Pub Date : 2023-11-02DOI: 10.3390/nutraceuticals3040039
Tânia Martins, Tiago Ferreira, Bruno Colaço, Beatriz Medeiros-Fonseca, Maria de Lurdes Pinto, Ana Novo Barros, Carlos Venâncio, Eduardo Rosa, Luís Miguel Antunes, Paula Alexandra Oliveira, Maria João Pires
During the harvesting of the broccoli plant, the leaves are discarded, being considered a by-product that may be up to 47% of total broccoli biomass, representing a large amount of wasted material. The use of broccoli leaves is of great interest in the sense that this wasted material is rich in health promoter compounds, such as isothiocyanates. In this study, C57BL/6J mice ingested 790 mg/kg broccoli leaf flour, and the presence of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in the plasma, liver, kidney, adipose tissue, faeces and urine was analysed at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h post-ingestion. In plasma, only glucoerucin (GE), glucobrassicin (GB), sulforaphane (SFN) and indol-3-carbinol (I3C) were detected, and all four compounds peaked between 4 and 8 h after ingestion. The compounds SFN, SFN-glutathione (SFN-GSH), SFN–cysteine (SFN-CYS) and SFN-N-acetyl-cysteine (SFN-NAC) were excreted in faeces at high levels, while glucoraphanin (GR), the precursor of SFN, was not detected in any biological samples other than urine. In the liver, the compounds GE, SFN-CYS, SFN-NAC and I3C were detected, while in the kidney, only GE, GB and SFN-GSH were present. None of the glucosinolates and isothiocyanates analysed were detected in fat tissue. These results demonstrate that glucosinolates and their derivatives were absorbed into the bloodstream and were bioavailable after ingestion of powdered broccoli leaves.
{"title":"Absorption and Excretion of Glucosinolates and Isothiocyanates after Ingestion of Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var italica) Leaf Flour in Mice: A Preliminary Study","authors":"Tânia Martins, Tiago Ferreira, Bruno Colaço, Beatriz Medeiros-Fonseca, Maria de Lurdes Pinto, Ana Novo Barros, Carlos Venâncio, Eduardo Rosa, Luís Miguel Antunes, Paula Alexandra Oliveira, Maria João Pires","doi":"10.3390/nutraceuticals3040039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/nutraceuticals3040039","url":null,"abstract":"During the harvesting of the broccoli plant, the leaves are discarded, being considered a by-product that may be up to 47% of total broccoli biomass, representing a large amount of wasted material. The use of broccoli leaves is of great interest in the sense that this wasted material is rich in health promoter compounds, such as isothiocyanates. In this study, C57BL/6J mice ingested 790 mg/kg broccoli leaf flour, and the presence of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in the plasma, liver, kidney, adipose tissue, faeces and urine was analysed at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h post-ingestion. In plasma, only glucoerucin (GE), glucobrassicin (GB), sulforaphane (SFN) and indol-3-carbinol (I3C) were detected, and all four compounds peaked between 4 and 8 h after ingestion. The compounds SFN, SFN-glutathione (SFN-GSH), SFN–cysteine (SFN-CYS) and SFN-N-acetyl-cysteine (SFN-NAC) were excreted in faeces at high levels, while glucoraphanin (GR), the precursor of SFN, was not detected in any biological samples other than urine. In the liver, the compounds GE, SFN-CYS, SFN-NAC and I3C were detected, while in the kidney, only GE, GB and SFN-GSH were present. None of the glucosinolates and isothiocyanates analysed were detected in fat tissue. These results demonstrate that glucosinolates and their derivatives were absorbed into the bloodstream and were bioavailable after ingestion of powdered broccoli leaves.","PeriodicalId":93800,"journal":{"name":"Nutraceuticals","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135973796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-11-01DOI: 10.3390/nutraceuticals3040038
Natale Cristine C. Carvalho, Odair S. Monteiro, Claudia Q. da Rocha, Joyce Kelly R. da Silva, José Guilherme S. Maia
