Wenyue Shan, Wei Wei, Yuqi Zhang, Lili Zhang, Yu Zhao, Jia Gu, Le Zhao, Khemayanto Hidayat, Yulong Liu, Yu Chong, Lin Zhao, Liqiang Qin and Jiaying Xu
The imbalance between pyroptosis and mitophagy constitutes a key pathogenic axis in radiation-induced intestinal injury (RIII). Lactoferrin (Lf), a multifunctional glycoprotein with well-recognized antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has not been fully characterized in relation to RIII. This study investigated the potential protective effects of Lf on RIII using rat intestinal epithelial IEC-6 cells exposed to 4 Gy X-ray irradiation and male C57BL/6J mice subjected to 10 Gy total-abdominal irradiation. Radiation induced pyroptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro and in vivo. Lf pretreatment reduced radiation-induced ROS accumulation, inhibited activation of the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)/caspase-1/gasdermin-D (GSDMD) pyroptosis pathway, and activated mitophagy to remove damaged mitochondria in irradiated IEC-6 cells. Consistently, Lf protected against RIII in irradiated mice by promoting mitophagy and suppressing pyroptosis. Mechanistically, these effects involved activation of ubiquitin-dependent (PINK1/Parkin-mediated) and ubiquitin-independent (FUNDC1/BNIP3/NIX receptor-driven) mitophagy pathways. The mitophagy-promoting effect of Lf was more pronounced on day 3.5 after radiation than on day 14. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of mitophagy with 3-Ma and Mdivi-1 abolished the protective effects of Lf. Collectively, our in vivo and in vitro findings demonstrate that Lf mitigates RIII by facilitating early clearance of damaged mitochondria, thereby inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and suppressing pyroptosis.
{"title":"Lactoferrin protects against radiation-induced intestinal injury by regulating pyroptosis and mitophagy","authors":"Wenyue Shan, Wei Wei, Yuqi Zhang, Lili Zhang, Yu Zhao, Jia Gu, Le Zhao, Khemayanto Hidayat, Yulong Liu, Yu Chong, Lin Zhao, Liqiang Qin and Jiaying Xu","doi":"10.1039/D5FO04989J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO04989J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The imbalance between pyroptosis and mitophagy constitutes a key pathogenic axis in radiation-induced intestinal injury (RIII). Lactoferrin (Lf), a multifunctional glycoprotein with well-recognized antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has not been fully characterized in relation to RIII. This study investigated the potential protective effects of Lf on RIII using rat intestinal epithelial IEC-6 cells exposed to 4 Gy X-ray irradiation and male C57BL/6J mice subjected to 10 Gy total-abdominal irradiation. Radiation induced pyroptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em>. Lf pretreatment reduced radiation-induced ROS accumulation, inhibited activation of the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)/caspase-1/gasdermin-D (GSDMD) pyroptosis pathway, and activated mitophagy to remove damaged mitochondria in irradiated IEC-6 cells. Consistently, Lf protected against RIII in irradiated mice by promoting mitophagy and suppressing pyroptosis. Mechanistically, these effects involved activation of ubiquitin-dependent (PINK1/Parkin-mediated) and ubiquitin-independent (FUNDC1/BNIP3/NIX receptor-driven) mitophagy pathways. The mitophagy-promoting effect of Lf was more pronounced on day 3.5 after radiation than on day 14. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of mitophagy with 3-Ma and Mdivi-1 abolished the protective effects of Lf. Collectively, our <em>in vivo</em> and <em>in vitro</em> findings demonstrate that Lf mitigates RIII by facilitating early clearance of damaged mitochondria, thereby inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and suppressing pyroptosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 2","pages":" 1045-1060"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145950881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Li Jiao, Jiangdong Zou, Huanhuan Ma, Danfei Huang and Chang Li
This study employed ultrasonic-assisted DES technology to extract jujube polysaccharides (ZJP) and investigated the effects of α-galactosidase modification on their structural characteristics and prebiotic functions. The modified polysaccharide (α-ZJP) exhibited significant alterations in physicochemical properties, including reduced neutral sugar and protein content, increased reducing sugars and uronic acids, and a shifted molecular weight distribution due to selective cleavage of galactose and rhamnose residues. Structural analysis confirmed the retention of key functional groups and revealed a transformed morphology from smooth sheets to a porous, sponge-like architecture. In vitro fermentation demonstrated that α-ZJP promoted rapid initial microbial growth and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, by enriching Firmicutes and Lachnospiraceae. In contrast, unmodified ZJP showed sustained fermentation, yielding higher total SCFAs and selectively promoting butyrate-producing bacteria like Coriobacteriaceae. Both polysaccharides enhanced microbial diversity and SCFA accumulation, indicating their potential as prebiotics for gut health through distinct structure-dependent mechanisms.
