Correction for ‘Folic acid intervention changes liver Foxp3 methylation and ameliorates the damage caused by Th17/Treg imbalance after long-term alcohol exposure’ by Huichao Zhao et al., Food Funct., 2022, 13, 5262–5274, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1FO04267J.
High internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) have shown promising potential as advanced delivery systems for encapsulation and controlled release of bioactive compounds. In this study, soy protein isolate (SPI) and fucoidan (FUC) complexes were employed to stabilize HIPPEs, which were systematically characterized for their physicochemical, rheological, and microstructural properties. The results showed that the SPI/FUC-HIPPEs exhibited enhanced stability over 30 days, with the optimal FUC concentration (0.5%) and neutral pH conditions promoting the formation of a compact, multilayered interfacial film, resulting in a low creaming index (9.12%) that confirmed high stability. Rheological analysis revealed gel-like viscoelastic behavior with superior thixotropic recovery (exceeding 75%) and good thermal stability, underpinning structural resilience. When loaded with naringenin (NAR), these emulsions significantly improved the compound's stability, retaining 89.94% of NAR after 24 h of UV irradiation, compared to only 57.93% in MCT oil. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion demonstrated that SPI/FUC-HIPPEs preserved NAR integrity (83.37% stability) and enhanced its bioaccessibility to 73.20%. Cellular studies confirmed enhanced NAR absorption. The overall in vitro bioavailability reached 17.10%, representing a 3.6-fold increase compared with the control. This enhancement was associated with multiple energy-dependent endocytic pathways as well as paracellular transport. Furthermore, digested NAR-HIPPEs exhibited superior anti-inflammatory effects in macrophage models. Importantly, SPI/FUC-HIPPEs demonstrated excellent 3D printability, with SPI/FUC complexes conferring superior mechanical strength and shape fidelity. Overall, these findings establish SPI/FUC-HIPPEs as promising, multifunctional delivery systems for hydrophobic nutraceuticals, combining enhanced stability, bioavailability, and 3D printing performance.
Resistant starch (RS) stabilizes postprandial blood glucose levels through multiple mechanisms and offers distinct advantages in preventing and managing metabolic diseases such as diabetes. This study introduces a novel plant exosome-starch composite system, combining Tartary buckwheat starch (TBS) and ginger exosomes (GELNs), referred to as the TBS–GELNs composite resistant starch (GTBS). Multi-scale physicochemical analysis revealed the molecular interaction mechanisms: composite formation significantly altered the microstructure of gelatinized starch. GELNs interacted with TBS through hydrogen bonds, enhancing starch crystallinity and short-range ordering, thus reducing its digestibility. The metabolic effects of GTBS on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice were further examined. The results indicated that GTBS markedly decreased fasting blood glucose and lipid levels, alleviated some organ damage, and improved gut microbiota composition by enhancing the structure and abundance of beneficial bacterial populations. This study provides novel insights and a theoretical basis for the regulation of postprandial blood glucose via composite starch-based biomolecules, offering promising strategies for developing staple food products that integrate nutritional value with biological activity.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a mitochondrial electron carrier and antioxidant widely used in cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and metabolic disorders; however, its oral efficacy is severely limited by extremely low aqueous solubility, high crystallinity, and poor bioavailability. Although several lipid-based and nanoformulations have been explored, many suffer from limited stability, incomplete suppression of crystallinity, or modest pharmacokinetic improvement. The objective of this study was to develop a stable, scalable liposomal CoQ10 formulation and to evaluate its physicochemical properties and human oral bioavailability. Metazomal CoQ10 (MCQ) was developed using Metazome technology, in which CoQ10 was incorporated into phospholipid bilayers reinforced with gum arabic nanospheres and converted into a dry, reconstitutable liposomal powder by spray drying. MCQ formed nanosized (∼185 nm), spherical vesicles with high encapsulation efficiency (88.6 ± 2.3%), favorable loading capacity (14.2 ± 0.8%), strong electrostatic stability (zeta potential −41.16 mV), and amorphous molecular dispersion of CoQ10. The formulation retained >90% of CoQ10 after 180 days at room temperature. In a randomized, open-label, crossover study in healthy volunteers, MCQ demonstrated significantly improved pharmacokinetics compared with conventional CoQ10 (CCQ), including a 4.3-fold increase in AUC0−t, a 3.6-fold increase in Cmax, prolonged Tmax, extended half-life, and a lower elimination rate constant (p < 0.01). The integrated Metazome-based architecture represents a key innovation by combining amorphization, nanoscale liposomal delivery, and structural stabilization, resulting in superior stability and markedly enhanced human bioavailability. MCQ therefore offers strong potential for nutraceutical and therapeutic applications requiring improved and sustained CoQ10 exposure.
