Journal of Food Biochemistry最新文献

The edible mushroom powder has an essential role in sustainable food technology and innovation, and therefore, it is considered a multifaceted functional food ingredient. Edible mushrooms are rich in proteins, fibers, vitamins, and bioactive compounds like polysaccharides and antioxidants, making them valuable for food product innovation. Mushroom powder enhances food texture, stability, and nutritional value, aligning with consumer preferences for nutritious and eco-friendly alternatives. The present review highlights the role of mushroom powder in improving the health attributes and sensory qualities of food products, providing a comprehensive overview of its nutritional benefits, processing methods, and applications in the food industry. By incorporating mushroom powder, food technologists can develop health-oriented products that meet the demands of modern consumers seeking dietary diversity and sustainability. This manuscript emphasizes mushroom powder’s utility in food technology and product development, promising significant advancements in functional and sustainable food solutions.

Background: XueFu ZhuYu Decoction (XFZYD) is a classic herbal formula that shows promise in the treatment of malignant pleural effusion (MPE). However, its primary components and the underlying mechanisms of action remain unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study is to preliminarily elucidate the potential mechanisms by which XFZYD may treat MPE through network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Methods: The effective components and their corresponding targets of XFZYD were identified using the traditional chinese medicine (TCM) systems Pharmacology database, and a related network was constructed utilizing Cytoscape. Subsequently, the targets associated with MPE were retrieved from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) and GeneCards databases. We then determined the intersection between compound targets and disease targets, constructing a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network by importing these into the STRING database. Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analyses were performed through the Metascape database. Finally, molecular docking studies between core targets and effective compound molecules were conducted.

Result: Quercetin, kaempferol, and luteolin were identified as the compounds with the highest values. The primary common targets of XFZYD in relation to MPE included STAT3, MAPK1, and MAPK3. Furthermore, GO and KEGG analyses indicated that XFZYD treatment for MPE was associated with responses to lipopolysaccharide, vesicle lumen dynamics, and protein kinase activity overall. The signaling pathways predominantly involved were the AGE-RAGE pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, and P13K-Akt signaling pathway. Molecular docking demonstrated high affinities between the lead compounds and their target proteins.

Conclusions: The active ingredients Quercetin, kaempferol, and luteolin in XFZYD exert therapeutic effects against MPE via the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, with key targets involving STAT3, MAPK1, and MAPK3.

Background: Liver cells are particularly susceptible to mitochondrial dysfunction due to external stimuli, leading to excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and redox imbalance. The aim of this study was to extract and purify the polyphenolic fractions of Mallotus peltatus (Geiseler) Mull. Arg. and evaluate their potential protective effect against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress injury in hepatocytes.

Methods: The extraction process of polyphenols in MPMA was optimized by the response surface method. Then, we purified the crude extracts with macroporous resin HPD600 to obtain MPMAP-I, MPMAP-II, and MPMAP-III. The physical properties and component composition of the samples were analyzed by FT-IR and UPLC-MS/MS. An in vitro H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress injury model in hepatocytes was established to investigate the protective effect of MPMAP-I on L02 cells. The effect was assessed by measuring cell survival rate, enzyme activities, intracellular ROS levels, cell apoptosis rate, mitochondrial membrane potential, and the mRNA expression of related signaling pathways.

Results: The results showed that the optimized extraction conditions of MPMA were 60% ethanol, 140 min, 85°C, and liquid-to-solid ratio of 30 mL/g. All three purified fractions contained different polyphenols (such as kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside, corilagin, and cirsiliol) and had great antioxidant activities. MPMAP-I treatment could increase the activities of SOD, CAT, and GPx in H₂O₂-induced L02 cells, reduce the content of MDA, the activities of transaminases, the production of intracellular ROS, and the rate of cell apoptosis, and restore mitochondrial function. Furthermore, these effects might be related to the inactivation of the Bcl2/Bax/caspase-3 apoptotic pathway and the activation of the Nrf2/γ-GCL antioxidant pathway.

Conclusion: Our study provided a theoretical basis for the protective effect of MPMA polyphenols on liver injury, which is helpful to improve the development and application of MPMA in medicine and healthcare products.