Albertia edulis is known as Puruí, and its leaf tea is used in the hypoglycemic and antihypertensive treatments of the Amazon native population. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties of the Puruí pulp fruit. The hydroethanolic (LFP-E), ethyl acetate (LFP-A), and volatile concentrate (LPF-V) extracts of Puruí lyophilized fruit pulp were analyzed via LC-ISI-IT-MS, GC, and GC-MS. Moreover, total phenolic and flavonoid content (TPC and TFC) and TEAC/ABTS and DPPH assays were conducted to determine their antioxidant capacity. Compounds palmitic acid, methyl linolenate, methyl linoleate, palmitic alcohol, benzene acetaldehyde, tridecanal, and furfural were mainly identified in the LPF-V extract. Compounds caffeic and quinic acids, genipin, annonaine, 3′-7-dimethoxy-3-hydroxyflavone, 4′-hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxyflavone, 6-hydroxy-7-epigardoside methyl ester, baicalin, and phloretin-2-O-apiofuranosyl-glucopyranoside were mainly identified in the LFP-E and LFP-A extracts. For LFP-E and LFP-A extracts, TPC values were 5.75 ± 0.75 and 66.75 ± 3.1 mg GAE/g; TFC values were 1.14 ± 0.65 and 50.97 ± 1.2 mg QE/g; DPPH assay showed EC50 values of 1021.65 ± 5.9 and 133.60 ± 3.9 µg/mL; and TEAC/ABTS assay showed values of 28.36 ± 3.7 and 142.26 ± 2.2 µM TE/g. Alibertia edulis fruits are significant sources of phenolic compounds, also showing significant antioxidant capacity. The Puruí fruit seems promising for developing innovative and healthy products for the nutritional food market.
艾伯利亚edulis被称为Puruí，它的叶茶被用于亚马逊原住民的低血糖和降压治疗。本研究旨在评价Puruí果肉果实的植物化学成分和抗氧化性能。采用lc - si - it - ms、GC和GC- ms对Puruí冻干果肉的氢乙醇(LFP-E)、乙酸乙酯(LFP-A)和挥发性浓缩物(LPF-V)提取物进行分析。通过总酚和总黄酮含量(TPC和TFC)、TEAC/ABTS和DPPH测定其抗氧化能力。在llf - v提取物中主要鉴定出棕榈酸、亚油酸甲酯、亚油酸甲酯、棕榈醇、苯乙醛、三管醛和糠醛。在LFP-E和LFP-A提取物中主要鉴定出咖啡酸和奎宁酸、龙尼平、茶花碱、3 ' -7-二甲氧基-3-羟基黄酮、4 ' -羟基-5,7-二甲氧基黄酮、6-羟基-7-表栀子苷甲酯、黄芩苷和邻苯三甲苷-2- o -apiofuranosyl-glucopyranoside。LFP-E和LFP-A提取物的TPC值分别为5.75±0.75和66.75±3.1 mg GAE/g;TFC值分别为1.14±0.65和50.97±1.2 mg QE/g;DPPH测定EC50分别为1021.65±5.9和133.60±3.9µg/mL;TEAC/ABTS测定值分别为28.36±3.7和142.26±2.2µM TE/g。毛竹果实是酚类化合物的重要来源，也显示出显著的抗氧化能力。Puruí水果似乎有望为营养食品市场开发创新和健康的产品。
{"title":"Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Puruí (Alibertia edulis, Rubiaceae), an Edible Dark Purple Fruit from the Brazilian Amazon","authors":"Natale Cristine C. Carvalho, Odair S. Monteiro, Claudia Q. da Rocha, Joyce Kelly R. da Silva, José Guilherme S. Maia","doi":"10.3390/nutraceuticals3040038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/nutraceuticals3040038","url":null,"abstract":"Albertia edulis is known as Puruí, and its leaf tea is used in the hypoglycemic and antihypertensive treatments of the Amazon native population. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties of the Puruí pulp fruit. The hydroethanolic (LFP-E), ethyl acetate (LFP-A), and volatile concentrate (LPF-V) extracts of Puruí lyophilized fruit pulp were analyzed via LC-ISI-IT-MS, GC, and GC-MS. Moreover, total phenolic and flavonoid content (TPC and TFC) and TEAC/ABTS and DPPH assays were conducted to determine their antioxidant capacity. Compounds palmitic acid, methyl linolenate, methyl linoleate, palmitic alcohol, benzene acetaldehyde, tridecanal, and furfural were mainly identified in the LPF-V extract. Compounds caffeic and quinic acids, genipin, annonaine, 3′-7-dimethoxy-3-hydroxyflavone, 4′-hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxyflavone, 6-hydroxy-7-epigardoside methyl ester, baicalin, and phloretin-2-O-apiofuranosyl-glucopyranoside were mainly identified in the LFP-E and LFP-A extracts. For LFP-E and LFP-A extracts, TPC values were 5.75 ± 0.75 and 66.75 ± 3.1 mg GAE/g; TFC values were 1.14 ± 0.65 and 50.97 ± 1.2 mg QE/g; DPPH assay showed EC50 values of 1021.65 ± 5.9 and 133.60 ± 3.9 µg/mL; and TEAC/ABTS assay showed values of 28.36 ± 3.7 and 142.26 ± 2.2 µM TE/g. Alibertia edulis fruits are significant sources of phenolic compounds, also showing significant antioxidant capacity. The Puruí fruit seems promising for developing innovative and healthy products for the nutritional food