Natural Antioxidants: Determination in Food and Nutraceuticals and Implications on Human Health

A special issue of BioTech (ISSN 2673-6284). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural and Food Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2024 | Viewed by 8349

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the use of natural products around the world has increased. Vegetable-based diets are spreading as a consequence of people’s higher conscience concerning matters of animal wellbeing, climate change, and the nutritional/health properties of food. Nutraceuticals are also gaining wide attention, due to their supposed beneficial effects on health. Several botanicals that are currently used as ingredients in food supplements are known for their antioxidant properties and can exert preventive activity against aging-related diseases such as neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. However, the mechanism of action of antioxidants is a long-term matter of debate among scientists. It has been demonstrated that these compounds can neutralize reactive molecular species and prevent direct oxidative damage to biological macromolecules. Alternatively, antioxidants can induce the endogenous redox defense, for example, by up-regulating the expression of detoxifying enzymes and modulating their activity. Several antioxidants can elicit other biological roles in the human organism after ingestion, and in this context, their interaction with the gut microbiota is of high relevance. Intestinal microbes can degrade these compounds, producing lower-molecular-weight metabolites that can exert their activity on the intestinal wall or in other districts of the body, upon absorption.

Antioxidants are also important for food quality because they can prevent oxidative degradation, thus delaying the deterioration of foods and preserving their nutritional and functional properties. For instance, the characteristic polyphenols of olive oil such as oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol are important for both product quality and consumer health. Several food processing techniques and storage methods can cause the modification (typically oxidation) of antioxidants contained in food, leading to significant losses of these compounds. For this reason, optimization of all the procedures involved in the preparation, transformation, and conservation of foods is needed.

This Special Issue will be dedicated to chemical, biological, and technological aspects related to antioxidants in foods, natural products, and nutraceuticals. Scientific works dedicated to the chemical characterization of antioxidants in products destined for human use are welcome, as well as works dealing with their extraction, isolation, and formulation in nutritional supplements. Articles focused on the optimization of laboratory and larger-scale procedures intended to prevent the degradation and loss of antioxidants in food and other products will also be of high interest, as well as others dealing with the assessment of their bioactivity and toxicity in cellular, animal, and human models. 

Dr. Gregorio Peron
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • natural antioxidants
  • antioxidants in food
  • nutraceuticals
  • chemical characterization
  • NMR
  • mass spectrometry
  • chromatography
  • bioassays
  • food quality
  • animal models

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 3640 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant, Anti-Helicobacter pylori, and Enzyme Inhibitory Evaluations of Cleistocalyx operculatus Flower Bud and Leaf Fractions
by Doan Thien Thanh, Mai Thanh Tan, Nguyen Thi My Thu, Pham Nhat Phuong Trinh, Pham Thi Hoai Thuong, Pham Thi Giang Tuyet, Luong Thi My Ngan and Tran Trung Hieu
BioTech 2024, 13(4), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/biotech13040042 - 11 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1043
Abstract
Six solvent fractions isolated from flower bud and leaf ethanolic extracts of Cleistocalyx operculatus were analyzed for their phytochemical contents, including phenolics, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and alkaloids. Antioxidant activities were measured using the ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays. The results showed that the [...] Read more.
Six solvent fractions isolated from flower bud and leaf ethanolic extracts of Cleistocalyx operculatus were analyzed for their phytochemical contents, including phenolics, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and alkaloids. Antioxidant activities were measured using the ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays. The results showed that the flower bud aqueous fraction (BAF) and the leaf aqueous fraction (LAF) rich in phenolic content (768.18 and 490.74 mg GAE/g dry extract, respectively) exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activities than the other fractions. The flower bud hexane fraction (BHF) had remarkably high flavonoid and saponin contents (134.77 mg QE/g and 153.33 mg OA/g dry extract, respectively), followed by that of the leaf hexane fraction (LHF) (76.54 mg QE/g and 88.25 mg OA/g dry extract, respectively). The BHF and LHF were found to have extremely high antibacterial activity against two H. pylori strains, ATCC 51932 and 43504 (MICs of 125 µg/mL). Interestingly, DMC (2′,4′-Dihydroxy-6′-methoxy-3′,5′-dimethylchalcone) isolated from the BHF displayed greater antibacterial activity against the bacterial strains (MICs of 25–50 µg/mL) than those of the fractions. In addition, DMC presented potent inhibitory effects on H. pylori urease (IC50 of 3.2 µg/mL) and α-amylase (IC50 of 83.80 µg/mL), but no inhibition against α-glucosidase. It was also demonstrated that DMC showed pronounced inhibitory effects on the urease activity and biofilm formation of H. pylori, and could increase the membrane permeability of the bacterial cells. Scanning electron micrographs depicted that the BHF and DMC had strong effects on the cell shape and significantly induced the distortion and damage of the cell membrane. The fractions and DMC showed no significant toxicity to four tested human cell lines. Efforts to reduce antibiotic use indicate the need for further studies of the flower buds and DMC as potential products to prevent or treat gastric H. pylori infections. Full article
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11 pages, 1436 KiB  
Article
Assessing Curcumin Uptake and Clearance and Their Influence on Superoxide Dismutase Activity in Drosophila melanogaster
by Tammy R. Hoffman, Sarah A. Emsley, Jenna C. Douglas, Kaela R. Reed, Abigail R. Esquivel, Marc J. Koyack, Brie E. Paddock and Patrick Videau
BioTech 2023, 12(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/biotech12030058 - 8 Sep 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2107
Abstract
While normal levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) are required for proper organismal function, increased levels result in oxidative stress. Oxidative stress may be managed via the scavenging activities of antioxidants (e.g., curcumin) and the action of enzymes, including superoxide dismutase [...] Read more.
While normal levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) are required for proper organismal function, increased levels result in oxidative stress. Oxidative stress may be managed via the scavenging activities of antioxidants (e.g., curcumin) and the action of enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD). In this work, the uptake and clearance of dietary curcuminoids (consisting of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin) was assessed in Drosophila melanogaster larvae following chronic or acute exposure. High levels of curcuminoid uptake and loss were observed within a few hours and leveled off within eight hours post treatment onset. The addition or removal of curcuminoids from media resulted in corresponding changes in SOD activity, and the involvement of each of the three SOD genes was assessed for their contribution to total SOD activity. Taken together, these data provide insight into the uptake and clearance dynamics of curcuminoids and indicate that, while SOD activity generally increases following curcuminoid treatment, the individual SOD genes appear to contribute differently to this response. Full article
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15 pages, 2946 KiB  
Article
Metabolites Potentially Determine the High Antioxidant Properties of Limosilactobacillus fermentum U-21
by Yelena V. Grishina, Aleksey A. Vatlin, Dilara A. Mavletova, Maya V. Odorskaya, Alexey M. Senkovenko, Rustem A. Ilyasov and Valeriy N. Danilenko
BioTech 2023, 12(2), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/biotech12020039 - 17 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2707
Abstract
Many kinds of Lactobacillus are common occupants of humans’ digestive tract that support the preservation of a balanced microbial environment that benefits host health. In this study, the unique lactic acid bacterium strain Limosilactobacillus fermentum U-21, which was isolated from the feces of [...] Read more.
Many kinds of Lactobacillus are common occupants of humans’ digestive tract that support the preservation of a balanced microbial environment that benefits host health. In this study, the unique lactic acid bacterium strain Limosilactobacillus fermentum U-21, which was isolated from the feces of a healthy human, was examined for its metabolite profile in order to compare it to that of the strain L. fermentum 279, which does not have antioxidant (AO) capabilities. By using GC × GC−MS, the metabolite fingerprint of each strain was identified, and the data were then subjected to multivariate bioinformatics analysis. The L. fermentum U-21 strain has previously been shown to possess distinctive antioxidant properties in in vivo and in vitro studies, positioning it as a drug candidate for the treatment of Parkinsonism. The production of multiple distinct compounds is shown by the metabolite analysis, demonstrating the unique characteristics of the L. fermentum U-21 strain. According to reports, some of the L. fermentum U-21 metabolites found in this study have health-promoting properties. The GC × GC−MS-based metabolomic tests defined strain L. fermentum U-21 as a potential postbiotic with significant antioxidant potential. Full article
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Review

