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Molecular Interactions and Biological Functions of Bioactive Compounds in Food...
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Molecular Interactions and Biological Functions of Bioactive Compounds in Food and Health

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry and Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 3288

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wuyang Huang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Institute of Agro-Product Processing, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
2. School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
3. College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Interests: food function; nutrition; phenolics; flavonoids; anthocyanins; antioxidant; anti-inflammatory
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Daniela D. Herrera-Balandrano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
Interests: food science; plant-based foods; antioxidants; phytochemicals; biological activities; functional foods; bioavailability; nutraceuticals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bioactive compounds in foods (e.g., anthocyanins, phenolic acids, flavonoids, flavanols, catechins, polyphenols, and tannins) significantly influence human nutrition and health. There has been heightened interest in uncovering molecular compounds and elucidating their mechanisms since they constitute a substantial part of the diet and are a potential source of functional foods and nutraceuticals. Modern advances have facilitated the integration of nutrition and medicine, alongside developing more efficient and cost-effective healthcare solutions that utilize food for prevention and therapy.

Therefore, we invite authors to submit articles for this Special Issue exploring the metabolism of nutrients and bioactive dietary compounds, leading to a better understanding of mechanisms of action through biological research. This Special Issue encompasses several topics, including cell biology, biochemical activities, metabolic processes, omics, bioavailability, and food matrix interactions, emphasizing the importance of improving health and disease prevention.

Prof. Dr. Wuyang Huang
Dr. Daniela D. Herrera-Balandrano
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bioactive compounds
  • nutraceuticals
  • food function
  • healthy effects
  • antidiabetic action
  • anti-inflammatory properties
  • antioxidants

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1195 KB  
Article
Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant Capacity, and α-Amylase/α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Effects of 29 Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Varieties from China
by Ying Li, Zhihua Wang, Chengkai Mei, Wenqi Sun, Xingxing Yuan, Jing Wang and Wuyang Huang
Biology 2025, 14(8), 982; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14080982 - 2 Aug 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1491
Abstract
Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), a nutrient-rich legume beneficial to human health, is valued for its high L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) and phenolic content. This study investigated phytochemical diversity and bioactivity across 29 Chinese faba bean varieties. Phenolics were profiled using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography [...] Read more.
Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), a nutrient-rich legume beneficial to human health, is valued for its high L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) and phenolic content. This study investigated phytochemical diversity and bioactivity across 29 Chinese faba bean varieties. Phenolics were profiled using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) and quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Antioxidant capacity was evaluated, including DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) radical scavenging activity, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), along with α-amylase/α-glucosidase inhibitory effects. Twenty-five phenolics were identified, including L-DOPA (11.96–17.93 mg/g, >70% of total content), seven phenolic acids, and seventeen flavonoids. L-DOPA showed potent enzyme inhibition (IC50 values of 22.45 μM for α-amylase and 16.66 μM for α-glucosidase) but demonstrated limited antioxidant effects. Lincan 13 (Gansu) exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity (DPPH, 16.32 μmol trolox/g; ABTS, 5.85 μmol trolox/g; FRAP, 21.38 mmol Fe2+/g), which correlated with it having the highest flavonoid content (40.51 mg rutin/g), while Yican 4 (Yunnan) showed the strongest α-amylase inhibition (43.33%). Correlation analysis confirmed flavonoids as the primary antioxidants, and principal component analysis (PCA) revealed geographical trends (e.g., Jiangsu varieties were particularly phenolic-rich). These findings highlight faba beans’ potential as functional foods and guide genotype selection in targeted breeding programs aimed at enhancing health benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Interactions and Biological Functions of Bioactive Compounds in Food and Health)
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Review

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19 pages, 6022 KB  
Review
Dietary Phytochemicals Targeting NRF2 Against Skin Cellular Senescence: Mechanistic Insights and Potential for Functional Food Development
by Yi Liu, Ruiqi Wang, Hanqing Liu and Zhigang Tu
Biology 2026, 15(1), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15010039 - 25 Dec 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1282
Abstract
Skin aging is driven largely by oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, processes closely linked to cellular senescence and declining NRF2 activity. Numerous dietary phytochemicals—such as curcumin (from turmeric), resveratrol (from grapes), sulforaphane (from cruciferous vegetables), zerumbone, and salvianolic acid B—abundant in [...] Read more.
Skin aging is driven largely by oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, processes closely linked to cellular senescence and declining NRF2 activity. Numerous dietary phytochemicals—such as curcumin (from turmeric), resveratrol (from grapes), sulforaphane (from cruciferous vegetables), zerumbone, and salvianolic acid B—abundant in fruits, vegetables, herbs, and traditional food sources, exhibit potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This review systematically elucidates the molecular mechanisms by which these compounds mitigate skin aging, primarily through modulating the NRF2 signaling pathway. We further integrate insights from clinical trials of NRF2-targeting agents to inform the translational potential of these dietary bioactives. Molecular docking analyses confirm that these food-derived compounds interact directly with the KEAP1-NRF2 complex, promoting NRF2 activation. Transcriptomic analyses of skin-related datasets (GSE35160, GSE71910, GSE185129) further validate the downregulation of key NRF2-regulated cytoprotective genes (e.g., FTH1, FTL, HMOX1, SLC7A11) involved in antioxidant defense and the suppression of pro-inflammatory mediators. Based on this mechanistic foundation, we discuss the translational potential of these food-derived bioactives and the rationale for their future incorporation into skin-health-promoting nutraceuticals. We highlight how these food-derived phenolics and other bioactives may be incorporated into functional foods or nutraceuticals to support skin health from within, offering a dietary strategy to delay aging. We acknowledge that key translational challenges, such as oral bioavailability and optimal formulation, require further investigation. Further research is warranted to bridge these mechanistic insights into effective human applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Interactions and Biological Functions of Bioactive Compounds in Food and Health)
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