market.","PeriodicalId":93800,"journal":{"name":"Nutraceuticals","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135221550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In previous studies, Alaska pollack protein intake induced acute and sustainable skeletal muscle hypertrophy in rats. The present study used 5-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats to investigate whether a specific amino acid or amino acid composition is related to Alaska pollack protein-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy. The results suggest that dietary Alaska pollack protein increases the gastrocnemius muscle mass, regardless of specific amino acids including arginine and leucine, which are suggested to increase skeletal muscle mass and amino acid balance in the diet. The oral administration of 333 mg/kg/day Alaska pollack protein significantly increased gastrocnemius muscle weight compared with the oral administration of casein. In this case, the amino acid intake was expected to be almost the same as in the casein group because Alaska pollack protein made up approximately 1/60 of the protein consumed per day. The specific protein or the specific hydrolyzed peptides from Alaska pollack protein or other minor components in Alaska pollack protein may be responsible for gastrocnemius muscle weight hypertrophy.
{"title":"Dietary Alaska Pollack Protein Induces Acute Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Rats, Regardless of Specific Amino Acid and Amino Acid Balance of Diet","authors":"Kenji Uchida, Mina Fujitani, Takafumi Mizushige, Kohsuke Hayamizu, Yuma Hara, Mariko Sawai, Sachi Utsunomiya, Ryota Uehigashi, Shinji Okada, Taro Kishida","doi":"10.3390/nutraceuticals3040037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/nutraceuticals3040037","url":null,"abstract":"In previous studies, Alaska pollack protein intake induced acute and sustainable skeletal muscle hypertrophy in rats. The present study used 5-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats to investigate whether a specific amino acid or amino acid composition is related to Alaska pollack protein-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy. The results suggest that dietary Alaska pollack protein increases the gastrocnemius muscle mass, regardless of specific amino acids including arginine and leucine, which are suggested to increase skeletal muscle mass and amino acid balance in the diet. The oral administration of 333 mg/kg/day Alaska pollack protein significantly increased gastrocnemius muscle weight compared with the oral administration of casein. In this case, the amino acid intake was expected to be almost the same as in the casein group because Alaska pollack protein made up approximately 1/60 of the protein consumed per day. The specific protein or the specific hydrolyzed peptides from Alaska pollack protein or other minor components in Alaska pollack protein may be responsible for gastrocnemius muscle weight hypertrophy.","PeriodicalId":93800,"journal":{"name":"Nutraceuticals","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135618298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-10DOI: 10.3390/nutraceuticals3040036
Theodor-Ioan Badea, Emanuel Vamanu
In a world still recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic, the consequences of which are still not entirely known, the attention of scientists worldwide is drawn to natural products with positive effects on immunity. The starting point for tackling such a subject is proper documentation of substances used in traditional medicine, which usually have significant nutritional and functional values. Among the most well-known of these substances are mushrooms and honey, both of which have been used for thousands of years all around the globe. The following work aims to gather information about the properties of honey and Cordyceps sp. mushrooms by studying the scientific literature available at this point. With the proper use of this information, it will be possible to develop products that incorporate the studied ingredients to increase their functional and medicinal value.
