Journal of medicinal food最新文献

Cancer is a significant cause of death worldwide. It has been suggested that the consumption of flavonoids decreases the risk for cancer by increasing phase II enzymes, such as Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Hydrogen (NAD(P)H) quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), glutathione S-transferases, and Uridine 5'-diphospho- (UDP)-glucuronosyltransferases that assist in removing carcinogens from the human body. Flavonoids are bioactive compounds found in a variety of dietary sources, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and teas. As such, it is important to investigate which flavonoids are involved in the metabolism of carcinogens to help reduce the risk of cancer. Therefore, the objective of this narrative review was to investigate the effects of commonly consumed flavonoids on NQO1 mRNA expression, protein, and activity in human cell and murine models. PubMed was used to search for peer-reviewed journal articles, which demonstrated that selected flavonoids (e.g., quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, genistein, and daidzein) increase NQO1, and therefore, increase the excretion of carcinogens. However, more research is needed regarding the mechanisms by which flavonoids induce NQO1. Furthermore, it is suggested that future efforts focus on providing precise flavonoid recommendations to decrease the risk factors for chronic diseases.

This study aimed to investigate the hypoglycemic effects of different concentrations of black tea (BT) extracts and their underlying mechanisms in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) mice. Results indicated that BT extracts significantly mitigated weight loss, improved glucose and insulin tolerance, and modulated cytokine levels related to glucose and lipid metabolism in T2DM mice. Moreover, BT extracts ameliorated liver and pancreas damage resulting from high-sugar/high-fat diets and insulin resistance. Among the tested concentrations, low-concentration BT (BT-L) extract exhibited the most potent hypoglycemic ability. Furthermore, BT-L restored pancreatic function in hyperglycemic mice via activating the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor-protein kinase A-pancreatic and duodenal homeobox-1-glucokinase cascade pathway. In terms of intestinal homeostasis, all BT-treated groups adjusted the gut microbiota structure by regulating the distribution and diversity of gut microbiota in T2DM mice. Among them, BT-L intervention specifically and significantly increased the levels of probiotic Bifidobacterium in the intestine of T2DM mice. Furthermore, BT-L intervention effectively promoted the synthesis of streptomycin by gut microbiota, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory effect. Comprehensively, the hypoglycemic effect of BT cannot show an absolute concentration-dependent relationship. Our findings highlight the potential of BT as an effective blood glucose regulator and provide valuable insights for BT-based functional food development.

Chronic stress in the central nervous system can lead to neurological dysfunction characterized by spontaneous neuronal cell death. This study investigated the neuroprotective potential of an aqueous extract of Lilium lancifolium Thunberg (ELL) against corticosterone (CORT)-induced pathophysiology in PC12 cells. To assess the neuroprotective effects of ELL, PC12 cells were pretreated with 50 µg/mL of ELL before being exposed to CORT. ELL significantly prevented CORT-induced neuronal cell death by attenuating pro-apoptotic protein expression, lactate dehydrogenase release, and reactive oxygen species generation, while maintaining intact adenosine triphosphate levels. Furthermore, ELL significantly mitigated CORT-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses by attenuating the elevation of unfolded protein responses, intracellular calcium levels, opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pores, and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. In conclusion, ELL exerts neuroprotective effects by inhibiting apoptosis through the mitigation of CORT-induced ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, suggesting that ELL may prevent neuronal damage associated with chronic stress-induced neurotoxicity.

In this study, two high-content flavonoid derivatives [3-8 biapigenin (HM 104) and quercetin-3-O-β-d-galactopyranoside (HM 111)] were obtained through the bioactivity-guided isolation of antidiabetic compounds from Hypericum monogynum flowers. HM 104 and HM 111 exhibited good glucose consumption in fatty acid-induced insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. Moreover, both active compounds enhanced glucose uptake by restoring the expression of key regulators of glucose metabolism, including insulin receptor substrate 1, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, protein kinase B, and glucose transporter type 4, and by mitigating the expression of forkhead box O1 and the factors involved in gluconeogenesis. They upregulate the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β, which may affect glycogen synthesis. Furthermore, the production of reactive oxygen species was decreased by the two compounds. This study provides novel mechanistic insights into the protective effects of flavonoid derivatives isolated from H. monogynum flowers in preventing and managing insulin resistance and associated metabolic disorders.

