Plant Foods for Human Nutrition最新文献

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common and highly aggressive tumor in the world. Although immunotherapy, surgical resection, targeted therapy and HCC transplantation could improve the prognosis for HCC patients, the tumor recurrence rate of the tumor remains high due to its insidious and invasive nature. Therefore, the development of new HCC therapeutic agents has become particularly important. Quinoa is abundant in bioactive peptides, proteins, and other functional ingredients that confer various health benefits to humans. Quinoa bran, the outer seed coat of quinoa, like quinoa, has extremely high nutritional value and rich protein content. This study firstly found that hydrolysate from quinoa bran protein (QBPP) exhibited targeting anti-HCC effect on the proliferation of HepG2 and Bel-7402 HCC cells in a concentration dependent manner, without significant toxic side effects on normal human liver cells L02. Further, QBPP exerted anti-HCC effect through mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and inhibition of HCC cells migration. Collectively, QBPP shows potential as a next-generation dietary supplement for the prevention and treatment of HCC.

Three choline chloride (ChCl)-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as a new type of green solvents were used for the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of bioactive compounds from Mentha spicata L. DES containing ChCl and malonic acid (MalA) was selected as the most promising, providing a more effective extraction of antioxidants from spearmint. Response surface methodology (RSM) and a Box-Behnken design (BBD) with three variables, ChCl:MalA molar ratio, water content (WC) in DES, and extraction time (t), were implemented for optimizing the extraction conditions. The optimal conditions were calculated to maximize the antioxidant capacity (AC) determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assays, total phenolic acids (TPAc), total flavonoid aglycones (TFAgly), and total flavonoid glycosides (TFGly). The phenolic profiles in the obtained extracts were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), revealing that rosmarinic acid, ellagic acid, rutin, kaempferol, and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside were predominant in the DES extracts.

Tarhana, a traditional fermented food made from cereal flours, yogurt, vegetables, and spices, is recognized for its rich nutritional value and prolonged shelf life. This study investigated the effect of pea protein isolate (PPI) enrichment on select compositional, physical, techno-functional and nutritional properties of tarhana. Six different formulations were prepared by blending PPI and wheat flour (WF) in varying PPI: WF ratios from 0:100 (control) to 100:0. The protein content of the tarhana samples increased proportionally with the PPI concentration, reaching 76.6% in the PPI: WF of 100:0 PPI tarhana compared to 25.1% in the control tarhana. The total phenolic content (TPC) varied, ranging from 534.1 to 702.9 mg GAE/100 g dry basis (db), with higher values observed in PPI enriched tarhana samples. PPI enrichment significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the antioxidant capacity, measured by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays. PPI-enriched tarhana powders showed improved levels of key polyphenols, including gallic acid, quercetin and ferulic acid. Pasting profile of the tarhana samples showed a decrease in peak viscosity with increasing PPI, indicating the decrease in starch concentration. In-vitro protein digestibility of tarhana samples improved with PPI incorporation, showing values exceeding 84% for all PPI enriched formulations. The glycemic index (GI) of the tarhana samples decreased with increased PPI levels. Tarhana soups made from PPI: WF of 80:20 and 100:0 showed GI values 50.5 and 42.6, respectively, enabling them to be classified as low-GI foods. This research highlighted the potential of PPI to enhance the nutritional and functional properties of traditional tarhana.

This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of a novel capsaicinoid glucoside (CG) against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanism. CG treatment significantly reduced H₂O₂-induced cell mortality and attenuated the production of lactate dehydrogenase and malondialdehyde in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, CG drastically reduced the ROS levels 18.7, 37.4, and 43.8% at concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL, respectively. while increased glutathione content and catalase activity. Most importantly, in silico analysis revealed that CG effectively interacted with each of TRPV1 and Nrf2 by H-bonds, π-π interactions, and hydrophobic forces without simulation fluctuations over 50 ns. TRP, LYS, THR, LEU, GLN, VAL, ILE, and TYR residues of the tested proteins were all involved in the interaction with CG. These findings suggested that CG could reduce H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells via TRPV1/Nrf2 pathway which could be validated in functional foods/supplements formulations.

Monk fruit is the mature fruit of Siraitia grosvenorii (Swingle) C. Jeffrey (SG), which contains mogrosides and various nutrients with diverse benefits as a traditional edible herb. The immunomodulatory effects of the ingredients of monk fruit in daily diets are poorly understood. Monk fruit juice concentrate is a commercial product of monk fruit and in this study, the immune-enhancing activity, immunosuppressive prevention, and gut microbiota modulatory effects of the long-term consumption of its diluent (called SG juice) in daily drinking were investigated in both healthy and cyclophosphamide (CTX)-treated mice. The results indicated that SG juice consumption was beneficial to weight management and improved immunity in mice by enhancing various immune factors. 16S rRNA analysis found that SG juice impacted the diversity and gut microbiota composition with the enrichment of immune-related flora, including Alloprevotella, Bifidobacterium_pseudolongum, Lactobacillus, and Bacteroides_sartorii. Additionally, the daily intake of SG juice exerted preventive effects on immunosuppressive mice with the recovery of reduced body weight and immunoglobulin levels, and restoration of gut microbiota imbalance. These data provide scientific insights into the immunomodulatory effects of monk fruit and foresee its application in functional foods.