{"title":"Medicinal Properties of Honey and Cordyceps Mushrooms","authors":"Theodor-Ioan Badea, Emanuel Vamanu","doi":"10.3390/nutraceuticals3040036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/nutraceuticals3040036","url":null,"abstract":"In a world still recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic, the consequences of which are still not entirely known, the attention of scientists worldwide is drawn to natural products with positive effects on immunity. The starting point for tackling such a subject is proper documentation of substances used in traditional medicine, which usually have significant nutritional and functional values. Among the most well-known of these substances are mushrooms and honey, both of which have been used for thousands of years all around the globe. The following work aims to gather information about the properties of honey and Cordyceps sp. mushrooms by studying the scientific literature available at this point. With the proper use of this information, it will be possible to develop products that incorporate the studied ingredients to increase their functional and medicinal value.","PeriodicalId":93800,"journal":{"name":"Nutraceuticals","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136358354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-10-04DOI: 10.3390/nutraceuticals3040035
Trevor O. Kirby, Jeremy R. Townsend, Philip A. Sapp, Marlies Govaert, Cindy Duysburgh, Tess M. Marshall, Massimo Marzorati, Ralph Esposito
Recently, there is growing usage of prebiotics and probiotics as dietary supplements due to their purported health benefits. AG1® (AG1) is a novel foundational nutrition supplement which contains vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, wholefood concentrates, adaptogens, and functional mushrooms. AG1 could be classified as a synbiotic because it contains traditional and non-traditional prebiotics (e.g., inulin and phytonutrients) as well as lactic-acid-producing probiotics. The purpose of this study was to employ the Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME®) model, which measures various aspects of gastrointestinal fermentation, to investigate the synbiotic effects of AG1. The SHIME experiment quantified gas production, changes in pH, and byproducts of carbohydrate and protein fermentation at baseline, 1, 24, and 48 h following the administration of AG1 or a blank control. The results indicated that AG1 significantly increased (p < 0.05; 41.9% increase) the production of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including acetate (p = 0.001; 49.0% increase) and propionate (p < 0.001; 70.8% increase). Regarding non-carbohydrate fermentation byproducts, AG1 produced a small but significant increase in ammonium production (p = 0.02; 5.1% increase) but did not promote significant branched-chain SCFA production. These data suggest fermentation occurred in a transplanted human colonic microbiota and these processes were enhanced by the AG1 nutritional supplement. Ultimately, AG1 showed preclinical evidence as a synbiotic given the significant increases in total SCFA production, acetate, propionate, and other metabolic byproducts of fermentation.
{"title":"The Novel Synbiotic, AG1®, Increases Short-Chained Fatty Acid Production in the Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) Model®","authors":"Trevor O. Kirby, Jeremy R. Townsend, Philip A. Sapp, Marlies Govaert, Cindy Duysburgh, Tess M. Marshall, Massimo Marzorati, Ralph Esposito","doi":"10.3390/nutraceuticals3040035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/nutraceuticals3040035","url":null,"abstract":"Recently, there is growing usage of prebiotics and probiotics as dietary supplements due to their purported health benefits. AG1® (AG1) is a novel foundational nutrition supplement which contains vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, wholefood concentrates, adaptogens, and functional mushrooms. AG1 could be classified as a synbiotic because it contains traditional and non-traditional prebiotics (e.g., inulin and phytonutrients) as well as lactic-acid-producing probiotics. The purpose of this study was to employ the Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME®) model, which measures various aspects of gastrointestinal fermentation, to investigate the synbiotic effects of AG1. The SHIME experiment quantified gas production, changes in pH, and byproducts of carbohydrate and protein fermentation at baseline, 1, 24, and 48 h following the administration of AG1 or a blank control. The results indicated that AG1 significantly increased (p < 0.05; 41.9% increase) the production of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including acetate (p = 0.001; 49.0% increase) and propionate (p < 0.001; 70.8% increase). Regarding non-carbohydrate fermentation byproducts, AG1 produced a small but significant increase in ammonium production (p = 0.02; 5.1% increase) but did not promote significant branched-chain SCFA production. These data suggest fermentation occurred in a transplanted human colonic microbiota and these processes were enhanced by the AG1 nutritional supplement. Ultimately, AG1 showed preclinical evidence as a synbiotic given the significant increases in total SCFA production, acetate, propionate, and other metabolic byproducts of fermentation.","PeriodicalId":93800,"journal":{"name":"Nutraceuticals","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135591381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-19DOI: 10.3390/nutraceuticals3030034
