Journal of Food Bioactives

Role of Dietary Lipids and Gut Microbiome-Derived Lipids in Regulation of Intestinal Homeostasis and Modulation of Inflammatory Diseases

Chi Yan — 2024-12-31

Gut health is the foundation of overall health. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is a kind of chronic relapsing and idiopathic immune dysbiosis in the intestinal tract. Recent studies have highlighted the effects of various dietary components on the progress of IBD. Mounting evidence has demonstrated that both dietary lipids and gut microbiome-derived lipids play a crucial role in gut health. They can directly or indirectly change the composition of gut microbiota, modulate the metabolism of colonic epithelial cells, influence the integrity of gut barrier and regulate the immune function. This review aims to define the key classes of dietary lipids and microbial-derived lipids, elucidate the interaction of these lipids with gut microbiota, discuss their effects on the intestinal homeostasis, and provide the future perspective in the research of gut health.

Research progress on the regulation of gut microbiota by Chinese yam polysaccharides

Ting Hu — 2024-12-31

Chinese yam is a traditional medicinal herb with a long history of medicinal and edible use in China. Polysaccharides are one of its main active components, possessing biological activities such as immune regulation, anti-tumor, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Recent research has indicated that Chinese yam polysaccharides (CYPs) play a significant role in promoting intestinal health and balancing gut microbiota. The gut microbiota has a direct impact on human digestion, nutrient absorption, energy levels, fat metabolism, and immune system regulation. Moreover, its imbalance can lead to the occurrence of various diseases such as enteritis, diabetes, obesity, tumors, and more. This review provides a brief overview of the extraction, isolation, purification, and structural characteristics of CYPs, with a particular emphasis on their prebiotic benefits, including anti-inflammatory bowel disease, anti-obesity, immune modulation, and anti-inflammatory effects, laying a foundation for future applications of CYPs in the treatment of related diseases.

Analysis methods and food application of Gastrodia elata and related products: A review

Chang Liu — 2024-12-31

Gastrodia elata Blume (G. elata) widely reputed as an important traditional herbal medicine and food in China and other Asian countries, can manage headache, epilepsy, pediatric acute, and chronic convulsions in modern clinical practice. It has been revealed that G. elata contains a variety of chemical substances, which have attracted more and more attention from the food science community. Hence, a comprehensive search of published literature from the beginning to 2024 in Web of Science and CNKI, and the keyword of G. elata was used. This review systematically summarizes analytical methods of bioactive phytochemicals in G. elata. We also depicted known biological harmful constituents in this review. In addition, abundant food products made from G. elata have been developed and sold on market, and different processing methods of G. elata containing foods have significant effects on the bioactive phytochemical composition of G. elata. Hence, we further summarized the impacts of food processing on the development of G. elata related functional food products. In a nutshell, this review summarizes the bioactive phytochemicals, analysis methods, and application of G. elata and its associated food products, and aims to provide a valuable reference for the full utilization of resources of G. elata.

Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Bioactives in Fruits and Vegetables: A comprehensive review

Kothakota Aravind Kumar — 2024-12-31

Fruits and vegetables are integral parts of the daily diet and consist of inedible peel, pomace, and kernel, which are rich in bioactive compounds (BACs). These BACs can be extracted by microwave-assisted extraction using microwave energy. Microwaves are non-ionising electromagnetic radiations with a frequency range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz. Its instrumentation includes a magnetron, waveguide, applicator, and circulator. Microwave extractors are of two types: open and closed. The former is used to extract thermoinsensitive compounds, and the latter to extract thermolabile compounds. Microwave extractors work with dual mechanisms called dipolar rotation and ionic conduction. They help to rupture the cell wall and release BACs into the solvent. The factors viz., solvent type and concentration, microwave power, extraction time, solvent-to-sample ratio, extraction temperature, and sample properties affect the extraction efficiency. Microwave-assisted extraction provides benefits such as higher yields, low extraction time, low solvent consumption, and compatibility with other methods

Lenthionine, a key flavour compound of shiitake mushrooms, prevents platelet aggregation by inhibiting αIIBβ3 activation

