Introduction

Recently, the incidence of lifestyle-related disorders, such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, has globally increased, intensifying the search for functional foods that target key molecular pathways [1]. Additionally, the recovery of natural antioxidants from agricultural waste is at the forefront [2]. Our previous research identified pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) shells (PSs) as an appealing source of hypoglycemic compounds, efficiently recovered by microwave-assisted extraction [3]. Nevertheless, assessing PS extract bioactivity after digestion is of the utmost importance to confirm its application as a nutraceutical ingredient for managing hyperglycemia.

Methods

This work examined, for the first time, the impact of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties of PS extract. The metabolomic profiles of undigested PS extract and its digests were analysed by LC-ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS, providing insights into the biotransformation processes occurring during digestion.

Results

Significant differences between the undigested PS extract and its digests were observed. The phytoconstituents' concentration decreased significantly after digestion compared to the undigested extract, reaching a maximum bioaccessibility of 43.7% in the gastric environment. The low recovery rate (9.95%) suggested the compounds’ poor stability in intestinal conditions. Concerning the bioactivity, the undigested PS extract inhibited 60.6% of α-glucosidase activity, decreasing significantly after gastric (18.7%) and (15.3%) intestinal digestion. Conversely, comparable α-amylase inhibitory effects were observed in the gastric and intestinal phases (48.2 and 46.6%, respectively). Lastly, multivariate data analysis proved the interdependency between the phytochemical composition and bioactivity of undigested PS extract and its digests.

Conclusions

This study represented a step forward for applying PS extract as a nutraceutical ingredient for lifestyle-related disorders. Further studies should be focused on formulating PS extract to enhance the delivery of bioactive compounds at the gastrointestinal level.

References

[1] Pinto, D., et al., Food Research International, 2020, 136, 109449

[2] Muccilli, V. et al., Heliyon, 2024, 10 (2), e24469

[3] Maccarronello, A. E., et al., Food chemistry, 2024, 443, 138504

Research on the morphological properties of plant seeds is important because it advances the taxonomy of the genus, contributing to a better understanding of diversity and its evolutionary relationships. Silene L. is a genus of plants belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae Juss. Some Silene L. species have been considered an interesting source of nutraceutical compounds due to their medicinal properties, including anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects. Recognising taxonomic groups based on seed morphology contributes to a better understanding of the diversity and identification of these species. Silene L. seeds from 95 populations belonging to 52 species reported in the literature were analyzed using machine learning algorithms such as random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and artificial neural network (ANN) to evaluate their effectiveness in species identification and classification. The results obtained in this research study proved that the machine learning models were effective in identifying the taxonomy of these species. Therefore, the selected machine learning models developed in this study can be a useful tool to classify the taxonomy of these plants through seeds. Nevertheless, there is a considerable gap in the literature on this topic, so further research is necessary to develop new methods for enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of these classification systems.

Introduction: Food supplements, which are concentrated forms of nutrients, play a crucial role in maintaining a balanced diet by providing essential missing nutrients. However, their impact on drug interactions cannot be overlooked. One such drug is warfarin, an anticoagulant with a complex interplay involving various medications, foods, and supplements. Given the significant increase in the use of dietary supplements in recent years, there is a compelling rationale to investigate their interactions with warfarin. This systematic review aims to identify supplements that interact with warfarin, thereby providing insights into potential risks and implications.

Methodology: In order to address the research question “What potential drug interactions may arise when food supplements are taken concomitantly with warfarin?”, a PRISMA 2020 systematic review was conducted. To accomplish a comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand, several databases were consulted. In order to fulfill the search platforms' requirements, the terms "interactions," "warfarin," and "supplements" were combined in multiple ways. The inclusion criteria took into account original, randomized or non-randomized studies and case studies that mention a supplement used concomitantly with warfarin. An artificial intelligence-based tool was used to evaluate the studies' quality. The obtained results were summarized in a table format, detailing the supplement used and the how the interaction occurs.

Results: A search of the literature yielded 968 articles, of which 14 were selected for review. These articles met the specified criteria, namely the use of a dietary supplement concomitantly with warfarin. Of these, 11 indicated a potential interaction, while 3 articles suggested that no interaction occurred.