This study deals with the possibility of using bioactive substances to reduce the allergenic potential of food. In the first phase of the research, the work aimed to verify the inhibitory effect of bioactive substances on crustacean protein (tropomyosin) and gluten (gliadin) in model samples. In the next phase of the research, the inhibitory effect of selected antioxidants was demonstrated on samples from the market network. The ELISA method showed a decrease in the immunoreactivity of the kits (Veratox, Biocheck) by an average of 36% in the model samples. Model samples containing gluten and shellfish showed lower immunoreactivity due to the addition of p-coumaric acid (33.2%), β-carotene (26.5%), caffeic acid (33.3%), quercetin (26.4%), gallic acid (46.2%), lycopene (32.4%), epicatechin (43.5%), chlorogenic acid (32.7%), and rutin (46.8%). This study further demonstrated an inhibitory effect in samples from the market network with gluten content (breadcrumbs, tarragon) by an average of 61.1% and in samples with crustacean content (shrimp and surimi sticks) by 15.7% after the addition of lycopene, epicatechin, and caffeic acid. The results confirmed the impact of bioactive substances on the immunoreactivity of ELISA tests and provide a foundation for developing hypoallergenic foods and enhancing allergen detection accuracy in food safety applications.

The aim of this study was to construct curcumin-loaded mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (Cur-exos) and explore their effects on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) models both in vitro and in vivo. Cur-exos were prepared using three common drug-loading techniques—incubation, sonication, and freeze–thaw cycles. Among these, Cur-exos prepared via repeated freeze–thawing demonstrated higher encapsulation efficiency and drug-loading rates than those produced by other methods. In vitro, Cur-exos exhibited enhanced stability, were efficiently taken up by hepatocytes, and mitigated palmitic acid (PA)–induced lipotoxicity in HepG2 cells. Moreover, Cur-exos significantly ameliorated liver damage in NAFLD model mice, reduced inflammation, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and mitigated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Additionally, Cur-exos effectively regulated lipid metabolism disorders and improved impaired glucose tolerance. Overall, we demonstrate that, compared with free curcumin, Cur-exos significantly improve curcumin stability and offer superior therapeutic effects in NAFLD mouse models. This study provides a novel approach for developing treatments for NAFLD.

Arsenic is an internationally recognized groundwater pollutant. Arsenic exposure causes a number of negative consequences on the human body, including the upsurge of oxidant. Nutrition is a significant susceptibility factor for arsenic toxicity through various conceivable pathways. The rise of high-fat diets in numerous countries leads to an increase in chronic, noncommunicable diseases. This research examined how Nauclea latifolia could reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and distortion to the liver and kidneys in Wistar rats exposed to high-fat diets and arsenic. Five groups of five rats each were treated daily for 6 weeks. Rats fed only with high-fat diet with arsenic exhibited considerable elevations in proinflammatory markers, urea, creatinine, and liver enzymes, alongside significant decreases in SOD, CAT, and GSH levels. Treatment with silymarin and N. latifolia root extract prevented oxidative stress and elevated liver enzyme activity and kidney function biomarkers. The rats subjected to a high-fat diet and arsenic suffered significant damage to the histology of the liver and kidney. However, treatment with extracts and silymarin protected the kidney and the liver damage. N. latifolia roots may attenuate the toxic consequences of diets high in fat and arsenic on the renal system and the liver by lowering reactive oxygen molecules and improving renal and liver function. Thus, N. latifolia roots could serve as a natural agent to prevent hepatorenal toxicity.

Objective: 1,2,3,4,6-O-Pentagalloylglucose (PGG) has an inhibitory effect on various cancer types. This study aimed to investigate the impact and potential mechanism of PGG on gastric cancer.

Methods: Network pharmacology predicted that PGG might inhibit gastric cancer through PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways. In vitro activity was studied by CCK-8, plate cloning, apoptosis, cell cycle detection, mitochondrial membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In vivo activity was studied by H&E staining, TUNEL staining, qRT-PCR, and western blot.

Results: The results demonstrated that PGG inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of mouse gastric cancer cell mouse forestomach carcinoma (MFC) in vitro, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased ROS content. In vivo, it can significantly inhibit tumor growth and induce apoptosis of tumor tissue, and it has no obvious toxicity to the body. On the PI3K/AKT and MAPK-P38 pathways, the expression of BAX and CASP3 is upregulated and the expression of AKT and BCL-2 is downregulated from the gene and protein levels.