Respiratory tract diseases (RTDs) cause airflow limitations and impaired respiratory function, primarily due to pulmonary inflammation and immune dysfunction. Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum Kitamur and Platycodon grandifloras (CP) are traditional herbs known for their anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing properties. This study investigates the anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing effects of a combined extract of CP in vivo. CP was prepared by mixing equal volumes of Chrysanthemum zawadskii extract (CE) and Platycodon grandifloras extract (PE) at the same concentration. The anti-inflammatory effects of CP were evaluated using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation model in BALB/c mice. The immune-enhancing effects were assessed using a cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced immunosuppression model. Protein and mRNA expressions of inflammatory and immune markers were analyzed through Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR. CP significantly reduced LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation by decreasing interleukin (IL)-1β and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in lung tissues. In the CYP-induced model, CP treatment restored spleen and thymus weights, reversed reductions in immune cell counts, and increased TNF-α and IL-2 mRNA expression in the spleen. In conclusion, CP inhibits pulmonary inflammation by suppressing inflammatory mediators and enhances immune function by increasing immune-related indicators. This suggests that CP may have potential therapeutic applications for treating respiratory inflammation and related diseases.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a prevalent complication and serious microvascular of diabetes mellitus. After previous studies, we found that phenylethanol glycosides (CPhGs) derived from Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight exerts antidiabetic and renoprotective effects. However, the effects of CPhGs on DN remain incompletely understood. The study aimed to examine the effects of CPhGs on DN in rats and explore the underlying mechanism involved. A DN rat model was established by streptozotocin (STZ) combined with a high-fat diet. Reagent kits were used to assess the extent to which CPhGs ameliorate hyperglycemia, insulin resistance (IR), renal dysfunction, kidney oxidative stress, and peripheral inflammation. Histology and immunohistochemical staining were used to detect the changes in renal tissue structure and the expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen I. Furthermore, we analyzed the cecal contents of DN rats to investigate the effect of CPhGs on gut microbiota by using 16S rRNA sequencing and broad-spectrum metabolite profiling. The results showed that CPhGs demonstrated a range of advantageous outcomes in DN, encompassing the enhancement of kidney function and alleviation of hyperglycemia, IR, renal injury, oxidative stress, and peripheral inflammatory reactions. In addition, CPhGs regulated the abundance of the [Eubacterium]_coprostanoligenes_group, Oscillospiraceae_UCG-005, etc. to modulate the gut microbiota. CPhGs significantly upregulated the content of vitamin B6 and tyrosyl-tryptophan and downregulated histamine, L-methionine, etc. In summary, the therapeutic efficacy of CPhGs on DN rats may be achieved by modulating the gut microbiota and cecal metabolites to restore the metabolic disorders of vitamin B6, histidine, etc.

Homocysteine (HCys) is a sulfur-containing amino acid involved in the conversion of methionine to cysteine. Elevated levels of HCys, known as hyperhomocysteinemia, have been associated with health risks, including cardiovascular and neurological disorders. This study examined the incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia in an unselected female population and evaluated the effectiveness of a Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs), EUCIS PLUS, in reducing HCys levels.The study was divided into two phases: The first phase of the study, conducted at the Poliambulatorio Polimedica in Trebaseleghe (PD), evaluated the incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia in 181 women with an average age of 47.8 years; the second phase tested the effectiveness of EUCIS PLUS, a FSMPs, in reducing HCys levels in women with values above 10 µmol/L. During Phase 1, an incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia was observed in 81.2% of 181 women, with mean HCys levels of 15.4 µmol/L. Phase 2 involved treating 44 women with HCys >10 µmol/L using EUCIS PLUS, resulting in an average reduction of HCys levels by 36%, reaching 10.7 µmol/L after two months of treatment. Hyperomocysteinemia is an underdiagnosed risk condition. The results of this study highlight the importance of diagnosing and managing hyperhomocysteinemia and suggest that the FSMPs EUCIS PLUS can be an effective and well-tolerated therapeutic option.