Conclusions: This work clarified the interactions between supplements and warfarin, emphasizing supplements such as dong quai, milk thistle, and American ginseng, which alter the mechanism of action of the drug. Furthermore, it is imperative for patients to seek counsel from healthcare professionals before modifying their dietary regimen.

In recent decades, new deadly coronaviruses causing highly infectious diseases have emerged in human society, resulting in threats to public health and the global economy. In December 2019, in the province of Wuhan, China, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged. This infection was classified as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Probiotics are live microorganisms whose administration in adequate quantities has been associated with health benefits for the host, contributing to the treatment and prevention of multiple pathologies. The present study aims to review scientific evidence on the impact of probiotic treatment on the progression of morbidity due to SARS-CoV-2. The research was conducted in the Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials, EBSCO, Medline, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases. Inclusion criteria were as follows: study period between 2019 and 2023; language in English or Portuguese; methodology based on clinical trials; studies in humans with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 and administration of probiotics in the treatment of the pathology. Five studies were included in this review, recruiting a total of patients ranging from 23 and 300 individuals. The main positive results of the probiotic intervention compared to the control group were nearly an improvement in digestive symptoms (65% vs 88%, p-value 0.06) and overall symptoms (88.6% vs 70.8%; p-value 0.03). Also, in the probiotic group, there was an increase in serum concentrations of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the receptor-binding domain/spike 1 (RBD/S1) (225.9 vs 105.6 binding antibody units/mL, p-value < 0.05). The major limitation is related to the fact that, in all five studies, patients were concomitantly treated with several other drugs whose action may have influenced the observed results. The conducted studies suggest that the use of probiotics enhances a decrease in morbidity in SARS-CoV-2, although more studies are needed to confirm their efficacy in the disease.

Inadequate nutrition knowledge among football players might lead them to indiscriminately use dietary supplements and opt for unhealthy food choices. Adequate knowledge of nutrition is believed to influence the performance of footballers; improving nutrition knowledge helps foster optimal performance by improving dietary practices and attitudes. This study examined the nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and dietary practices of footballers at Lead City Football Academy. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted, and a purposive sampling technique was employed to select 100 male football players for this study. A semi-structured questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. The questionnaire consisted of sections on personal data, nutrition knowledge, attitudes towards nutrition, dietary practices, and food frequency consumption. 90.9% reported having received tertiary education. It was observed that 62.6% of respondents were aged between 18 and 20 years, with a mean age of 19.02 years (±2.290 SD). The sources of nutrition information identified by the footballers were coaches (46.5%), social media (34.3%), nutritionists (31.3%), schools (12.1%), and TV (12.1%). Additionally, 57.6% agreed that basic sugars are suitable energy sources, while a majority (96.0%) agreed that vitamin supplementation is recommended for physically active people. The findings also revealed that the majority of the footballers had positive attitudes towards the importance of good eating habits for health (100%), and that coaches had a good attitude towards nutrition (97.0%) and recognised the impact of food choices on physical performance (96.0%). Our findings suggest that Lead City footballers have optimal dietary practices and good nutrition knowledge. Encouraging ongoing nutrition education from coaches, particularly dietitians and nutritionists, to continuously refine and enhance nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practice among the footballers. Individualised nutrition support may help these footballers meet their nutrition requirements and support their health and performance.