{"title":"Regulatory effects of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) polysaccharides on intestinal microbiota before and after α-galactosidase-mediated degradation","authors":"Li Jiao, Jiangdong Zou, Huanhuan Ma, Danfei Huang and Chang Li","doi":"10.1039/D5FO04469C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO04469C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study employed ultrasonic-assisted DES technology to extract jujube polysaccharides (ZJP) and investigated the effects of α-galactosidase modification on their structural characteristics and prebiotic functions. The modified polysaccharide (α-ZJP) exhibited significant alterations in physicochemical properties, including reduced neutral sugar and protein content, increased reducing sugars and uronic acids, and a shifted molecular weight distribution due to selective cleavage of galactose and rhamnose residues. Structural analysis confirmed the retention of key functional groups and revealed a transformed morphology from smooth sheets to a porous, sponge-like architecture. <em>In vitro</em> fermentation demonstrated that α-ZJP promoted rapid initial microbial growth and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, by enriching Firmicutes and Lachnospiraceae. In contrast, unmodified ZJP showed sustained fermentation, yielding higher total SCFAs and selectively promoting butyrate-producing bacteria like Coriobacteriaceae. Both polysaccharides enhanced microbial diversity and SCFA accumulation, indicating their potential as prebiotics for gut health through distinct structure-dependent mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 2","pages":" 930-941"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145888426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Samira Prado, Annalena Kamm, Katharina Dannenberg, Isabel Keidel, Victor Castro-Alves, Tuulia Hyötyläinen, Marleen Lentjes, Dirk Repsilber, Tatiana M. Marques and Robert J. Brummer
Shifting to a plant-based diet naturally alters protein source choices. In many countries, protein from yellow pea is widely used as a main ingredient in meat alternatives. Still, its biological effects, especially regarding gastrointestinal health, remain incompletely understood. The aim of our study was to investigate how a weekly increase in the intake of a well-characterized pea protein isolate affects surrogate markers of health, fecal short-chain fatty acids and gut microbiota composition in healthy individuals. Male and female adults (N = 29) participated in this exploratory intervention study. A 4-week pre-intervention period for questionnaires and fecal samples collection was followed by a 4-week supplementation. Participants consumed isolated pea protein in weekly increasing amounts, starting from 0.25 g per kg body mass per day in week 5 to 1.00 g per kg body mass per day in week 8. Questionnaire data, fecal samples as well as fasting blood and 24 h urine samples were collected weekly. Data from biological samples and questionnaires confirmed a healthy study population and compliance. Fecal calprotectin levels significantly increased only in a subset of participants, which was accompanied by higher fecal water cytotoxicity in vitro. Short-chain fatty acids mainly rose in those subjects with stable calprotectin levels. Relative abundances of Limosilactobacillus frumenti, Odoribacter splanchnicus and Lactobacillus crispatus increased significantly in the total population during the intervention while the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium catenulatum decreased. Our results indicate that an increased intake of pea protein isolate affects the growth of certain beneficial bacterial strains and differentially influences markers related to gut inflammation in healthy individuals.