Jared T. Seale, Emily A. Garden, John M. T. French, Owen M. McDougal
In the United States (US), tianeptine is sold as a dietary supplement under the trade name Tianaa™. Tianeptine is a synthetic drug prescribed by physicians as an antidepressant in parts of Europe, Asia and South America. The drug is not permitted for use by physicians in the US, because it is a μ-opioid receptor agonist with a propensity for severe addiction. As the incidence of Tianaa™-related opioid addiction across the southern US escalates, the current study aimed to quantify tianeptine in over-the-counter Tianaa™ White, Red, and Green products. The results of this investigation measured tianeptine levels between 3.1 and 10.9 mg per 531 mg capsules. Tianaa™ White capsules consistently contained the least tianeptine, while Green had the most. The close inspection of Tianaa™ products showed that capsule mass varied by as much as 16% from label claim, and the amount of tianeptine per capsule varied by as much as 35% from the average measured amount for each product. Tianaa™ Red contains kava leaf extract, which led to the identification of four kavapyrone components by mass spectrometry. The data presented provide insight into tianeptine quantity and capsule mass variation for Tianaa™ supplements sold to customers naive to the risk of addiction.
{"title":"Analysis of Tianeptine in Dietary Supplements","authors":"Jared T. Seale, Emily A. Garden, John M. T. French, Owen M. McDougal","doi":"10.3390/nutraceuticals3030034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/nutraceuticals3030034","url":null,"abstract":"In the United States (US), tianeptine is sold as a dietary supplement under the trade name Tianaa™. Tianeptine is a synthetic drug prescribed by physicians as an antidepressant in parts of Europe, Asia and South America. The drug is not permitted for use by physicians in the US, because it is a μ-opioid receptor agonist with a propensity for severe addiction. As the incidence of Tianaa™-related opioid addiction across the southern US escalates, the current study aimed to quantify tianeptine in over-the-counter Tianaa™ White, Red, and Green products. The results of this investigation measured tianeptine levels between 3.1 and 10.9 mg per 531 mg capsules. Tianaa™ White capsules consistently contained the least tianeptine, while Green had the most. The close inspection of Tianaa™ products showed that capsule mass varied by as much as 16% from label claim, and the amount of tianeptine per capsule varied by as much as 35% from the average measured amount for each product. Tianaa™ Red contains kava leaf extract, which led to the identification of four kavapyrone components by mass spectrometry. The data presented provide insight into tianeptine quantity and capsule mass variation for Tianaa™ supplements sold to customers naive to the risk of addiction.","PeriodicalId":93800,"journal":{"name":"Nutraceuticals","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135061372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Carotenoids represent a large group of well-known substances, mainly due to their nature as pigments and their beneficial effects on human health. These compounds are found naturally in microorganisms and plants but are not produced by humans, who must consume them through their diet. However, the mere intake of foods containing even large quantities of carotenoids is insufficient to guarantee their optimum absorption and, therefore, the desired beneficial effects. Due to their physicochemical characteristics, carotenoids are poorly stable and mostly insoluble in polar solvents like water. The conservation and improvement of their properties have become crucial objectives for the nutraceutical and functional food sector. Increasingly innovative delivery systems are being tested and developed. In this context, chitosan, a polysaccharide derived from the deacetylation of chitin, available in the exoskeleton of crustaceans and insects and the cell wall of some fungi and marine microalgae, has proved to be highly advantageous. In this review, we summarize the main characteristics of carotenoids, their benefits on human health, and their bioaccessibility and bioavailability for humans. We analyze the most recent carotenoid delivery systems, focusing on the potential of chitosan in preserving and enhancing the beneficial effects of these valuable pigments.