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19 pages, 3417 KiB  
Review
Prospects in the Use of Cannabis sativa Extracts in Nanoemulsions
by Ian Vitola, Carlos Angulo, Raul C. Baptista-Rosas, Luis Miguel Anaya-Esparza, Zazil Yadel Escalante-García, Angélica Villarruel-López and Jorge Manuel Silva-Jara
BioTech 2024, 13(4), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/biotech13040053 - 2 Dec 2024
Viewed by 747
Abstract
Cannabis sativa plants have been widely investigated for their specific compounds with medicinal properties. These bioactive compounds exert preventive and curative effects on non-communicable and infectious diseases. However, C. sativa extracts have barely been investigated, although they constitute an affordable option to treat [...] Read more.
Cannabis sativa plants have been widely investigated for their specific compounds with medicinal properties. These bioactive compounds exert preventive and curative effects on non-communicable and infectious diseases. However, C. sativa extracts have barely been investigated, although they constitute an affordable option to treat human diseases. Nonetheless, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunogenicity effects have been associated with C. sativa extracts. Furthermore, innovative extraction methods in combination with nanoformulations have been proposed to increase desirable compounds’ availability, distribution, and conservation, which can be aided by modern computational tools in a transdisciplinary approach. This review aims to describe available extraction and nanoformulation methods for C. sativa, as well as its known antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunogenic activities. Critical points on the use of C. sativa extracts in nanoformulations are identified and some prospects are envisaged. Full article
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18 pages, 3391 KiB  
Review
Honey Bioactive Molecules: There Is a World Beyond the Sugars
by Gregorio Bonsignore, Simona Martinotti and Elia Ranzato
BioTech 2024, 13(4), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/biotech13040047 - 14 Nov 2024
Viewed by 621
Abstract
Honey’s many bioactive compounds have been utilized historically to cure infectious diseases. Beneficial effects are its antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-stimulating qualities. The bee species, geographic location, botanical origin, harvest season, processing, and storage conditions all affect honey’s potential for therapeutic use. [...] Read more.
Honey’s many bioactive compounds have been utilized historically to cure infectious diseases. Beneficial effects are its antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-stimulating qualities. The bee species, geographic location, botanical origin, harvest season, processing, and storage conditions all affect honey’s potential for therapeutic use. Honey contains a number of antioxidants and active compounds, such as polyphenols, which have been shown to have disease-preventive properties. Based on their origins, categories, and functions, the main polyphenols found in various honey varieties are examined in this review. Full article
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