{"title":"Effects of incrementally increased plant-based protein intake on gut microbiota and inflammatory–metabolic biomarkers in healthy adults","authors":"Samira Prado, Annalena Kamm, Katharina Dannenberg, Isabel Keidel, Victor Castro-Alves, Tuulia Hyötyläinen, Marleen Lentjes, Dirk Repsilber, Tatiana M. Marques and Robert J. Brummer","doi":"10.1039/D5FO02653A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO02653A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Shifting to a plant-based diet naturally alters protein source choices. In many countries, protein from yellow pea is widely used as a main ingredient in meat alternatives. Still, its biological effects, especially regarding gastrointestinal health, remain incompletely understood. The aim of our study was to investigate how a weekly increase in the intake of a well-characterized pea protein isolate affects surrogate markers of health, fecal short-chain fatty acids and gut microbiota composition in healthy individuals. Male and female adults (<em>N</em> = 29) participated in this exploratory intervention study. A 4-week pre-intervention period for questionnaires and fecal samples collection was followed by a 4-week supplementation. Participants consumed isolated pea protein in weekly increasing amounts, starting from 0.25 g per kg body mass per day in week 5 to 1.00 g per kg body mass per day in week 8. Questionnaire data, fecal samples as well as fasting blood and 24 h urine samples were collected weekly. Data from biological samples and questionnaires confirmed a healthy study population and compliance. Fecal calprotectin levels significantly increased only in a subset of participants, which was accompanied by higher fecal water cytotoxicity <em>in vitro</em>. Short-chain fatty acids mainly rose in those subjects with stable calprotectin levels. Relative abundances of <em>Limosilactobacillus frumenti</em>, <em>Odoribacter splanchnicus</em> and <em>Lactobacillus crispatus</em> increased significantly in the total population during the intervention while the relative abundance of <em>Bifidobacterium longum</em> and <em>Bifidobacterium catenulatum</em> decreased. Our results indicate that an increased intake of pea protein isolate affects the growth of certain beneficial bacterial strains and differentially influences markers related to gut inflammation in healthy individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 2","pages":" 942-956"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/fo/d5fo02653a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145891773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hui-Yun Tsai, Zhi-Ling Liu, Ching-Yi Kuan, Chi-Tang Ho and Yu-Kuo Chen
3′-Hydroxypterostilbene (OHPt), a hydroxylated derivative of pterostilbene (Pt) naturally occurring in dietary plant sources, was evaluated for its anti-prostate cancer potential. In PC-3 cells, OHPt markedly reduced viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner, exhibiting stronger growth inhibition than Pt, implying that hydroxyl substitution at the 3′ position enhances anti-proliferative activity. Mechanistic studies revealed that OHPt triggered both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis, evidenced by mitochondrial membrane depolarization, activation of caspase-8, -9, and -3, and an increased Bax/Bcl-xL ratio. Additionally, OHPt promoted autophagic cell death, upregulating Beclin-1, LC3-II expression, and autophagosome formation. In a PC-3 xenograft nude mouse model, OHPt administration significantly suppressed tumor growth without apparent toxicity, accompanied by reduced COX-2 and MMP-9 protein levels and increased LC3-II expression. These findings suggest that OHPt displays strong anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo, achieved via coordinated activation of apoptotic and autophagic mechanisms, thereby supporting its potential as a therapeutic candidate for prostate cancer.