The effect of the aqueous extract of Azadirachta indica (AAI) on gentamicin (GEN)-induced kidney injury was investigated. The study involves 20 adult male Wistar rats (housed in four separate plastic cages) such that graded dosages of AAI were administered to the experimental group for 14 days per oral (PO) before exposure to GEN toxicity (100 mg/kg) for 1 week. At the end of the study, comparisons of some markers of renal functions, antioxidant status, and inflammatory and apoptotic markers were made between the control, GEN, and AAI-pretreated groups at P < .05. The result showed that GEN treatment caused a significant increase (P < .05) in body weight, kidney weight, urea, bilirubin, kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM 1), cystatin C, malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), tumor necrotic factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-2), caspase-3, and B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X (BAX) as well as a significant decrease (P < .05) in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), and B-cell lymphoma (BCL)-2 level. Pre-treatment with graded doses of AAI caused a significant increase in urea, CAT, and GPx as well as a significant decrease (P < .05) in kidney weight, bilirubin, KIM 1, cystatin C, MDA, GSH, SOD, TNF-α, IL-2, caspase-3, BAX, and BCL-2. There was an appreciable difference in the kidney histology of the AAI pre-treated groups compared with the GEN. Hence, the extract has prophylactic potential in managing GEN-induced nephrotoxicity by decreasing the markers of renal function and inflammation and downregulating the markers of apoptosis.

This research aimed to explore the effectiveness of consuming a calming herbal tea blend, comprising Matricaria recutita, Passiflora incarnata L., and Pimpinella anisum L., in comparison to a placebo tea infused with lemon, to ascertain whether the herbal blend possesses anxiety-reducing properties capable of alleviating perioperative anxiety. The study adopted a clinical randomized, double-blind design and collected data from volunteers undergoing elective surgery at Hospital Unimed Erechim in the northern region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A total of 210 participants were enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups: one receiving the placebo tea and the other the sedative herbal tea. All participants completed a questionnaire postoperatively to assess anxiety levels, employing the adapted Portuguese version of the DASS-21 Scale (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale). Results revealed no significant difference in anxiety levels between the group consuming the calming herbal tea and the group consuming the placebo tea. However, consumption of the anxiolytic herbal tea was associated with a notable increase in positive sentiments toward the surgical procedure (P = .0009). Furthermore, the study demonstrated that the DASS-21 questionnaire exhibited a preoperative profile comparable to the clinical scenarios depicted by the scale. Both the calming herbal tea and the placebo tea were found to effectively mitigate perioperative anxiety. This suggests that both options-soothing herbal tea and placebo tea-can be considered safe, efficacious, and pleasant methods for reducing preoperative fasting requirements.

To identify the effect of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (CZ) aqueous extract on glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and blood pressure in male Wistar rats, fed with a high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFFD). Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomized into four groups: Healthy (fed with standard diet), Healthy + CZ (fed with standard diet + CZ extract), HFFD (fed with HFFD), HFFD+CZ, (fed with HFFD + CZ extract). The CZ aqueous extract was administered 100 mg/kg/day by oral gavage to each rat for 8 weeks. Blood samples, blood pressure, and weight were taken at the beginning and end of the experiment. The rats were euthanized after the experiment, according to the Mexican Official Standard NOM-062-ZOOO-1999. The administration of CZ aqueous extract significantly decreased glucose levels (F[1,18]=46.458, P < .001). The interaction between the type of diet and the extract had an effect on triglycerides (F[1,18]=14.93, P = .001), and systolic (F[1,18]=127, P < .001) and diastolic blood pressure levels (F[1,18]=146.13, P < .001) in male Wistar rats. HFFD, plus the administration of CZ aqueous extract over 8 weeks, significantly improved glucose, triglyceride, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, regulating metabolic parameters in male Wistar rats.