{"title":"Enhancing Carotenoids’ Efficacy by Using Chitosan-Based Delivery Systems","authors":"Alessandra Verardi, Paola Sangiorgio, Catia Giovanna Lopresto, Patrizia Casella, Simona Errico","doi":"10.3390/nutraceuticals3030033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/nutraceuticals3030033","url":null,"abstract":"Carotenoids represent a large group of well-known substances, mainly due to their nature as pigments and their beneficial effects on human health. These compounds are found naturally in microorganisms and plants but are not produced by humans, who must consume them through their diet. However, the mere intake of foods containing even large quantities of carotenoids is insufficient to guarantee their optimum absorption and, therefore, the desired beneficial effects. Due to their physicochemical characteristics, carotenoids are poorly stable and mostly insoluble in polar solvents like water. The conservation and improvement of their properties have become crucial objectives for the nutraceutical and functional food sector. Increasingly innovative delivery systems are being tested and developed. In this context, chitosan, a polysaccharide derived from the deacetylation of chitin, available in the exoskeleton of crustaceans and insects and the cell wall of some fungi and marine microalgae, has proved to be highly advantageous. In this review, we summarize the main characteristics of carotenoids, their benefits on human health, and their bioaccessibility and bioavailability for humans. We analyze the most recent carotenoid delivery systems, focusing on the potential of chitosan in preserving and enhancing the beneficial effects of these valuable pigments.","PeriodicalId":93800,"journal":{"name":"Nutraceuticals","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135826000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-09-01DOI: 10.3390/nutraceuticals3030032
Efstratios Christodoulou, Ana Meca, A. Koutelidakis
Herbal infusions (HI) are a popular type of beverage known for their potential health benefits due to the extraction of phytochemicals and bioactive compounds. The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is a well-known dietary pattern with beneficial effects on health, and Psychological Resilience (PsyR) is a key indicator of mental health and human well-being. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between HI and the MD, as well as their association with PsyR. The study included 398 healthy adults from Greece who participated voluntarily in an online research survey. The results indicated that 45.9% of participants consumed HI more than twice per week. There was a statistically significant association between the weekly consumption of HI and the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (14-MEDAS), which identified HI consumption as a prognostic factor of high adherence to the MD. Additionally, HI consumption was significantly associated with PsyR. St John’s wort, green tea, and Greek mountain tea were associated with higher levels of PsyR. Greek mountain tea was also associated with a healthful and sustainable lifestyle. These findings suggest that HI are an integral part of the Mediterranean Diet, and their consumption is associated with PsyR. Promoting the consumption of HI such as Greek mountain tea and other herbs could be an effective way to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors and sustainable practices. Further randomized control trials are needed to confirm the results of this study.
{"title":"Herbal Infusions as a Part of the Mediterranean Diet and Their Association with Psychological Resilience: The Paradigm of Greek Mountain Tea","authors":"Efstratios Christodoulou, Ana Meca, A. Koutelidakis","doi":"10.3390/nutraceuticals3030032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/nutraceuticals3030032","url":null,"abstract":"Herbal infusions (HI) are a popular type of beverage known for their potential health benefits due to the extraction of phytochemicals and bioactive compounds. The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is a well-known dietary pattern with beneficial effects on health, and Psychological Resilience (PsyR) is a key indicator of mental health and human well-being. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between HI and the MD, as well as their association with PsyR. The study included 398 healthy adults from Greece who participated voluntarily in an online research survey. The results indicated that 45.9% of participants consumed HI more than twice per week. There was a statistically significant association between the weekly consumption of HI and the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (14-MEDAS), which identified HI consumption as a prognostic factor of high adherence to the MD. Additionally, HI consumption was significantly associated with PsyR. St John’s wort, green tea, and Greek mountain tea were associated with higher levels of PsyR. Greek mountain tea was also associated with a healthful and sustainable lifestyle. These findings suggest that HI are an integral part of the Mediterranean Diet, and their consumption is associated with PsyR. Promoting the consumption of HI such as Greek mountain tea and other herbs could be an effective way to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors and sustainable practices. Further randomized control trials are needed to confirm the results of this study.","PeriodicalId":93800,"journal":{"name":"Nutraceuticals","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41505907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-08-10DOI: 10.3390/nutraceuticals3030031
