Oral Administration of Fermented Soymilk Products Protects the Skin of Hairless Mice against Ultraviolet Damage

The Promising Role of Polyphenols in Skin Disorders

The biochemical characteristics of polyphenols contribute to their numerous advantageous impacts on human health. The existing research suggests that plant phenolics, whether consumed orally or applied directly to the skin, can be beneficial in alleviating symptoms and avoiding the development of many skin disorders. Phenolic compounds, which are both harmless and naturally present, exhibit significant potential in terms of counteracting the effects of skin damage, aging, diseases, wounds, and burns. Moreover, polyphenols play a preventive role and possess the ability to delay the progression of several skin disorders, ranging from small and discomforting to severe and potentially life-threatening ones. This article provides a concise overview of recent research on the potential therapeutic application of polyphenols for skin conditions. It specifically highlights studies that have investigated clinical trials and the use of polyphenol-based nanoformulations for the treatment of different skin ailments.

Fermentation of soymilk by Lactobacillus acidipiscis isolated from Chinese stinky tofu capable of efficiently biotransforming isoflavone glucosides to dihydrodaidzein and dihydrogenistein

BACKGROUND

The soy isoflavone microbial metabolites dihydrodaidzein (DHD), dihydrogenistein (DHG), equol and 5-hydroxy-equol are generally more biologically active than their precursors daidzein and genistein. Bacteria responsible for isoflavone metabolism have been isolated and identified. Fermented soymilk is a potential functional food; however, there are few lactic acid bacteria capable of metabolizing soy isoflavones.

RESULTS

A newly isolated Gram-positive facultative anaerobic bacterium, which was named Lactobacillus acidipiscis HAU-FR7, was isolated from the traditional Chinese fermented soy product 'stinky tofu'. Bacterium strain HAU-FR7 can grow under aerobic conditions and can also convert most of the daidzin and genistin in soymilk into DHD and DHG, respectively. The concentrations of DHD and DHG produced were 183 and 134 μmol L^-1 , respectively, after fermentation for 24 h. Strain HAU-FR7 does not produce the biogenic amines cadaverine, putrescine, histamine or tyramine, and an antibiotic susceptibility test showed that HAU-FR7 is sensitive to nine of the ten tested antibiotics, except for vancomycin. Moreover, the 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging capacity of soymilk fermented with HAU-FR7 was significantly higher than that of unfermented soymilk.

CONCLUSION

A facultative anaerobic lactic acid bacterium, designated Lactobacillus acidipiscis HAU-FR7, is capable of reducing the soy isoflavone glucosides daidzin and genistin in soymilk to DHD and DHG efficiently, even in the presence of atmospheric oxygen. The biotransformation activity of HAU-FR7 grown in soymilk is higher than that in de Man-Rogosa-Sharpe liquid culture medium. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characteristics of lipoxygenase-based and lipoxygenase-deficient soy yogurt with modified okara

Lipoxygenase-based and lipoxygenase-deficient okara were modified by Kluyveromyces marxianus fermentation, then adding modified okara back to the corresponding soymilk to prepare soy yogurt. The physicochemical properties, texture, and volatile components of soy yogurt were characterized. The results showed that okara modified by Kluyveromyces marxianus fermentation was rich in soluable dietary fiber and was imparted better water-holding capacity, swelling capacity, and oil-holding capacity. The soy yogurt with the modified okara was greatly enhanced in its appearance, texture and was relatively stable during storage. Moreover, lipoxygenase-based soy yogurt had a unique soybean flavor while lipoxygenase-deficient soy yogurt had a slight beany flavor and soybean flavor. This article guides a bio-modified method for okara and provides a theoretical basis for the further development and application of soy yogurt with high dietary fiber as well as lipoxygenase-deficient soy yogurt.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-021-01003-w.

An isoflavone extract from soybean cake suppresses 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced contact dermatitis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Numerous epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated the protective role of dietary isoflavones against development of several chronic diseases. ISO-1, one fraction of isoflavone powders derived from soybean cake, is reported to attenuate inflammation and photodamage.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Contact dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin disease, which accounts for most occupational skin disorders. Instead of oral administration, we aimed to explore the effects of topical ISO-1 application on contact dermatitis by using 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes and DNCB-induced mouse dermatitis as models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the in vitro study, we first evaluated the biologic effects of DNCB on HaCaT keratinocytes. HaCaT keratinocytes were treated with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), and cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Then, we detect the prominent induction of IL-8 mRNA expression after DNCB and ISO-1 treatment by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and release of IL-8 from HaCaT keratinocytes was measured by ELISA assay. HaCaT keratinocytes were pretreated with ISO-1 and then treated with DNCB, phosphorylation of JNK, p38, ERK and IκBα was analyzed by western blot. In the in vivo study, the hairless mice were used for an induced contact dermatitis model. The surface changes in the dorsal skin after DNCB and ISO-1 treatment were recorded using photography, and TEWL, erythema were measured using an MPA-580 cutometer. Blood was also collected from mice for measurement of white blood cell counts.