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory bowel disease with an increasing global burden. Although various terpenoids have demonstrated significant efficacy against UC, the therapeutic mechanism of bornyl acetate (BA), a monocyclic diterpene derived from pine needle essential oil (PNEO), remains unclear. This study systematically investigated the anti-inflammatory effects and microbiota-modulating mechanisms of PNEO and BA by using an integrated approach that combined in vitro and in vivo models with 16S rRNA sequencing. These results showed that while PNEO significantly inhibited pro-inflammatory mediators like NO and TNF-α, its therapeutic efficacy against UC was modest. In contrast, BA exerted potent anti-inflammatory effects by downregulating the transcriptional activity of p65 in the NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, BA enhanced the transcription and expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, claudin-1, and occludin), thereby restoring intestinal barrier integrity in mice with UC. Moreover, BA treatment effectively suppressed the abnormal expansion of opportunistic pathogens (Erysipelotrichaceae, Saccharimonadaceae, Escherichia-Shigella, Turicibacter, Ruminococcus and Candidatus Saccharimonas) while significantly promoting the proliferation of the potential probiotic Akkermansia. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the abundance of Akkermansia was negatively correlated with p65 transcriptional activity in the NF-κB pathway but positively correlated with anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and the mRNA levels of barrier proteins (ZO-1 and occludin). In conclusion, these findings indicated that BA alleviates UC through a synergistic mechanism encompassing NF-κB pathway inhibition, microbiota homeostasis restoration and intestinal barrier repair. This discovery offers a theoretical basis for novel functional foods leveraging terpenoids to restore gut microecological balance.
Correction for ‘Improvement effect of a next-generation probiotic L. plantarum-pMG36e-GLP-1 on type 2 diabetes mellitus via the gut–pancreas–liver axis’ by Hong Hu et al., Food Funct., 2023, 14, 3179–3195, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3FO00044C.
Obesity induces metabolic disturbances, chronic inflammation, and gut dysbiosis, increasing the risk of metabolic syndrome and related diseases. Functional foods rich in bioactive compounds are promising strategies to modulate some of these metabolic pathways. Brazil hosts one of the most biodiverse floras in the world, with native fruits rich in bioactive compounds that remain underexplored. Among these, jabuticaba (Plinia spp.), a Brazilian berry, is rich in phenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins, which confer antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic benefits. This systematic review aimed to evaluate whether jabuticaba consumption can attenuate the changes caused by a high-fat diet on obesity-related outcomes in vivo. Following PRISMA guidelines, 323 articles were identified from four databases, and 21 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. Interventions included jabuticaba powder or extracts from the whole fruit or peel. Findings showed that jabuticaba intake reduced inflammatory markers and oxidative stress in adipose tissue, liver, colon, and skeletal muscle, improved insulin sensitivity, and glucose tolerance. Additionally, it reduced weight gain and adiposity, promoted improvements in the blood lipid profile, reduced hepatic steatosis, modulated fecal pH and lipid content, strengthened the intestinal barrier, and remodeled the gut microbiota. Although studies show promising metabolic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of jabuticaba in obesity models, variability in study designs, dosages, and intervention protocols limits comparability. Evidence on bioavailability and mechanisms remains scarce. Further research is needed to confirm the safety, efficacy, and bioavailability of jabuticaba in humans. This review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024599910).