Beverages formulated from alternative proteins, such as amaranth, are gaining attraction due to changes in human dietary patterns and environmental concerns like resource use and biodiversity loss. This study focuses on assessing the bioactive peptide release from an amaranth protein beverage. This beverage was subjected to a static simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SGD) protocol to evaluate its bioaccessibility and functional potential. The digests were analyzed for in vitro antihypertensive, antioxidant, and antithrombotic activities. Additionally, digested peptide sequences were identified via LC-MS/MS. The results showed that SGD significantly enhanced the release of bioactive peptides, leading to increased ACE inhibition, antioxidant capacity against ABTS + and AAPH-induced radicals, and antithrombotic effects in clotting assays. LC-MS/MS analysis identified 31 peptides in the digests, ranging from 9 to 21 amino acids, associated with various bioactivities. These findings highlight amaranth proteins potential as a source of functional peptides with health-promoting properties. Further research must be done to isolate and characterize specific peptides for potential therapeutic applications.

Wide variety of consumable leafy vegetables are present in the nature but most of them are neither utilised nor scientifically investigated. Nutraceutical potential of these plants should be studied to enrich our knowledge, thus making them part of balanced diets. In view of this objective, three leafy vegetables were selected viz., Cassia tora (L.) Roxb., Acalypha fruiticosa Forssk. and Talinum portulacifolium (Forssk.) Asch. ex Schweinf. Phytochemical screening of the leaves collected from these plants was done in four solvents which revealed the presence of many secondary metabolites. Estimation of bioactive components revealed that the total phenolics (22.84 mgGAEg^-1), flavonoids (4.60 mgQEg^-1) and ascorbic acid (37.34 mg100g^-1) were accounted highest in C. tora whereas lycopene (12.61 mg100g^-1) and β-carotene (13.79 mg100g^-1) in C. tora were on par with A. fruiticosa (12.45 mg100g^-1 lycopene and 12.51 mg100g^-1 β-carotene). Anthocyanin content was highest in T. portulacifolium (23.62 mg100g^-1). The antioxidant activity was estimated using three assays and the maximum antioxidant activity was recorded in C. tora with lowest IC₅₀ values of 431.94 µgmL^-1, 30.58 µgmL^-1 and 107.59 µgmL^-1 in DPPH, FRAP and ABTS assays, respectively. Among the three wild edible plants, C. tora recorded the highest concentration of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity.

Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (fenugreek) seeds are widely used in the preparation of various meals and in traditional health care to treat various disorders and diseases, especially Diabetes mellitus. This study was conducted to investigate the antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of the fenugreek seed extract on fructose-induced diabetic wistar rats. Indeed, 5 groups of rats were formed; the first and second groups were composed of normal rats treated with distilled water and fenugreek seed extract, respectively. The third, fourth, and fifth groups composed of diabetic rats were administered distilled water, 500 mg/kg of fenugreek seed extract, and 25 µg/kg. bw of a standard antidiabetic drug consecutively for 28 days. The repeated ingestion of fenugreek seed generated a significant rise (p < 0.05) of food and water consumption in diabetic rats as compared to the rats treated with distilled water. Furthermore, fenugreek seed extract caused a remarkable elevation of the body weights of diabetic rats in comparison with other groups. Additionally, chronic treatment of rats with fenugreek seed extract improved fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol and triglycerides levels in diabetic rats. Fenugreek seed extract has significant anti-diabetic activity by reducing the fasting blood sugar and ameliorating the lipid parameters of diabetic rats. However, more studies are required to isolate the phytochemical constituents that possess these activities and elucidate their mechanisms of action.

The increasing concern over microbial resistance to conventional antimicrobial agents used in food preservation has led to growing interest in plant-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as alternative solutions. In this study, the antimicrobial mechanisms of chia seed-derived peptides YACLKVK, KLKKNL, KLLKKYL, and KKLLKI were investigated against Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Escherichia coli (EC). Fluorometric assays and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that the peptides disrupt bacterial membranes, with propidium iodide (PI) uptake reaching 72.34% in SA, calcein release of 98.27%, and N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine (NPN) uptake of 84.35% in EC. Increased membrane permeabilization was observed at concentrations above 5 mg/mL. SEM results further confirmed significant morphological changes, supporting the observed membrane damage. Additionally, the peptides showed intracellular activity by altering EC DNA mobility, suggesting a secondary antimicrobial mechanism through DNA interaction. These results indicate that the peptides are promising antimicrobials with potential mechanisms beyond membrane disruption, highlighting the need for further research to comprehensively understand their antimicrobial mechanisms.

Cellulite is an aesthetically distressing skin condition occurring in 80-90% of females and manifesting as dimples and depressions, producing an uneven surface to the skin. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of combined oral consumption of two dietary supplements based on chokeberry and tart cherry juices over a period of 32 days on cellulite reduction. Twenty women aged 21-49 with a cellulite grade of 1-2 according to the Nurnberger-Muller scale were participating in the study. Ultrasonography was applied to analyze the skin structure in addition to biochemical and anthropometric parameters, which were measured before starting the treatment and after 32 days. A reduction in the thickness of the dermis with subcutaneous fat tissue, subcutaneous fat tissue alone, epidermis, and dermis with epidermis (15.02, 14.34, 21.98, and 20.94%, respectively) was noticed, while the length of the fascicles was reduced by 35.93%. Out of 20 subjects, 11 (57.9%) had edema of the dermis at the beginning of the study, which was not recorded at the end of the study. Moreover, a statistically significant increase in the tissue doppler (TD) signals was recorded in all subjects treated with two dietary supplements, indicating a better blood supply. Changes in anthropometric and biochemical parameters were not recorded. Creatinine, urea, ALT, and AST values, as indicators of kidney and liver function, remained at normal reference levels, pointing out the product's safety. The positive effect of chokeberry and tart cherry juice-based dietary supplements consumption in cellulite condition could be connected with microcirculation improvements.