S. Goenka
The stimulation of melanogenesis by novel natural products is desirable for cosmetic applications such as skin tanning, anti-greying, and clinical use for treating vitiligo and leukoderma disorders. Microphthalmia transcription factor (MITF) is a central transcription factor that controls the expression of tyrosinase, which is a key enzyme responsible for catalyzing the rate-limiting processes of melanin production. Tetrahydrocurcuminoids (THCr), which mostly consist of tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), are a colorless bioactive mixture derived from curcuminoids that are extracted from the Curcuma longa plant. THCr has been reported to exhibit superior properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Our previous study reported the greater melanogenesis-stimulating effects of purified THC, compared to hexahydrocurcumin (HHC) or octahydrocurcumin (OHC). Curowhite™ (CW) is a proprietary extract that consists of 25% hydrogenated curcuminoids (mixture of THCr, hexahydrocurcuminoids, and octahydrocurcuminoids) encapsulated in a β-cyclodextrin (βCyD) excipient. The encapsulation of THCr in a suitable excipient, such as the widely popular cyclodextrins, helps to enhance the stability, solubility, and bioavailability of the THCr. CW is marketed as a nutraceutical with GRAS status and is safe when administered orally, as shown in vivo studies. However, the impact of CW on melanogenesis remains unexplored. Herein, the impact of CW on melanogenesis were investigated using B16F10 and MNT-1 cells. Our findings show that CW is markedly cytotoxic to B16F10 cells without affecting the cellular melanin content. However, in MNT-1 cells, CW significantly stimulated intracellular melanin content over the concentration range (20–60 µg/mL) with increased dendrite formation while being nontoxic to MNT-1 cells or HaCaT cells after a 5-day treatment. Examination of the effects of the excipient βCyD on cytotoxicity and melanogenesis confirmed that the excipient had no contribution to the biological impacts that were found to be exclusively attributable to the encapsulated mixture (THCr). The mechanisms of CW’s promelanogenic effects in MNT-1 cells were found to be related, at least in part, to an increase in tyrosinase and MITF protein levels, as CW did not alter tyrosinase activity in MNT-1 cells. Moreover, CW exhibited antioxidant activity as obtained through DPPH radical scavenging assay. Together, the findings of this pilot study indicate that CW might hold an exciting avenue as a pro-pigmenting nutraceutical for treating hypopigmentation disorders, the detailed mechanisms of which warrant further exploration. Moreover, future investigations are necessary to examine CW’s effects on melanogenesis in normal human melanocytes and in vivo studies.
{"title":"Effects of a Standardized Hydrogenated Extract of Curcumin (Curowhite™) on Melanogenesis: A Pilot Study","authors":"S. Goenka","doi":"10.3390/nutraceuticals3030031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/nutraceuticals3030031","url":null,"abstract":"The stimulation of melanogenesis by novel natural products is desirable for cosmetic applications such as skin tanning, anti-greying, and clinical use for treating vitiligo and leukoderma disorders. Microphthalmia transcription factor (MITF) is a central transcription factor that controls the expression of tyrosinase, which is a key enzyme responsible for catalyzing the rate-limiting processes of melanin production. Tetrahydrocurcuminoids (THCr), which mostly consist of tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), are a colorless bioactive mixture derived from curcuminoids that are extracted from the Curcuma longa plant. THCr has been reported to exhibit superior properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Our previous study reported the greater melanogenesis-stimulating effects of purified THC, compared to hexahydrocurcumin (HHC) or octahydrocurcumin (OHC). Curowhite™ (CW) is a proprietary extract that consists of 25% hydrogenated curcuminoids (mixture of THCr, hexahydrocurcuminoids, and octahydrocurcuminoids) encapsulated in a β-cyclodextrin (βCyD) excipient. The encapsulation of THCr in a suitable excipient, such as the widely popular cyclodextrins, helps to enhance the stability, solubility, and bioavailability of the THCr. CW is marketed as a nutraceutical with GRAS status and is safe when administered orally, as shown in vivo studies. However, the impact of CW on melanogenesis remains unexplored. Herein, the impact of CW on