Typical and atypical declines in cognitive function, as well as increases in chronic, low-grade inflammation and impaired vascular function are all impacted by the ageing process. Flavonoid-rich foods/beverages have been extensively shown to impact human cognition and to modulate immune and/or vascular function, although the cause-and-effect relationship between these factors is unclear. Here, we examine the acute (2 hours) and short-term (8 days) effects of anthocyanin-rich black rice on cognition, inflammation, and vascular function in older adults. Twenty-four older adults (65 ± 7 years) participated in a randomized, single-blind, crossover trial with one-week washout periods. Participants consumed either 210 g of anthocyanin-rich black rice (208 mg of anthocyanins) or the brown rice control (0 mg of anthocyanins) daily for 9 days. Acute effects were assessed 2 hours after consumption on days 1 and 9, and short-term effects were evaluated after completing 8 days of intake. Cognitive performance (RAVLT, digit span, Stroop, and digit symbol substitution), microvascular blood flow, and blood pressure were measured for both acute and short-term interventions, while serum inflammatory biomarkers were assessed for the short-term intervention. Anthocyanins and phenolic acids in rice were identified by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Data were analyzed using linear mixed models with Bonferroni-corrected comparisons. Eight days of black rice intake significantly improved verbal memory (RAVLT final recall: 12.64 vs. 11.92, p = 0.04; total recall: 52.57 vs. 49.54, p = 0.02) and enhanced digit span backward (change from baseline (CFB) = 0.83, p = 0.03) compared with brown rice. In parallel, black rice significantly reduced interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels (CFB: −0.67, p = 0.03), an effect not seen with the control. Acute black rice consumption attenuated declines in delayed recall (CFB: −1.17, p = 0.09) and recognition (CFB: −0.67, p = 0.19), while significant reductions were observed following brown rice intake. No significant treatment effects were observed for microvascular blood flow or blood pressure. Consumption of anthocyanin-rich black rice for 8 days improved verbal memory and reduced blood IL-6 in older adults. These data suggest for the first time that cognitive benefits induced by anthocyanin-rich black rice may be mediated by anti-inflammatory mechanisms. The clinical trial registry number is NCT06583785 (https://clinicaltrials.gov).
Dietary advanced glycation end products (AGEs), formed during thermal food processing, are associated with metabolic disorders. This study investigated the efficacy of rutin in alleviating AGEs-induced insulin resistance (IR) in a mouse model. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-AGEs diet for 12 weeks to induce IR, followed by 8 weeks of rutin intervention (100 mg per kg body weight per day). Rutin supplementation markedly ameliorated IR, as indicated by reduced hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia, a reduced homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, an elevated insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IS) index, and upregulation of insulin receptor substrates IRS-1 and IRS-2. Metagenomic analysis demonstrated that rutin intervention restored gut microbial richness and diversity and induced structural shifts in the microbiota composition. Specifically, rutin enriched beneficial genera, including Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, Lactobacillus, and Coriobacteriales, while reducing populations of IR-associated taxa such as Erysipelotrichaceae, Coprobacillus, Enterococcus, Adlercreutzia, and Allobaculum. Concurrently, rutin increased fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), notably acetic acid and propionic acid. Spearman's correlation analysis confirmed negative associations between rutin-modulated microbiota and IR indicators. These results demonstrate that rutin mitigates AGEs-induced IR by reshaping the gut microbiome and promoting beneficial microbial metabolites.
The Hippo pathway has attracted scientific interest as a target for anti-inflammation and anti-cancer therapy. Our objective was to elucidate and compare the potential anti-inflammatory mechanism of digested whole flour (DWF), total protein extract (TPE), lunasin-free total protein extract (LFP), and enriched lunasin protein extract (ELPE) from wild-type soybean (Glycine soja) on the Hippo pathway, using a human monocytic cell (THP-1) as a model. ELPE (56% to 73% purity) showed increased lunasin concentrations (52–87 mg g−1 of defatted flour, DF) compared to TPE (16–33 mg g−1, DF). TPE significantly decreased IL-6, MCP-1, and TNF-α production (96%, 76%, and 52%). G. soja inhibited IL-6 production (74%–98%) more effectively compared to MCP-1 (6%–99%). ELPE and TPE significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased the expression of dephosphorylated YAP1 and increased phosphorylated YAP1 (p ≤ 0.05). ELPE significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) cytoplasmic YAP1 retention. G. soja proteins and peptides inhibited inflammation by decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β, and MCP-1, phosphorylating YAP1 and LATS1/2, and increasing YAP1 cytoplasmic retention, thus activating the Hippo pathway. The results suggest that soybean proteins and peptides inhibited inflammation through the Hippo pathway, offering novel developments of functional food ingredients or supplements for a healthier diet.
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