Conclusion: Comprehensive network pharmacology and experimental verification have demonstrated that PGG can play an antitumor role by regulating the PI3K/AKT and MAPK-P38 signaling pathways to promote tumor apoptosis. PGG has been proven to be a potential therapeutic agent for gastric cancer.

As widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and nutritional food, Polygonati Rhizom is known for its diverse pharmacological properties, including hematopoiesis, immune enhancement, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiaging, antiviral, and hepatoprotection. Polygonati Rhizom polysaccharides (PRPs) are primary bioactive compounds that are water-soluble and mainly comprise fructose (Fru), glucose (Glc), galactose (Gal), arabinose (Ara), rhamnose (Rha), fucose (Fuc), xylose (Xyl), glucuronic acid (GlcA), and galacturonic acid (GalA). Meanwhile, different extraction methods, such as hot water and ultrasonic extractions, can significantly affect the yield of PRPs, Additionally, PRPs were also reported to hold promising potential as a drug carrier. Herein, the extraction, structure elucidation, biological activities, and drug carrier applications of PRPs are systematically summarized, providing reference for the further research and development of Polygonati Rhizom.

Uranyl acetate (UA), a form of depleted uranium (DU) extensively applied for military and civilian purposes, poses a health threat to exposed populations. Gallic acid (GA), a phytochemical present in various edible sources, has the potential to restore redox balance and exhibit anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects. Thus, we highlighted the potential protective role of GA in mitigating UA-induced renal cytofunctional impairments in rats. To achieve this objective, the rats were randomly divided into three groups. The first group was left untreated and served as the control. The second group (UA group) was administered a single intraperitoneal injection of UA at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight. The third group (GA + UA) GA was orally administrated GA via a gastric tube at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight for 14 days prior to the UA injection. In both the second and third groups, UA was administered on the 15th day, and the rats were euthanized on the 17th day of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, plasma renal damage biomarkers, renal redox parameters, and histopathological examination were estimated, along with immunohistochemical analysis of caspase-3, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Our findings indicated that GA supplementation in UA-intoxicated rats reduced plasma urea and creatinine levels while increased total antioxidant capacity. It also restored normal kidney levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, and nitric oxide. Additionally, it restored kidney glycogen reserves and decreased collagen fiber deposition. In the GA + UA group, immunoreaction levels of caspase-3 and NF-kB decreased, while those of Nrf2 increased. In summary, GA has the potential to mitigate DU-associated nephrotoxicity by enhancing the antioxidant defense mechanism, as well as modulating protein expression related to cell death pathways and proinflammatory transcription factors.

The relationship between serum fetuin-A levels and obesity has not been fully understood. This study aims to elucidate the levels of serum fetuin-A and F/A ratio in obesity and contribute to the literature on whether they could be novel clinical predictors modulated through body composition and nutrition. The study included 73 participants who were obese and 71 participants with normal weight, aged between 18 and 65 years. Certain anthropometric measurements of the individuals were taken, and a body composition analysis was performed. In addition, 3-day food records (consecutive days: 2 weekdays and one weekend day) were taken. Serum levels of fetuin-A (ng/mL) and adiponectin (μg/mL) were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The F/A ratio was obtained by dividing fetuin-A (ng/mL) by adiponectin (μg/mL). Serum fetuin-A (ng/mL) level and F/A ratio are higher in obese participants than in normal weight (p < 0.05). Body weight (kg) (r = 0.553, p ≤ 0.001), body mass index (kg/m²) (r = 0.492, p ≤ 0.001), waist circumference (cm) (r = 0.522, p ≤ 0.001), body fat percentage (%) (r = 0.203, p = 0.015), serum fasting blood glucose levels (mg/dL) (r = 0.317, p ≤ 0.001), and dietary protein intake (kg) (r = 0.165, p = 0.048) were observed to be positively correlated with serum fetuin-A levels. Positive correlations were also observed between these parameters and the F/A ratio (p < 0.05). Negative correlations were found between serum adiponectin and these parameters (p < 0.05). In addition, when dietary cholesterol intake was kept constant, a 1-unit increase in dietary energy intake (kcal) resulted in a 0.043-fold increase in serum fetuin-A (p < 0.05). The study results support theories suggesting the involvement of serum fetuin-A levels and the F/A ratio in the pathogenesis of obesity. The higher serum fetuin-A levels and F/A ratio found in obese participants may be considered as new clinical determinants that could be regulated through body composition and nutrition.