{"title":"3′-Hydroxypterostilbene suppresses prostate cancer via apoptosis and autophagy in vitro and potent tumor growth inhibition in vivo","authors":"Hui-Yun Tsai, Zhi-Ling Liu, Ching-Yi Kuan, Chi-Tang Ho and Yu-Kuo Chen","doi":"10.1039/D5FO04237B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO04237B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >3′-Hydroxypterostilbene (OHPt), a hydroxylated derivative of pterostilbene (Pt) naturally occurring in dietary plant sources, was evaluated for its anti-prostate cancer potential. In PC-3 cells, OHPt markedly reduced viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner, exhibiting stronger growth inhibition than Pt, implying that hydroxyl substitution at the 3′ position enhances anti-proliferative activity. Mechanistic studies revealed that OHPt triggered both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis, evidenced by mitochondrial membrane depolarization, activation of caspase-8, -9, and -3, and an increased Bax/Bcl-xL ratio. Additionally, OHPt promoted autophagic cell death, upregulating Beclin-1, LC3-II expression, and autophagosome formation. In a PC-3 xenograft nude mouse model, OHPt administration significantly suppressed tumor growth without apparent toxicity, accompanied by reduced COX-2 and MMP-9 protein levels and increased LC3-II expression. These findings suggest that OHPt displays strong anti-tumor activity <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em>, achieved <em>via</em> coordinated activation of apoptotic and autophagic mechanisms, thereby supporting its potential as a therapeutic candidate for prostate cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 2","pages":" 1018-1031"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145931258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pan Yang, Zhi Zhao, Yan Liu, Jian He, Huiyu Chen, Kaishuai Zhang, Yicheng Wang, You Sun, Yifan Wang, Yining Liu, Sufang Duan, Jie Guo, Qingtao Zhou, Liang Zhao, Yue Sang, Ran Wang and Shoujuan Yu
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses a global threat to public health. While dietary fiber and plant extracts have been individually shown to exert hypoglycemic effects, the potential synergistic impact of their combined intervention on T2DM has yet to be fully elucidated. T2DM model control (MC) mice were established by administering mice with high-fat diets and streptozotocin. Resistant dextrin and mulberry leaf extract (MR) significantly decreased fasting blood glucose (FBG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels compared with MC. Notably, MR lowered the FBG and HbA1c levels better than resistant dextrin or mulberry leaf extract alone. MR significantly upregulated hepatic mRNA expression involved in glycogen synthesis and glucose uptake while downregulating the genes related to gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis. Meanwhile, MR markedly improved gut microbiota diversity and selectively enriched bacterial taxa associated with SCFAs, such as acetic and propionic acids. Collectively, MR enhances glycemic control by modulating hepatic glucose metabolism, enriching SCFA-producing bacterial taxa, increasing SCFA levels, and alleviating insulin resistance.
{"title":"Study on the efficacy and mechanism of resistant dextrin combined with mulberry leaf extract in ameliorating type 2 diabetes mellitus","authors":"Pan Yang, Zhi Zhao, Yan Liu, Jian He, Huiyu Chen, Kaishuai Zhang, Yicheng Wang, You Sun, Yifan Wang, Yining Liu, Sufang Duan, Jie Guo, Qingtao Zhou, Liang Zhao, Yue Sang, Ran Wang and Shoujuan Yu","doi":"10.1039/D5FO03880D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO03880D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses a global threat to public health. While dietary fiber and plant extracts have been individually shown to exert hypoglycemic effects, the potential synergistic impact of their combined intervention on T2DM has yet to be fully elucidated. T2DM model control (MC) mice were established by administering mice with high-fat diets and streptozotocin. Resistant dextrin and mulberry leaf extract (MR) significantly decreased fasting blood glucose (FBG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels compared with MC. Notably, MR lowered the FBG and HbA1c levels better than resistant dextrin or mulberry leaf extract alone. MR significantly upregulated hepatic mRNA expression involved in glycogen synthesis and glucose uptake while downregulating the genes related to gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis. Meanwhile, MR markedly improved gut microbiota diversity and selectively enriched bacterial taxa associated with SCFAs, such as acetic and propionic acids. Collectively, MR enhances glycemic control by modulating hepatic glucose metabolism, enriching SCFA-producing bacterial taxa, increasing SCFA levels, and alleviating insulin resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 2","pages":" 902-916"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145814945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zahra Hajhashemy, Mohammad Bagherniya, Omid Sadeghi, Fariborz Khorvash and Gholamreza Askari
<p > <em>Background</em>: Regarding the antioxidant content of saffron, it could be beneficial for diseases linked to oxidative stress, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there were limited human studies on the efficacy of saffron supplements on PD. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this subject. <em>Method</em>: The current study is a triple-blind, randomized, parallel clinical trial, which investigated the effect of 100 mg d<small><sup>−1</sup></small> saffron powder or placebo on 92 patients with PD for 12 weeks. The analyses were conducted based on an intention-to-treat approach. <em>Results</em>: The age and BMI (mean ± SE) were 68.36 ± 1.0 years and 27.09 ± 0.45 kg m<small><sup>−2</sup></small>, respectively. Comparing the mean changes of the saffron and placebo groups confirmed significant favorable effects of saffron on C-reactive protein (CRP) values (adjusted mean difference: −3.84 mg L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> and 95% CI: −5.61, −2.08; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> < 0.001), distress (adjusted mean difference: −4.40 and 95% CI: −8.43, −0.37; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.03), anxiety (adjusted mean difference: −4.75 and 95% CI: −8.30, −1.20; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.009), depression (adjusted mean difference: −4.58 and 95% CI: −8.34, −0.81; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.01), cognitive status (adjusted mean difference: 0.78 and 95% CI: 0.16, 1.40; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.01), sleep quality (adjusted mean difference: 14.76 and 95% CI: 3.20, 26.32; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.01), fatigue (adjusted mean difference: −9.20 and 95% CI: −13.76, −4.65; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> < 0.001) and indices of quality of life including mobility (adjusted mean difference: −6.43 and 95% CI: −12.32, −0.54; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.03), daily activity (adjusted mean difference: −6.62 and 95% CI: −12.89, −0.34; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.03), cognitive impairment (adjusted mean difference: −8.07 and 95% CI: −14.39, −1.75; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.01), bodily discomfort (adjusted mean difference: −7.50 and 95% CI: −13.93, −1.06; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.02), and Parkinson's Disease Summary Index (PDSI) (adjusted mean difference: −4.86 and 95% CI: −7.48, −2.25; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> < 0.001). Additionally, the saffron group in comparison with the placebo group showed marginal decreases in the values of malondialdehyde (adjusted mean difference: −0.32 nmol mL<small><sup>−1</sup></small> and 95% CI: −0.69, 0.03; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.07). No side effect was observed in the groups. <em>Conclusion</em>: The current analysis confirmed the efficacy of 100 mg d<small><sup>−1</sup></small> saffron supplementation in patients with PD for 12 weeks. So, saffron supplementation could be a
{"title":"The effect of saffron supplementation on indices of oxidative stress, inflammation, mental health, and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease: a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial","authors":"Zahra Hajhashemy, Mohammad Bagherniya, Omid Sadeghi, Fariborz Khorvash and Gholamreza Askari","doi":"10.1039/D5FO01924A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO01924A","url":null,"abstract":"<p > <em>Background</em>: Regarding the antioxidant content of saffron, it could be beneficial for diseases linked to oxidative stress, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there were limited human studies on the efficacy of saffron supplements on PD. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this subject. <em>Method</em>: The current study is a triple-blind, randomized, parallel clinical trial, which investigated the effect of 100 mg d<small><sup>−1</sup></small> saffron powder or placebo on 92 patients with PD for 12 weeks. The analyses were conducted based on an intention-to-treat approach. <em>Results</em>: The age and BMI (mean ± SE) were 68.36 ± 1.0 years and 27.09 ± 0.45 kg m<small><sup>−2</sup></small>, respectively. Comparing the mean changes of the saffron and placebo groups confirmed significant favorable effects of saffron on C-reactive protein (CRP) values (adjusted mean difference: −3.84 mg L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> and 95% CI: −5.61, −2.08; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> < 0.001), distress (adjusted mean difference: −4.40 and 95% CI: −8.43, −0.37; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.03), anxiety (adjusted mean difference: −4.75 and 95% CI: −8.30, −1.20; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.009), depression (adjusted mean difference: −4.58 and 95% CI: −8.34, −0.81; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.01), cognitive status (adjusted mean difference: 0.78 and 95% CI: 0.16, 1.40; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.01), sleep quality (adjusted mean difference: 14.76 and 95% CI: 3.20, 26.32; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.01), fatigue (adjusted mean difference: −9.20 and 95% CI: −13.76, −4.65; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> < 0.001) and indices of quality of life including mobility (adjusted mean difference: −6.43 and 95% CI: −12.32, −0.54; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.03), daily activity (adjusted mean difference: −6.62 and 95% CI: −12.89, −0.34; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.03), cognitive impairment (adjusted mean difference: −8.07 and 95% CI: −14.39, −1.75; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.01), bodily discomfort (adjusted mean