melanogenesis were investigated using B16F10 and MNT-1 cells. Our findings show that CW is markedly cytotoxic to B16F10 cells without affecting the cellular melanin content. However, in MNT-1 cells, CW significantly stimulated intracellular melanin content over the concentration range (20–60 µg/mL) with increased dendrite formation while being nontoxic to MNT-1 cells or HaCaT cells after a 5-day treatment. Examination of the effects of the excipient βCyD on cytotoxicity and melanogenesis confirmed that the excipient had no contribution to the biological impacts that were found to be exclusively attributable to the encapsulated mixture (THCr). The mechanisms of CW’s promelanogenic effects in MNT-1 cells were found to be related, at least in part, to an increase in tyrosinase and MITF protein levels, as CW did not alter tyrosinase activity in MNT-1 cells. Moreover, CW exhibited antioxidant activity as obtained through DPPH radical scavenging assay. Together, the findings of this pilot study indicate that CW might hold an exciting avenue as a pro-pigmenting nutraceutical for treating hypopigmentation disorders, the detailed mechanisms of which warrant further exploration. Moreover, future investigations are necessary to examine CW’s effects on melanogenesis in normal human melanocytes and in vivo studies.","PeriodicalId":93800,"journal":{"name":"Nutraceuticals","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45807024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-08-03DOI: 10.3390/nutraceuticals3030030
Vincenzo Sorrenti, A. Buriani, S. Davinelli, G. Scapagnini, Stefano Fortinguerra
Vitamin D is a pleiotropic hormone that plays a vital role in regulating bone growth, maintaining calcium and phosphate homeostasis, modulating immune function, and a wide range of other pleiotrophic actions in humans, which have increased the attention for its clinical applications. Despite its importance, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent worldwide and is related to a range of pathophysiological conditions, including an increased risk of osteoporosis and chronic and autoimmune diseases. The recommended daily doses of vitamin D vary depending on genetics, age, sex, and health status, with specific doses recommended for infants, children, adults, and those at increased risk of deficiency or specific health conditions. Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is essential for optimal health, and together with sun exposure, appropriate supplementation strategies can help achieve this goal. Vitamin D supplementation is commonly used to maintain adequate levels, and the optimal administration strategy, such as a daily dose vs. a bolus, is still being investigated. This review aims to understand vitamin D physiology and the impact of relevant vitamin D polymorphisms and to evaluate the role of a daily dose versus a bolus in maintaining optimal vitamin D levels and clinical health outcomes. It also provides suggested clinical guidelines for clinicians based on the most recent scientific evidence.
{"title":"Vitamin D Physiology, Deficiency, Genetic Influence, and the Effects of Daily vs. Bolus Doses of Vitamin D on Overall Health: A Clinical Approach","authors":"Vincenzo Sorrenti, A. Buriani, S. Davinelli, G. Scapagnini, Stefano Fortinguerra","doi":"10.3390/nutraceuticals3030030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/nutraceuticals3030030","url":null,"abstract":"Vitamin D is a pleiotropic hormone that plays a vital role in regulating bone growth, maintaining calcium and phosphate homeostasis, modulating immune function, and a wide range of other pleiotrophic actions in humans, which have increased the attention for its clinical applications. Despite its importance, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent worldwide and is related to a range of pathophysiological conditions, including an increased risk of osteoporosis and chronic and autoimmune diseases. The recommended daily doses of vitamin D vary depending on genetics, age, sex, and health status, with specific doses recommended for infants, children, adults, and those at increased risk of deficiency or specific health conditions. Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is essential for optimal health, and together with sun exposure, appropriate supplementation strategies can help achieve this goal. Vitamin D supplementation is commonly used to maintain adequate levels, and the optimal administration strategy, such as a daily dose vs. a bolus, is still being investigated. This review aims to understand vitamin D physiology and the impact of relevant vitamin D polymorphisms and to evaluate the role of a daily dose versus a bolus in maintaining optimal vitamin D levels and clinical health outcomes. It also provides suggested clinical guidelines for clinicians based on the most recent scientific evidence.","PeriodicalId":93800,"journal":{"name":"Nutraceuticals","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48097982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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