Introduction: One of the proposed strategies for supporting food system sustainability is replacing animal-sourced protein with plant-sourced proteins since it may result in a significant reduction in land use and greenhouse gas emissions. This study aimed to assess the difference in characteristics of university students regarding their low or high intake of animal-sourced and plant-sourced protein.
Methods: Students at the University of Rijeka, Croatia aged 19 to 27 years (N=224, 46% females, 53% junior) noted sociodemographic data and dietary intake. Anthropometric and body composition parameters were measured. The diet sustainability was assessed through the Planetary Heath Diet Index (PHDI). Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) data were obtained from the literature with the SU-EAT method. Students were divided into two groups: high animal-sourced/low plant-sourced protein intake (HAP/LPP) (N=36, 16%), and low animal-sourced/high plant-sourced protein intake (LAP/HPP) (N=34, 15%), based on intake quartiles. The chi-square test was used for testing the difference between groups differences, while logistic regression to assess the odds for high animal-sourced protein intake.
Results: The LAP/HPP intake group consisted of significantly more females (59% vs 25%; p=0.004), and moderately physically active students (54% vs 31%; p=0.004), and had higher PDHI scores (62.21 vs 51.53; p<0.001) and lower GHGE (1.82 vs 2.57 kg CO2/1000 kcal; p<0.001), compared to the HAP/LPP group. Age (p=0.216), university degree (p=0.836), BMI (p=0.069), nutritional (p=0.345) and smoking status (p=0.885) did not differ significantly between groups. Significant higher odds for higher animal-sourced protein intake were male sex (OR=16.40, p<0.001) and high physical activity (OR=3.46, p=0.005). Students with higher animal-sourced protein intake had five-times-higher chances of higher GHGE than those with higher plant-sourced protein intake (OR=4.83, p=0.002).
Conclusions: A healthy and sustainable diet education specifically targeting male and physically active students by strengthening their knowledge and skills in choosing and preparing food with plant-sourced proteins.

In recent decades, phytochemicals have been the object of extensive research for their ability to improve or prevent cognitive decline. Tanacetum vulgare L. (common tansy) is a rich source of various secondary metabolites (essential oil, sesquiterpenoids, and phenolic compounds) with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity. However, research data about its cognitive effects are scarce. The present study investigated the effect of two doses of T. vulgare hydroalcoholic extract (TVE) on learning and memory in an experimental model of scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats.

The experiment was conducted using a Shuttle box apparatus for active and passive avoidance. Fifty male Wistar rats were divided randomly into five groups (n=10) as follows: placebo (C-veh), scopolamine (C-Scop), glycerin+scopolamine (Gly-Scop), scopolamine+200 mg/kg TVE (T.vulgare-Scop 200), and scopolamine+1000 mg/kg TVE (T.vulgare-Scop 1000). The measured behavioral parameters were the number of avoidances, the number of escapes, and thr number of inter-trial crossings. Statistical evaluation was carried out using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test, at a level of significance p<0.05.

We found that both groups with scopolamine-induced amnesia (C-Scop and Gly-Scop) had impaired learning and memory compared to the C-veh animals (p<0.05). Both doses of TVE increased the number of avoidances compared to the C-Scop and Gly-Scop groups during the learning session on days 4 and 5 (p<0.05), as well as on the re-test on day 12 (p<0.001). An increased number of escapes was observed on day 5 in animals treated with 200 mg/kg TVE, and on the re-test, in those treated with 1000 mg/kg TVE, compared to the C-Scop and Gly-Scop groups (p<0.05). T.vulgare 200 mg/kg increased the number of inter-trial crossings on the re-test, compared to the C-Scop rats (p<0.01).

These results reveal the beneficial effect of TVE on cognitive function in rats with scopolamine-impaired memory. Further research is needed to explore the plant's potential as a nutrient supplement with cognitive-function-enhancing properties.

Objective: The commercial availability of fish oil supplements rich in n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) has increased significantly in recent years. A recent study showed that n-3 LCPUFAs are more effectively absorbed in the form of triacylglycerol (TG) than ethyl ester (EE). However, there is a paucity of data on the specific forms of n-3 LCPUFAs in these supplements. Therefore, our aim was to investigate the main lipid classes (EE and/or TG) of fish oil supplements available in Hungary and Turkey.

Method: The lipid composition of randomly selected, commercially available fish oil-containing dietary supplement capsules from Hungary (n = 36) and Turkey (n = 30) was analysed by high-performance thin-layer chromatography. The supplements were divided into two subgroups: pure fish oil capsules (fish oil only), and mixed oil supplements (fish oil + other oils).

Results: In Hungarian capsules, 13 products contained predominantly TG, 15 EE, and 8 both TG and EE fractions. A number of samples were found to contain a variety of additional lipid fractions. Twelve pure fish oil capsules contained only TG, fourteen samples contained only EE, and one contained both TG and EE. In Turkish samples, some capsules contained plant-based oils, such as flaxseed, primrose, and corn oils. According to the label, these mixed-oil capsules had lower levels of EPA and DHA than pure fish oil capsules. Similarly, Hungarian capsules containing plant-based oils, including pumpkin, safflower, and linseed oils, had lower levels of EPA and DHA than those containing pure fish oil.

Conclusion: Hungarian fish oil supplements contain higher levels of EE than reported in previous studies. Therefore, the composition and concentration of these supplements should also be considered when selecting fish oil supplements to ensure their efficacy and associated health benefits. Preliminary studies may also be useful to select the fish oil capsule before starting supplementation trials or advising patients.

Introduction: Superoxide dismutase (SOD) holds significant importance in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical industries due to its role in neutralizing toxic superoxide radicals. In this study, we investigated plant residues as a source of SOD enzyme.

Methods: Plant residues from five different plants were analyzed for their SOD enzyme content. Peels from watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schrad.), bitter orange (Citrus aurantium L.), three varieties of melon (Cucumis melo L.)—Hafidh Nafsah, Ananas, and Alasfer Alshtwi—banana (Musa paradisiaca L.), and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) were evaluated. The extraction of each plant peel was performed using potassium phosphate buffer (50 mM KH₂PO₄, pH 7.8). Each sample was tested in triplicate for SOD activity and specific activity. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) was used to detect different SOD isoenzymes in the plant peels with and without the selective inhibitors potassium cyanide (KCN) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂).

Results: Peels from melon, watermelon, and bitter orange exhibited higher SOD activity compared to peels from potato and banana. SOD activity remained stable for six months when stored in the freezer. Among the various local melon varieties studied, the Ananas variety exhibited the highest SOD activity and specific enzyme activity. Out of the different buffers tested for extracting the enzyme from melon peel, potassium phosphate buffer (50 mM KH₂PO₄, pH 7.8) with EDTA (0.1 mM) demonstrated the highest specific activity. PAGE results indicated that bitter orange peel contains five isoenzymes of MnSOD and one isoenzyme of CuZnSOD. Melon peel contains two isoenzymes of both MnSOD and FeSOD and one isoenzyme of CuZnSOD. Watermelon peel contains two isoenzymes of CuZnSOD and one isoenzyme each of FeSOD and MnSOD.

Conclusions: The Ananas melon variety demonstrated the highest SOD activity and specific activity among various local melon varieties. This makes its peels an exceptionally efficient source for extracting an enzyme with numerous pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical applications.

Introduction

Mushrooms, a fairly uncommon food source in the US belonging to the Fungi kingdom, share characteristics with both plants and animals, making them a unique source of critical nutrients and quality protein. They also contain significant amounts of bioactive compounds and, when exposed to UV light, vitamin D2. Adaptable to many climate conditions and grown globally year-round indoors at low costs, mushrooms are a useful crop in low-income countries. Herein, we looked for evidence that mushrooms may be a promising food source worldwide for future healthier diets.

Methodology

A non-exhaustive literature search of PubMed was performed to find recent epidemiological and dietary intervention studies examining health outcomes related to mushroom bioactive components: Ergothioneine, Beta-glucans, Glutathione, and Vitamin D2.

Results

Several epidemiology studies, but not all, showed positive health outcomes associated with mushroom consumption. A Korean study found that an individual's level of mushroom consumption was correlated with their likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Other US and Chinese studies showed a decrease in all-cause mortality linked to mushroom intake. Greater mushroom consumption was associated with lower serum CRP and triglycerides, attributed to beta-glucans, while some dietary interventions showed benefits from reduced oxidative stress and inflammation, but others showed no cardiovascular benefits. Correlations between mushroom consumption and lower rates of lung and prostate cancer and cognitive decline were also reported.

Conclusions

Recent studies have shown correlations between mushroom intake and positive health outcomes, highlighting the potential of mushrooms as a healthy food source; however, some studies do not support definitive conclusions about the link between mushroom intake and reduced disease risk, a subject requiring further study. Moreover, mushrooms have a clear potential to improve nutritional intake even in times of climate crisis disrupting traditional agriculture, since they can be sustainably grown without irrigation and valuable land use.