difference: −7.50 and 95% CI: −13.93, −1.06; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.02), and Parkinson's Disease Summary Index (PDSI) (adjusted mean difference: −4.86 and 95% CI: −7.48, −2.25; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> < 0.001). Additionally, the saffron group in comparison with the placebo group showed marginal decreases in the values of malondialdehyde (adjusted mean difference: −0.32 nmol mL<small><sup>−1</sup></small> and 95% CI: −0.69, 0.03; <em>P</em><small><sub>ANCOVA</sub></small> = 0.07). No side effect was observed in the groups. <em>Conclusion</em>: The current analysis confirmed the efficacy of 100 mg d<small><sup>−1</sup></small> saffron supplementation in patients with PD for 12 weeks. So, saffron supplementation could be a","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 2","pages":" 889-901"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145814961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lisa Texier, Adeline Vignault, Arnaud Courtois, Grégory Da Costa, Line Pourtau, Benjamin Moras, Tristan Richard and Stéphanie Krisa
Consumption of (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin is associated with beneficial effects on human health. However, their limited systemic circulation in native form suggests that their metabolites may contribute to these effects. The aim of this study was to produce and structurally characterize glucuronide metabolites of (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin, which are not commercially available, and to assess their presence in plasma from volunteers who consumed a blend of grape and wild blueberry extracts. Firstly, four monoglucuronides of each flavanol were produced using rat liver microsomes and characterized by UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS and NMR. Using these compounds, we were able to confirm the presence in human plasma of three glucuronides: one known (−)-epicatechin glucuronide and two previously unidentified (+)-catechin glucuronides. Further research is needed to understand their biological role.
{"title":"In vitro production of (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin glucuronides to better understand the in vivo metabolism of a polyphenol-rich extract (Memophenol™)","authors":"Lisa Texier, Adeline Vignault, Arnaud Courtois, Grégory Da Costa, Line Pourtau, Benjamin Moras, Tristan Richard and Stéphanie Krisa","doi":"10.1039/D5FO03927D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO03927D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Consumption of (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin is associated with beneficial effects on human health. However, their limited systemic circulation in native form suggests that their metabolites may contribute to these effects. The aim of this study was to produce and structurally characterize glucuronide metabolites of (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin, which are not commercially available, and to assess their presence in plasma from volunteers who consumed a blend of grape and wild blueberry extracts. Firstly, four monoglucuronides of each flavanol were produced using rat liver microsomes and characterized by UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS and NMR. Using these compounds, we were able to confirm the presence in human plasma of three glucuronides: one known (−)-epicatechin glucuronide and two previously unidentified (+)-catechin glucuronides. Further research is needed to understand their biological role.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 2","pages":" 917-929"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145814976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mingxi Li, Hongyan Li, Jia Zou, Renqin Li, Haoqi Zhang, Wenhan Yang, Xiyang Wu and Chongzhen Sun
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a growing global health burden with limited therapeutic options. This study investigated the protective effects of mulberry leaf glutelin (UDG) on NAFLD using free fatty acid-induced HepG2 cells and a high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model. UDG inhibited pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase activities in vitro, promoted fecal lipid excretion, and reduced triglyceride and cholesterol accumulation in cells and liver tissue. In vivo, UDG administration significantly alleviated HFD-induced weight gain, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and liver injury (p < 0.05). Serum biochemical analyses showed improvements in ALT, AST, lipid profiles, and lipopolysaccharide levels, accompanied by decreased expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α) and suppression of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, untargeted serum metabolomics revealed that UDG markedly regulated metabolic profiles, with enrichment in pathways related to bile acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and central carbon metabolism. Notably, metabolites such as cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid were negatively correlated with NAFLD indicators and restored by UDG intervention. These findings show that UDG exerts lipid-lowering, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory effects against NAFLD, potentially through modulation of bile acid biosynthesis and serum metabolic pathways. This study highlights mulberry leaf glutelin as a promising plant protein source with functional food potential for NAFLD prevention and management.
{"title":"Ultrafiltered mulberry leaf glutelin mitigates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through modulation of lipid metabolism, inflammation, and serum metabolomics","authors":"Mingxi Li, Hongyan Li, Jia Zou, Renqin Li, Haoqi Zhang, Wenhan Yang, Xiyang Wu and Chongzhen Sun","doi":"10.1039/D5FO04199F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO04199F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a growing global health burden with limited therapeutic options. This study investigated the protective effects of mulberry leaf glutelin (UDG) on NAFLD using free fatty acid-induced HepG2 cells and a high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model. UDG inhibited pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase activities <em>in vitro</em>, promoted fecal lipid excretion, and reduced triglyceride and cholesterol accumulation in cells and liver tissue. <em>In vivo</em>, UDG administration significantly alleviated HFD-induced weight gain, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and liver injury (<em>p</em> < 0.05). Serum biochemical analyses showed improvements in ALT, AST, lipid profiles, and lipopolysaccharide levels, accompanied by decreased expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α) and suppression of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, untargeted serum metabolomics revealed that UDG markedly regulated metabolic profiles, with enrichment in pathways related to bile acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and central carbon metabolism. Notably, metabolites such as cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid were negatively correlated with NAFLD indicators and restored by UDG intervention. These findings show that UDG exerts lipid-lowering, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory effects against NAFLD, potentially through modulation of bile acid biosynthesis and serum metabolic pathways. This study highlights mulberry leaf glutelin as a promising plant protein source with functional food potential for NAFLD prevention and management.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 2","pages":" 819-832"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145809062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hailing Song, Yun Ma, Qian Du, Zeyuan Deng, Yalun Zou, Yadong Miao, Jing Li and Liufeng Zheng
Methionine-containing cyclolinopeptide ([1–9-NαC]-linusorb B2, CLB) and α-linolenic acid (ALA), two anti-inflammatory flaxseed constituents, were investigated for their combined vascular benefits. CLB-enriched orbitides were prepared for long-term high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mouse studies, while high-purity CLB monomer (>97%) was isolated via preparative chromatography for acute in vivo and cell-based assays. Structural confirmation and purity validation were achieved via mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography. CLB-enriched orbitides co-administered with ALA in HFD-fed mice reduced body weight gain, serum trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), dyslipidemia, and vascular inflammation, histologically confirmed by reduced pro-inflammatory mediators and endothelial repair. Purified CLB combined with ALA further demonstrated efficacy in alleviating TMAO-induced acute vascular inflammation in mice. Mechanistically, CLB enhanced ALA metabolism by upregulating key enzymes (lipoxygenases and cytochrome P450) and directly binding to their catalytic pockets. Combined effect loss upon enzyme inhibition confirmed ALA metabolic modulation as the key mechanism. These findings highlight CLB's role in amplifying ALA's efficacy to combat vascular inflammation.
研究了含蛋氨酸的亚麻籽环肽([1-9- n - α c]-亚麻酸B2, CLB)和α-亚麻酸(ALA)两种抗炎成分对血管的综合作用。制备了富含CLB的轨道化合物,用于长期高脂肪饮食(HFD)喂养小鼠的研究,同时通过制备层析分离出高纯度CLB单体(>97%),用于急性体内和细胞基础实验。通过质谱和液相色谱进行结构验证和纯度验证。富含clb的轨道肽与ALA共同给药,hld喂养的小鼠体重增加、血清三甲胺n -氧化物(TMAO)、血脂异常和血管炎症减少,组织学上证实了促炎介质和内皮修复的减少。纯化的CLB联合ALA进一步证明了减轻tmao诱导的小鼠急性血管炎症的疗效。从机制上说,CLB通过上调关键酶(脂氧合酶和细胞色素P450)并直接结合到它们的催化口袋来增强ALA代谢。酶抑制的综合效应损失证实了ALA代谢调节是关键机制。这些发现强调了CLB在增强ALA对抗血管炎症的功效方面的作用。
{"title":"Flaxseed cyclolinopeptide-mediated regulation of α-linolenic acid metabolism alleviates high-fat diet-induced vascular inflammation","authors":"Hailing Song, Yun Ma, Qian Du, Zeyuan Deng, Yalun Zou, Yadong Miao, Jing Li and Liufeng Zheng","doi":"10.1039/D5FO02406D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO02406D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Methionine-containing cyclolinopeptide ([1–9-NαC]-linusorb B2, CLB) and α-linolenic acid (ALA), two anti-inflammatory flaxseed constituents, were investigated for their combined vascular benefits. CLB-enriched orbitides were prepared for long-term high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mouse studies, while high-purity CLB monomer (>97%) was isolated <em>via</em> preparative chromatography for acute <em>in vivo</em> and cell-based assays. Structural confirmation and purity validation were achieved <em>via</em> mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography. CLB-enriched orbitides co-administered with ALA in HFD-fed mice reduced body weight gain, serum trimethylamine <em>N</em>-oxide (TMAO), dyslipidemia, and vascular inflammation, histologically confirmed by reduced pro-inflammatory mediators and endothelial repair. Purified CLB combined with ALA further demonstrated efficacy in alleviating TMAO-induced acute vascular inflammation in mice. Mechanistically, CLB enhanced ALA metabolism by upregulating key enzymes (lipoxygenases and cytochrome P450) and directly binding to their catalytic pockets. Combined effect loss upon enzyme inhibition confirmed ALA metabolic modulation as the key mechanism. These findings highlight CLB's role in amplifying ALA's efficacy to combat vascular inflammation.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 2","pages":" 957-972"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145905286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The field of personalised nutrition is growing and is based on the concept that delivering personalised dietary advice will be more effective than generic healthy eating guidelines for individuals to improve their diet and metabolic health. While there is substantial interest in the field, there is also a need to examine the evidence base. The objective of this review was to examine existing literature on the efficacy of personalised nutrition approaches and to identify research gaps and future needs. A literature search was conducted in PubMed for randomised controlled trials published between 2000 and 2025. Studies investigating the effects of personalised nutrition were included, and relevant papers were identified through the reference lists of existing papers. In total, 24 papers were included, with 12 studies investigating personalised nutrition based on current diet, phenotype, and metabolic biomarkers, five studies examining the effects of genotype-based personalised nutrition, and seven studies exploring approaches based on gut microbiome and machine learning algorithms. Overall, evidence from the included studies indicates that personalised nutrition approaches consistently improved dietary quality and led to significant improvements in metabolic markers, including HbA1c, triglycerides, and insulin sensitivity. However, few studies showed significant between-group differences in weight loss, and most studies did not find significant differences in blood pressure. While the results are promising, there are key challenges and research gaps that remain. Some approaches demonstrated potential for targeted improvements, but further high-quality research is needed to confirm their effectiveness and long-term impact. Future research should prioritise longer-term studies, better stratification of responders and non-responders, and cost-effectiveness evaluations to determine where and for whom personalised nutrition adds the most value.
{"title":"Key evidence for personalised nutrition: a review of randomised controlled trials","authors":"Tilde Martinsen and Lorraine Brennan","doi":"10.1039/D5FO02969D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO02969D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The field of personalised nutrition is growing and is based on the concept that delivering personalised dietary advice will be more effective than generic healthy eating guidelines for individuals to improve their diet and metabolic health. While there is substantial interest in the field, there is also a need to examine the evidence base. The objective of this review was to examine existing literature on the efficacy of personalised nutrition approaches and to identify research gaps and future needs. A literature search was conducted in PubMed for randomised controlled trials published between 2000 and 2025. Studies investigating the effects of personalised nutrition were included, and relevant papers were identified through the reference lists of existing papers. In total, 24 papers were included, with 12 studies investigating personalised nutrition based on current diet, phenotype, and metabolic biomarkers, five studies examining the effects of genotype-based personalised nutrition, and seven studies exploring approaches based on gut microbiome and machine learning algorithms. Overall, evidence from the included studies indicates that personalised nutrition approaches consistently improved dietary quality and led to significant improvements in metabolic markers, including HbA1c, triglycerides, and insulin sensitivity. However, few studies showed significant between-group differences in weight loss, and most studies did not find significant differences in blood pressure. While the results are promising, there are key challenges and research gaps that remain. Some approaches demonstrated potential for targeted improvements, but further high-quality research is needed to confirm their effectiveness and long-term impact. Future research should prioritise longer-term studies, better stratification of responders and non-responders, and cost-effectiveness evaluations to determine where and for whom personalised nutrition adds the most value.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 2","pages":" 646-658"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/fo/d5fo02969d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145909564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}