Shoichiro Shimada — 2024-12-31

Cardiovascular diseases, which are frequently associated with thrombosis and platelet aggregation, are a significant global health concern. The inhibition of platelet aggregation is a crucial strategy for the prevention of thrombotic disorders. Our previous studies have demonstrated that lenthionine, a cyclic polysulphur compound derived from shiitake mushrooms, possesses platelet anti-aggregatory properties. However, the underlying mechanism of action remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the inhibitory effects of lenthionine on platelet aggregation and αIIbβ3 activation. Lenthionine inhibits platelet aggregation induced by various types of agonists. Flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy revealed that lenthionine suppresses platelet activation and morphological changes. Moreover, lenthionine did not affect the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC), cofilin, and talin, but significantly inhibited the dephosphorylation of α-actinin. Our findings suggest that lenthionine may inhibit αIIbβ3 activation by potentially inhibiting the activity of protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), which is crucial for αIIbβ3 activation.

Lifespan extension and suppression effects of fermented botanical product on the impairment of locomotor activity and accumulation of aggregates containing ubiquitinated proteins in the muscle of Drosophila aging-accelerated models

Dat Tuan Le — 2024-12-31

Although many health foods and their active ingredients have been identified based on their antioxidant activities using biochemical and cell culture analyses, the potential activities are easily lost during gastrointestinal digestion. The lifespan of Drosophila adults who consumed the diet supplemented with diluted fermented botanical product (FBP) was significantly extended. FBP consumption partially suppressed the oxidative stress-induced reduction in viability and epithelial disorders in the flies’ digestive tracts. Although locomotor activity gradually declined with age, FBP significantly suppressed the age-dependent impairment of activity. Accumulation of ubiquitinated protein aggregates containing damaged and no longer needed proteins was significantly suppressed in flies continuously fed FBP after eclosion. Suppression was also observed in flies that were aged to a certain extent, equivalent to middle-aged humans. Our results suggest that FBP exerts antioxidant and antiaging effects in Drosophila. Hyperactivation of the transcription factor Nrf2 is not involved in the antioxidant effects of FBP.

Formation mechanism of an inclusion complex of lenthionine with α-cyclodextrin and enhancement of its bioavailability

Shoichiro Shimada — 2024-12-31

1,2,3,5,6-Pentathiepane (lenthionine) is a cyclic polysulphur compound that contributes to the distinctive flavour of shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) and inhibits platelet aggregation. However, its volatile hydrophobic characteristics present a challenge for its use in food applications. In this study, lenthionine was complexed with α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) to enhance its stability and bioavailability. The inclusion ratio of lenthionine with α-CD was 1:2. The formation of a stable inclusion complex was confirmed through diffusion order spectroscopy (DOSY) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) analyses. The inclusion of lenthionine in α-CD markedly suppressed its release. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the lenthionine/α-CD inclusion complex exhibited a more rapid and pronounced inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation than lenthionine alone. These findings indicate that inclusion of lenthionine in α-CD simultaneously mitigates its flavour and enhances its bioavailability, thereby expanding its potential for application in functional foods and pharmaceuticals.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, bioaccessibility, transmembrane transport of major phenolics from selected floral honeys using Caco-2 BBe1 cell model

Yan Zhu — 2024-12-31

In the present study, we assessed the antioxidant activity of the phenolic extracts and major phenolic compounds of alfalfa, buckwheat, clover and orange honeys collected in North America using chemical-based and cell-based antioxidant assays (CAA). Cell culture models using Caco-2 BBe1 were established to evaluate the effect of honey phenolics on antioxidant enzyme activities and secretion of interleukin 8 (IL-8). Moreover, bioaccessibility, transmembrane transport and cellular uptake of honey phenolics were also studied. Based on the same quantity of the honey studied, phenolic extract of buckwheat honey showed the highest FRAP, DPPH, ORAC and CAA values, and strongest activity in restoring activities of antioxidant enzymes (GR, SOD and CAT) and in reducing TNF-α-induced IL-8 secretion. Our results showed that compared to the major phenolic component of honey of plant origin, minor phenolics or combination of different phenolic compounds, particularly those derived from propolis, and their phase II metabolites may play contribute more to the overall antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Future research will focus on bioavailability of honey phenolics and their metabolites, and the molecular mechanism of the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities.