, bitter gourd, cucumber), vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, spinach), and fruits (apples, watermelons, pears, grapes)) and then estimate the potential health risks of toxic metal consumption to local residents in industrial regions of northern Ningxia, China. As in drinking water, Cr in meat, Pb in cereals, Pb in beans, As and Pb in potatoes, Pb in solanaceous fruits, Cr and Ni in vegetables, and Ni and Pb in fruits were the most contaminated heavy metals in the corresponding food with over-standard rates of 16.7%, 12.5%, 5.1%, 60%, 50%, 50%, 38.2%, 44.4%, 44.4%, 31.8%, and 31.8%, respectively.The results of the deterministic assessment of health risks showed that the total noncarcinogenic risk value of dietary intake of toxic metals by the local population was 5.6106, indicating that toxic metals pose a high noncarcinogenic risk. The order of the non-carcinogenic risk is HIcereal (1.2104) > HIsolanaceous fruit (0.9134) > HIVegetables (0.8726) > HIFruit (0.8170) > HIMeat (0.7269) > HIDrinking water (0.6139) > HIBeans (0.2991) > HIPotatoes (0.1573). The total carcinogenic health risk from exposure to toxic metals through dietary intake was 9.98 × 10-4, indicating that the total cancer risk value of residents is beyond the acceptable range (10-4) under the current daily dietary exposure and implies a high risk of cancer. The order of the carcinogenic risk is RDrinking water (2.34 × 10-4) > RMeat (2.11 × 10-4) > Rsolanaceous fruit (1.89 × 10-4) > RFruit (1.88 × 10-4) > Rcereal (1.36 × 10-4) > RPotatoes (2.44 × 10-5) > RVegetables (1.51 × 10-5) > RBeans (0). The probabilistic assessment results showed that 98.83% of the population is exposed to severe noncarcinogenic risk and 87.02% is exposed to unacceptable carcinogenic risk. The sensitivity analysis showed that drinking water, local cereals, vegetables, and fruits were the major contributors to health risks. Our results indicated that the daily dietary exposure of residents in industrial regions of northern Ningxia poses a serious threat to human health, and it is suggested that relevant departments should strengthen monitoring and control of the current situation of toxic metal pollution in the environment and continue to pay attention and take measures to reduce the exposure of toxic metals in the diets of residents in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Deyan Cao
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Jiaqi Qin
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Siyuan Zhao
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Jianzai Lin
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Junji Wang
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China
| | - Meilin Zhu
- School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China.
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, China.
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