RESULTS

Results showed ISO-1 inhibited DNCB-induced IL-8 production and also suppressed DNCB-induced phosphorylation of JNK and p38, and IκBα in HaCaT. In the animal model of DNCB-induced contact dermatitis, topical ISO-1 treatment significantly decreased DNCB-induced erythema and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in mouse skin. ISO-1 also reduced DNCB-induced skin thickening and increase of white blood cell count.

CONCLUSIONS

ISO-1 is promising for improvement of DNCB-induced inflammation and skin barrier impairment, suggesting the potential application of topical ISO-1 for inflammatory dermatoses.

Flavonoids and Other Phenolic Compounds from Medicinal Plants for Pharmaceutical and Medical Aspects: An Overview

Phenolic compounds as well as flavonoids are well-known as antioxidant and many other important bioactive agents that have long been interested due to their benefits for human health, curing and preventing many diseases. This review attempts to demonstrate an overview of flavonoids and other phenolic compounds as the interesting alternative sources for pharmaceutical and medicinal applications. The examples of these phytochemicals from several medicinal plants are also illustrated, and their potential applications in pharmaceutical and medical aspects, especially for health promoting e.g., antioxidant effects, antibacterial effect, anti-cancer effect, cardioprotective effects, immune system promoting and anti-inflammatory effects, skin protective effect from UV radiation and so forth are highlighted.

Effects of fermented soymilk with Lactobacillus casei Shirota on skin condition and the gut microbiota: a randomised clinical pilot trial

Several clinical studies have shown that isoflavones and Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS) have beneficial effects on skin condition and the gut microbiota, respectively. Thus, we investigated the effects of consecutive intake of fermented soymilk (FSM) with LcS on skin condition and the gut microbiota, as well as isoflavone bioavailability, in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial as a pilot study. Sixty healthy premenopausal Japanese women received FSM containing a moderate level of isoflavone aglycones and a probiotic LcS, or soymilk (SM) containing neither of them, twice a day for 8 weeks. Skin condition was assessed by a subjective questionnaire for face and morphological analysis of the stratum corneum on the inner forearm. Faecal microbiota and urinary isoflavone were analysed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. Both the FSM and SM groups had improved skin condition as assessed from scores of overall satisfaction, dryness, moisture, elasticity, coarseness, pigmentation and/or stratum corneum morphology, as well as significantly increased levels of urinary isoflavones during the intake period compared with the pre-intake period, although there were no significant differences between the two groups. There was a significant positive correlation between urinary isoflavone levels and skin questionnaire scores. In contrast, the relative abundance levels of Lactobacillaceae significantly increased and those of Bifidobacteriaceae tended to increase during the intake period compared with the pre-intake period. For the after-intake period they only decreased significantly in the FSM group. The levels of Enterobacteriaceae and Porphyromonadaceae significantly decreased during the intake period in the FSM group. These findings suggest that daily intake of FSM, as well as SM, provides health benefits that improve skin condition via increased levels of isoflavone absorption in the body, and that only FSM beneficially modifies the gut microbiota in premenopausal healthy women.

Soymilk Improves Muscle Weakness in Young Ovariectomized Female Mice

Estrogens play a key role in an extensive range of physiological functions in various types of tissues throughout the body in females. We previously showed that estrogen insufficiency caused muscle weakness that could be rescued by estrogen administration in a young female ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model. However, long-term estrogen replacement therapy increases risks of breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Soymilk contains plant-based protein and isoflavones that exert estrogen-like activity. Here we examined the effects of prolonged soymilk intake on muscle and its resident stem cells, called satellite cells, in the estrogen-insufficient model. Six-week-old C57BL/6 OVX female mice were fed with a dried soymilk-containing diet. We found that prolonged soymilk intake upregulated grip strength in OVX mice. Correspondingly, cross-sectional area of tibialis anterior muscle was significantly increased in OVX mice fed with soymilk. Furthermore, soymilk diet mitigated dysfunction of satellite cells isolated from OVX mice. Thus, these results indicated that prolonged soymilk intake is beneficial for improving muscle weakness in an estrogen-insufficient state in females.